What is Mahjong Hu eighteen bachelor's degree?

Among the many varieties of mahjong,十八学士堪称传说级的存在。它指的是胡牌时，手牌由四组杠牌（明杠或暗杠均可）和一对将牌组成，共计18张牌，因此得名“十八学士”。由于杠牌后需要从牌墙补牌，实际胡牌时牌型为4组杠子加一对将，共18张，且不计杠上开花。这种牌型在国标麻将中属于最高番种之一，计88番，在地方麻将规则中也有类似设定，但名称可能略有不同，如“十八罗汉”等。

To achieve the 18th bachelor's degree, players must successfully draw four sets of levers, which in itself requires excellent card luck and precise operation. Trading cards will expose some of the cards and increase the risk of being guarded by opponents. Therefore, the 18th bachelor's degree not only tests luck, but also tests the player's strategy and courage.

Composition of Eighteen Bachelors and Calculation of Numbers

十八学士的牌型结构非常清晰：4组杠子 + 1对将牌。杠子可以是明杠（碰牌后自己摸到第四张）或暗杠（手中有四张相同的牌），但必须全部杠出。将牌则是任意一对相同的牌。例如：

  • Bars: East, South, West and North (four each)
  • Will: 50,000, 50,000

In the national standard mahjong, the eighteen bachelor's degree is fixed as 88, and is not counted twice with other classes (such as excluding touching, single fishing, etc.). Due to the extremely high number of times, once a game is played, the victory is basically locked. In some local rules, the Eighteen Bachelors may be superimposed with other rewards, such as "Eighteen Bachelors of Tianhu", which are even more rare and unattainable.

Probability of occurrence and practical difficulty

The probability of eighteen bachelors appearing is extremely low. It is estimated that under random licensing without interference, the probability is less than one in a million. In actual combat, because players can deduct cards, bump bars, etc., the probability is lower. To get together four sets of levers, you need at least 16 identical cards distributed in the four sets and you can touch or encounter them. This requires that there are still a large number of relevant cards that have not been played in the middle and late stages of the game, which often requires other players to accidentally "feed" the cards or continuously touch key cards themselves.

Therefore, the eighteen bachelor's degree is more regarded as a "miracle card type", and many mahjong enthusiasts may not be able to do it once in their lives. But because of this, it has become a legend in Mahjong culture and has been given the meaning of good fortune and perfection.

The cultural connotations and historical allusions of the eighteen bachelor's degrees

“十八学士”一词源于唐太宗李世民时期。当时，李世民为网罗人才，设立文学馆，招纳杜如晦、房玄龄等十八位博学多才之士，号称“十八学士”。他们为贞观之治做出了重要贡献，后世常以“十八学士”象征人才济济、群英荟萃。麻将中的十八学士牌型，正是借用了这一典故，寓意胡牌者如集齐十八位贤才，功德圆满，大吉大利。

此外，十八学士也与传统吉祥图案“十八学士登瀛洲”相关，寓意功成名就、步步高升。因此，在麻将文化中，胡出十八学士不仅意味着牌技超群，更被视为好运和福气的象征，常被传为佳话。

Variations in local rules

Mahjong rules in different regions have slight differences in the identification and number of eighteen bachelors. For example:

  • Sichuan Mahjong：通常称为“十八罗汉”，计为极品牌，但需注意是否要求必须暗杠。
  • Guangdong Mahjong: In some rules, eighteen scholars require that all four groups of bars are dark bars, which is more difficult.
  • Taiwanese Mah Jong: There are "Eighteen Scholars" varieties, but the methods of counting the varieties are different and may be superimposed on other varieties.

Players should understand local rules before actual combat to avoid disputes due to differences in rules.

How to work hard for the 18th bachelor's degree in actual combat?

Although the 18th bachelor's degree can be encountered but not sought, mastering some strategies can increase the probability of achieving it:

  1. 留意杠牌机会：起手或前期摸到对子、刻子时，不要急于碰出，观察牌河，若某张牌已出现多张，可考虑保留杠的可能性。
  2. 合理利用暗杠：暗杠不暴露牌情，且能多摸一张牌，是凑杠子的重要手段。但需权衡杠后是否破坏整体牌型。
  3. control risks：杠牌会增加对手的警惕，可能被针对。若牌局形势不利，应果断放弃十八学士，追求其他胡牌方式。
  4. stay mentally：十八学士需要运气，不可强求。享受过程，理性对待。

Anyway,Mahjong Hu eighteen scholars是麻将艺术中的巅峰之作，它融合了技巧、运气与文化，成为无数牌友心中的梦想。无论能否胡出，了解其背后的故事与策略，都能让我们更深入地感受麻将的魅力。