TileBuddy’s faan calculator is the fastest way to score a Hong Kong Mahjong hand. Whether you want to manually select tiles or use AI scanning, the app gets you an accurate faan count in seconds. Here’s how to use it.

Getting Started

First, download TileBuddy from the App Store if you haven’t already. It’s free.

When you open the app, you’ll see the main screen with options for the faan calculator, payment tracker, and game session manager. Tap on the faan calculator to get started.

Method 1: Manual Tile Input

The manual input method lets you tap to select each tile in the winning hand.

Step 1: Select Your Tiles

You’ll see a tile picker showing all available mahjong tiles organized by suit:

Bamboo (1-9)
Dots (1-9)
Characters (1-9)
Winds (East, South, West, North)
Dragons (Red, Green, White)

Tap each tile to add it to your hand. The app shows your current hand at the top of the screen as you build it.

Step 2: Organize Into Sets

Once you’ve selected all 14 tiles (or more if there are kongs), the app will automatically identify possible set combinations and scoring patterns. If multiple interpretations exist, TileBuddy will show you the one with the highest faan.

Step 3: Indicate Win Conditions

Select the relevant win conditions:

Self-drawn or discard win — This affects faan and payment calculation
Seat wind — Your current wind position
Round wind — The current round’s wind
Any bonus tiles — Flowers and seasons you’ve collected

Step 4: View Results

TileBuddy instantly displays:

Total faan count
Breakdown of each scoring element
Which hand patterns were recognized
The corresponding payment amount

Method 2: AI Tile Scanning

This is TileBuddy’s standout feature. Instead of manually tapping each tile, just take a photo.

Step 1: Lay Out the Tiles

Arrange the winning hand face-up on a flat surface with good lighting. Spread the tiles out so they’re clearly visible — overlapping tiles can confuse the scanner.

Step 2: Open the Camera

Tap the camera icon in the faan calculator. Point your phone at the tiles and take a photo (or select one from your gallery).

Step 3: AI Recognition

TileBuddy uses the Gemini AI API to identify each tile in the image. Within a few seconds, the recognized tiles appear on screen.

Step 4: Verify and Adjust

Check that the AI correctly identified all tiles. If any tile was misread (rare, but possible in poor lighting), you can tap to correct it manually. This hybrid approach gives you the speed of AI with the accuracy of manual verification.

Step 5: Complete the Scoring

Just like with manual input, indicate the win type, wind positions, and bonus tiles, then view your complete faan breakdown.

Understanding the Results Screen

The results screen shows several pieces of information:

Faan Breakdown

A line-by-line list of every scoring element in the hand:

Mixed One Suit (混一色)     3 faan
All Pungs (對對和)          3 faan
Seat Wind Pung (門風)       1 faan
Self-Drawn (自摸)           1 faan
─────────────────────────
Total                       8 faan

Payment Information

Based on your table’s settings (base unit, faan limit), the app shows:

How much the winner receives
Who pays (shooter only or all three players)
Dealer adjustment if applicable

Hand Classification

The app also names the overall hand type and indicates if it’s a limit hand or any special category.

Tips for Best Results

For Manual Input

Input the winning tile last — it helps the app distinguish between self-drawn and discard wins
Don’t forget to add kongs (they’re easy to overlook)
Double-check your seat wind and round wind settings

For AI Scanning

Use good, even lighting — avoid harsh shadows across the tiles
Lay tiles flat and spaced apart on a contrasting background
Clean tiles scan better than dirty ones
The camera works best when held directly above the tiles, not at an angle
Taking the photo in landscape orientation can help capture all tiles

General Tips

Save your game settings (base unit, hand sets, minimum faan) so you don’t have to re-enter them each time
Use the session tracker alongside the faan calculator to maintain running scores
Show the faan breakdown to newer players — it’s a great teaching tool

Configuring Your House Rules

Before your first game, set up your table preferences:

Setting	Options
Hand sets	Classic only, Classic + New 6, Classic + New 6 + New 18
Minimum faan	0 (chicken allowed), 1, 3, 5
Faan limit	8, 10, 13
Base unit	Custom amount
Dealer multiplier	1.5x (standard) or custom

These settings persist between sessions, so you only need to configure once per group.

FAQ

How accurate is the AI tile scanning?

The AI scanning is highly accurate under normal conditions. In testing, it correctly identifies tiles over 95% of the time. When it does make a mistake, it’s usually due to poor lighting, glare, or tiles that are partially obscured. You can always manually correct any misidentified tiles.

Can TileBuddy handle kongs in the faan calculation?

Yes. When inputting tiles, you can indicate kongs (both concealed and revealed). The app accounts for the extra tile and any relevant scoring bonuses, like the distinction between concealed and revealed kongs.

Does the faan calculator work offline?

Manual tile input and faan calculation work fully offline. The AI tile scanning feature requires an internet connection since it uses the Gemini API for image recognition.

What if my hand has multiple valid interpretations?

Some tile combinations can be arranged into sets in different ways, each yielding different faan totals. TileBuddy automatically evaluates all possible interpretations and shows you the highest-scoring one — which is the one you’d want to claim.

Ready to try it yourself? Download TileBuddy for free on the App Store and score your next winning hand in seconds.

How to Use TileBuddy's Faan Calculator