There is a simple strategy for keeping both the player before and after you in check. For the latter, discard the suit or suits they do not want to minimise the chance of sheung – giving them the tiles to complete a set of three consecutive tiles in the same suit by picking up a tile you discard.

Do the opposite for the player before you by discarding the suits they want. This is best done if you can see plenty of the same suit already out on the table – even better the exact same tile – to minimise the chances of them completing a set.

When the game is played for money, the person who helped the winner wins the most.

2. Hold on to a pair

Keep a pair in your hand, rather than trying to create a set of three right away. Remember, a basic winning hand is four sets of three plus a matching pair.

Be aware that if you claim a pong by taking a tile from the discard pile in the middle of the table, you must keep the complete set it forms face up on the table so that others can see it. This can reveal your chosen suit to the other players, which means strategies can be formed against you.

The only time you can keep a pong hidden is if you have collected three of a kind from a stack yourself – but if you see the fourth tile discarded and you collect a kong, or four of a kind, then you must reveal that face up.

3. Increase the probability of winning

Would you rather have only one path to winning or 13? The more the better, of course – check out the hands in the photos throughout this article.

With hand A, you can win if you draw dot tiles one, four or seven. You can win with hand B by drawing dot tiles two, five or eight. That means you have three chances to win in both A and B.

C is an example of a special hand in which the player can win in 13 ways, as only a pair is missing. This is a hand that breaks all the rules you have learned so far, as a win is gained by collecting the first and ninth tile of each dot, bamboo and character suit, one each of the four winds, and one each of the dragon set. To win, all you need to do is pick up a tile that matches one of the 13 you already hold.

4. Never draw the first discard

Taking the first discarded tile of the game works largely in your opponents’ favour – it can reveal a lot about the hand you initially drew and the suit you may intend trying to win with.

By that same token, you may not be gaining any additional insights into the hand of the player who discarded it either, as you still do not know which suit they have decided to play – only which one they do not want.

When making risky choices like these, it is best to consider whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in the grand scheme of the game.

5. The art of separating your tiles

While it is tempting to separate the sets and pairs in your hand into groups rather than keeping them together in one long wall, you run the risk of letting your opponents know too much.

While other players cannot know what tiles you have for certain, grouping them gives your opponents a clear indication of how close you are to winning (or losing) a game.

Reverse psychology is your best friend when it comes to flipping this rookie mistake on its head: some players split their tiles into fake sets and pairs.

Frequently rearranging your tiles can prevent opponents from inferring what tiles you have. Getting used to this strategy can be tricky at the start if you are trying to take stock of your winning hand, but it could pay off in the long run.

Last and most importantly, have fun – thoughtfully, of course.