The Three Suits

Bams, Craks, and Dots

Each suit runs 1 through 9, and there are four copies of every tile. Bams (bamboo) often show sticks. Craks (characters) show Chinese numerals. Dots show circles.

In this course every tile is labeled, so you can concentrate on the idea rather than squinting at artwork. Real tile sets vary wildly in style — half the fun of shopping for a set.

See them side by side

Here are a 3 Bam, a 3 Crak, and a 3 Dot. Same number, three different suits. Notice the small corner label on each tile — that's your training wheel while you're learning.

The one special Bam

The 1 Bam is the exception: instead of a single bamboo stick, it is traditionally drawn as a bird — often a peacock or sparrow perched on a branch. Every other Bam number is plain sticks, so when you spot the bird you know you are looking at the 1 Bam.

It still counts as a regular Bam tile; it is just the only one with a picture instead of a pattern. Keep an eye out for it in the practice rounds ahead.

Why suits matter

Most hands on the card ask you to stay in one suit, or to use the same numbers across different suits. So 'is this a Bam or a Crak?' turns out to be the most common question at any beginner table.