How to Track Mahjong Results and Balances: Paper, Excel, and Apps Compared

The minimum fields to record for mahjong

You do not need to enter every rule each time just to track long-term results. Start with a small set of essential fields and add more as needed.

To calculate financial balances, also record final table points, return points, uma, oka, the conversion rate, chips, table fees, and rounding rules. Opponents, venue, and rule-set names help with detailed analysis. First-place rate and average placement can be calculated automatically from placements, so they do not need to be entered manually for every game.

To review your decisions, link replays, push-or-fold notes, and final-hand placement calculations to each game's result.

Additional fields for tracking balances

To recalculate balances later, keep the conditions used in the calculation as well as the final amount.

1. Final table score
2. Return points
3. Uma
4. Oka
5. Final game points
6. Conversion rate or conversion unit
7. Number of chips and value per chip
8. Table fee
9. Final balance

Also record rules that affect the result, such as rounding and tied placements. Keep game points separate, rather than comparing only money amounts from games played at different rates or under different rules.

Always keep four-player and three-player results separate

The mathematical average-placement baseline is 2.50 for four-player mahjong and 2.00 for three-player mahjong. The possible placements differ, so combining them produces an unhelpful average. First-place and last-place rates also do not represent the same difficulty with four players and three.

Rules for uma, oka, North extraction, tsumo loss, and chips can also differ. Make four-player or three-player a required field in your app or sheet so you can filter the statistics. See mahjong average-placement benchmarks for more detail.

Keep East-only and hanchan games separate where possible

East-only and hanchan games differ in length and number of hands. Even over 100 games, the actual number of hands and dealer turns differs, affecting the variability of results.

Save the format in its own column so you can filter average placement and balances and compare like with like. Even if you normally play only one format, recording it will help if your games become mixed later.

Average placement is essential for tracking mahjong results

Average placement is the sum of your final placements divided by the number of games. The theoretical baseline is 2.50 in four-player mahjong and 2.00 in three-player mahjong. A lower number means you have finished nearer the top more often.

Average placement alone does not tell you whether your results favor winning or avoiding last place. Read it alongside game count, first-place rate, top-two rate, last-place rate, average score, and cumulative score.

Mahjong statistics to track alongside average placement

First-, second-, and third-place rates, fourth-place rate in four-player games, third-place rate in three-player games, and top-two rate show the placement distribution behind your average. Average and cumulative scores measure overall results including raw points and placement bonuses.

Actual balance, game count, and monthly and yearly results also help you track changes over time. Ideally, calculate these metrics automatically from placements and scores using consistent formulas.

Track average placement and balance separately

Even with a good average placement, your balance may be poor because your first-place point margins are small, your losses in last place are large, or chips and table fees put you in the red. Conversely, an ordinary average placement can still produce a profit through high-scoring wins and bonus chips.

Keep playing strength and money won as separate fields or statistics. See mahjong balance calculations for the settlement process.

Look at monthly and yearly results too

Cumulative results alone do not reveal recent form or changes in your play. Comparing monthly average placement, monthly balance, and yearly average placement helps distinguish short-term runs from long-term trends.

Monthly results fluctuate more when you play few games, so they cannot be judged by the same standard as cumulative results. Use them to compare with your past performance and identify areas to work on.

Why record results by opponent?

Recording opponents lets you check whom you played, how often you played them, each player's placements and scores, and settlement history for private games. This is especially useful if you usually play with the same group.

Use consistent player names: different spellings such as “Yamada” and “yamada” may be counted as different people. Shared images and CSV files may contain personal names, so respect the players' consent and privacy.

What to check when choosing a mahjong results app

Do more than compare app names and prices. Enter one typical game to check the features you need.

• Does it support both four-player and three-player mahjong?
• Can it separate East-only and hanchan games?
• Can you set starting points, return points, uma, and oka?
• Can you record the conversion rate, chips, and table fees?
• Can you edit players and points after saving?
• Can you view average placement, first-place rate, last-place rate, and top-two rate?
• Can you summarize results by month, year, and opponent?
• Can you export data in CSV or another format?
• Are there instructions for backup, restoration, and device migration?

Is a free mahjong results app enough?

Yes, if it supports your usual rules, record editing, data export, and backup. Alongside the price, check which of the features you need are available for free.

CSV export, backup, and device migration are different

These three features serve different purposes. Supporting one does not necessarily mean the other two are available.

CSV files generally do not include app-specific settings, screen state, or formulas. If the app cannot import CSV, you cannot restore the original state from a CSV file. For long-term data storage, check CSV export for analysis and backup for restoration separately.

Check backup support when choosing a mahjong results app

A broken or lost device could cost you years of records. Check whether data is stored only on the device, can sync to the cloud, or can be saved manually as a backup file.

The ability to create a backup is not enough by itself. Use sample data to check where it is saved and, if possible, actually test restoring it. Check device migration instructions and supported operating systems before you need to move.

Test a dedicated app by entering one real game

Enter a sample game using your usual three- or four-player rules to see how the app works in practice.

1. Set the player count, East-only or hanchan format, starting points, and return points
2. Enter final table points and placements
3. Set uma and oka
4. Enter the conversion rate, chips, and table fees if needed
5. Compare the result with a manual calculation
6. Edit the points after saving and check that the statistics update
7. Export a CSV and check the columns you need
8. Create a backup and check how to restore it

Easy entry alone is not enough for long-term use if the app cannot represent your usual rules, requires recreating a game for every correction, or offers no way to export your data.

What results can you track in MemoJong?

MemoJong keeps three-player and four-player mahjong separate and lets you record results with starting points, return points, uma, oka, conversion rates, chips, and table fees. You can edit saved games and view average placement and other statistics by period.

You can export and share statistics as CSV, and create a separate backup for restoration. If you want to enter results, calculate totals, view statistics, and export data entirely on your phone, try one game using your normal rules.

Common mistakes when recording mahjong results

• Adding too many fields at the start: Entry becomes a chore and the recording habit breaks.
• Combining four-player and three-player statistics: Different average-placement baselines become mixed, obscuring the actual trend.
• Not separating East-only and hanchan games: You end up comparing games played under different conditions.
• Combining games with different rules: Scores and balances no longer have the same meaning.
• Registering the same opponent under different names: Their results become split across multiple records.
• Assuming a metric's meaning from its name: A label such as “win rate” may use a different formula than you expect.
• Being unable to edit saved results: Entry errors remain in the statistics.
• Not checking storage and backup: You risk losing data if a device fails or you change devices.
• Treating CSV as a complete backup: It may not be possible to restore it into the original app.