How to use TileBuddy

Step 0

Pick your style

You chose this the first time you opened TileBuddy. You can change it any time.

1. 1 Hong Kong scores in faan, with 14-tile hands.
2. 2 Taiwanese scores in tai, with 17-tile hands.
3. 3 To switch, tap the Hong Kong button at the top of the app.

Step 1

Set up a game

Four names and a couple of taps, and you're at the table.

1. 1 On Track, tap Setup a new game.
2. 2 Type your four players. People you've played with before pop up as you type.
3. 3 Tap Assign seats and TileBuddy draws the winds.
4. 4 Tap Roll dice to pick the dealer and where to break the wall. Rolled real dice? Enter your total instead.

Step 2

Play on the board

Your table, laid out the way you're sitting.

1. 1 The round wind sits in the top corner.
2. 2 The dealer is marked, and every player shows their seat wind and running points.
3. 3 When a hand ends, tap Record win, or Draw if nobody won.

Step 3

Record a win

Someone just called a win. Tell TileBuddy who and how.

1. 1 Tap Record win, then tap who won.
2. 2 Self-Pick (自摸) if they drew the winning tile from the wall.
3. 3 Discard (出沖) if they won off someone's discard. Then tap who threw it, because that player loses more points.

Step 4

Score the hand

Three ways to get the faan. Use whichever is fastest at your table.

1. 1 Tap the faan if you already know it, then Log win.
2. 2 Pick Tiles to tap in the winning hand and let TileBuddy add it up.
3. 3 Scan Tiles to take a photo and let TileBuddy read the tiles.

Step 5

See who wins and loses points

After every hand you get the scoreboard.

1. 1 See who won points, who lost points and everyone's running total.
2. 2 Every hand is saved under History on the board.
3. 3 Logged one wrong? Tap Undo.

How faan turns into points →

Step 6

Finish the game

Done for the night? Wrap it up.

1. 1 Tap Finish, then Finish again to confirm.
2. 2 You get the final tally: the winner, everyone's points and the biggest hand of the night.
3. 3 Tap Share to send it to the group chat.
4. 4 Not done after all? Continue playing picks up where you left off.

Step 7

Look up any hand

Someone claims a hand you've never heard of. Check it in seconds.

1. 1 Points lists every scoring hand with its faan and Chinese name.
2. 2 Search by name, or filter by type.
3. 3 How to covers the game itself: the dealer, the wall, dealing and turns.

Step 8

Keep your games

Your games live on your phone until you sign in.

1. 1 Sign in to save your games to your account, so they move with you to a new phone.
2. 2 Signed in, you can add friends and follow their games live.
3. 3 Your finished games and stats live on You.