Official Instructions for Obtaining a Mahjong Dan Certificate

1. Purpose

The North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center (NAMDGCC) administers the official Dan grading and certification system for Mahjong players in North America. This document outlines the qualification requirements, tournament standards, and certification procedures for both Amateur and Professional players.

Part I. Amateur Dan Certification

1. Qualified Amateur Player (Level 0)

Qualification Requirements

A player shall be recognized as a Qualified Amateur Player (Level 0) upon:

• Successfully completing the official online qualification test; and
• Correctly answering at least 7 out of 10 questions.
• Purpose
• Level 0 status serves as an entry-level qualification and recognition of fundamental Mahjong knowledge.

2. Initial Amateur Dan (Amateur 1-Dan)

Qualification Requirements

A player may obtain Amateur 1-Dan by satisfying either of the following:

Option A: Online Examination

Complete the official online test; and

Correctly answer at least 8 out of 10 questions.

Option B: Dan Qualification Tournament

Participate in an officially recognized Dan tournament; and

Finish within the top 70% of all eligible participants.

3. Advancement to Higher Amateur Dan Levels

3.1 General Principle

Players seeking promotion above Amateur 1-Dan must participate in officially recognized Promotion Tournaments. Promotion is determined by:

• The player's current Dan level
• Compliance with tournament requirements
• The player's final tournament ranking; and
• Achievement of the required ranking percentage for the target Dan level.
• A promotion is granted only when both the tournament requirements and ranking requirements have been satisfied.

3.2 Amateur Dan Promotion Ranking Requirements

The following table specifies the minimum tournament ranking required for promotion to the next Amateur Dan level.

* Advancement from Amateur 9-Dan to the Professional grading pathway is subject to additional qualification requirements established by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

3.3 Official Requirements for Promotion(升段) Tournaments

All Promotion Tournaments must satisfy the minimum standards set by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

3.4 Promotion Rules

Players may only participate in the promotion tournament corresponding to their next Dan level.

Example: An Amateur 6-Dan player may only enter a promotion tournament for Amateur 7-Dan.

A player may advance by only one Dan level through a single promotion tournament.

Promotion is granted only when:

• The tournament satisfies all official requirements; and
• The player achieves the required ranking percentage for the target Dan level.

Tournament organizers must maintain complete records of:

• Player registration
• Match results
• Final rankings; and
• Tournament duration.
• Tournaments that fail to meet the official requirements may not be recognized for Dan promotion purposes.

3.5 Exception for Combined Promotion Tournaments

Amateur 1-Dan, Amateur 2-Dan, and Amateur 3-Dan players may participate in a combined Promotion Tournament.

However:

• Promotion shall be evaluated according to each player's current Dan level.
• Rankings shall be applied using the promotion requirements corresponding to that player's current level.
• A player may advance only one Dan level regardless of tournament performance.

3.6 Examples

An Amateur 1-Dan player who finishes within the Top 50% of a qualified promotion tournament shall be promoted to Amateur 2-Dan.

An Amateur 4-Dan player who finishes within the Top 35% of a qualified promotion tournament shall be promoted to Amateur 5-Dan.

An Amateur 8-Dan player who finishes within the Top 15% of a qualified promotion tournament shall be promoted to Amateur 9-Dan.

Therefore, promotion is awarded only when a player achieves the required ranking in a tournament that fully complies with the official Promotion Tournament requirements.

Part II. Professional Dan Certification

1. Initial Professional Dan (Professional 1-Dan)

Qualification Requirements

To become a Professional 1-Dan player, an applicant must:

• Participate in an officially recognized Professional Qualification (定段) Tournament; and
• Successfully meet the qualification standards established by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.
• Certification

Successful applicants shall:

• Be awarded the title of Professional 1-Dan
• Receive 1 Professional Point; and
• Become eligible for advancement through the Professional Dan promotion system.

2. Advancement to Higher Professional Dan Levels

2.1 Qualification Requirements

Professional players may advance to higher Dan levels through the accumulation of Professional Points earned in officially recognized tournaments (等级分).

Promotion is granted when a player's cumulative Professional Point total reaches or exceeds the minimum requirement for the next Professional Dan level.

Professional Dan Promotion Standards

2.2 Promotion Principles

Professional promotion is based on the accumulation of Professional Points rather than tournament ranking percentages.

Professional Points may only be earned through officially recognized tournaments approved by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

Professional Points accumulated from multiple qualified tournaments shall be combined toward promotion.

Promotion becomes effective when the required point threshold has been verified and approved by the Certification Center.

There is no limit on the number of tournaments from which Professional Points may be accumulated.

Examples

A Professional 1-Dan player who accumulates 100 Professional Points shall be promoted to Professional 2-Dan.

A Professional 3-Dan player who accumulates 1,000 Professional Points shall be promoted to Professional 4-Dan.

A Professional 6-Dan player who accumulates 5,000 Professional Points shall be promoted to Professional 7-Dan.

A Professional 8-Dan player who accumulates 10,000 Professional Points shall be promoted to Professional 9-Dan.

3. Professional Points System

Professional Points consist of two categories:

• A. Ranking Points (名次奖)
• Points awarded according to a player's final ranking in an officially recognized tournament.
• B. Attendance Points (场次奖)
• Points awarded based on participation and completion of tournament sessions.
• Point Calculation
• Ranking Points and Attendance Points shall be calculated after each qualified tournament.
• Both categories shall be added to the player's cumulative Professional Point total.
• Professional Dan levels shall be updated after verification of the player's newly accumulated points.
• Official promotion records shall be maintained by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

4. Qualified Professional Promotion Tournaments

Professional Points may be earned only through tournaments officially recognized by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

Official Requirements for Professional Promotion Tournaments

Tournament Administration Requirements

Professional promotion tournaments must be conducted offline (in-person).

A minimum of 32 eligible participants is required.

The tournament must consist of at least four (4) official sessions.

The tournament must provide a minimum total playing time of 360 minutes.

Tournament organizers must maintain complete and accurate records, including:

• Player registration
• Tournament schedules
• Match results
• Final rankings
• Professional Point calculations; and
• Tournament duration.
• Only tournaments approved and recognized by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center may award Professional Points.
• Any tournament failing to meet the above requirements shall not be recognized for Professional Point accumulation or Professional Dan promotion purposes.

5. Relationship Between Tournament Requirements and Professional Promotion

Participation in a qualified Professional tournament does not automatically result in a Dan promotion.

Professional promotion requires that:

• The tournament satisfies all official Professional Tournament requirements
• The player receives Professional Points in accordance with the official points system; and
• The player's cumulative Professional Point total reaches the required threshold for the next Professional Dan level.
• Accordingly, a Professional Dan promotion shall become effective only after the player's accumulated Professional Points have been reviewed, verified, and approved by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

Summary

The Professional Dan system combines:

• Qualification through Professional Qualification (定段) Tournaments for Professional 1-Dan
• Point-based advancement from Professional 2-Dan through Professional 9-Dan
• Ranking Points and Attendance Points as the basis for promotion
• Qualified offline tournaments with at least 32 participants, 4 sessions, and 360 minutes of play; and
• Formal certification and verification by the North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center.

Part III. Dan Certificate Application Procedure

All Mahjong players in North America, whether Amateur or Professional, shall follow the certification process below.

Step 1 – Complete Qualification Requirements

Applicants must:

• Successfully pass the required examination (where applicable); and/or
• Participate in approved Dan qualification or promotion tournaments.

Step 2 – Verify Eligibility

Applicants must ensure that all requirements for the desired Dan level have been satisfied, including:

• Tournament participation requirements
• Ranking requirements; and
• Point accumulation requirements (for Professional players).

Step 3 – Submit Application

Applicants shall submit an official Dan Certificate Application to the:

• North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center
• The application must be accompanied by supporting documentation, including tournament records and other evidence required for verification.

Step 4 – Pay Certification Fee

Applicants must pay the applicable certification fee as determined by the Certification Center.

Step 5 – Receive Certificate

Upon successful review and approval:

• The applicant's Dan status will be officially recorded
• An electronic Dan Certificate will be issued; and
• The certificate may be downloaded from the designated certification platform.

Effective Administration

The North America Mahjong Dan Grading and Certification Center reserves the right to:

• Verify all submitted information
• Audit tournament records
• Amend administrative procedures when necessary; and
• Interpret and enforce all Dan grading regulations.
• All certification decisions issued by the Center shall be considered final and official.