This hardcover book has clear explanations and instructions for play, suitable for beginners, but with enough information about strategy and scoring to satisfy an experienced player. It includes a brief history of the game, very good (and copious) line-drawn illustrations, and the section on scoring includes the Special Hands "American" approach, which changes annually and must be updated with an $8 scoring card. My preference is for the original Chinese (Hong Kong) version, and the scoring for that is well-explained in the text. It does not go into the betting details or gambling aspects of the game. At 59 pages, it is an essential book I'll keep for reference and as a source for teaching new players. Of the six or seven books I have about MahJong, this is the clearest and the one I'd recommend for beginners.

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