EMA has established a ranking system for European Mahjong players – the Mahjong European Ranking System (MERS). It is based on the results of Mahjong tournaments that are certified by the EMA.

The EMA can acknowledge local, (inter)national European tournaments and championships to be rated as MERS competitions. Also online tournaments organized by EMA partners may apply for certification. Further important tournaments may also be certified. All certifications are decided by the presidium of the EMA.

Local and (inter)national MERS competitions in Europe must be organized or promoted by a member organization or partner of the EMA.

Applying for MERS certification

An EMA member organization can apply for the certification of a tournament. The request must be send by the national board member to the board of the EMA at least 3 months ahead of the tournament.

The certification 'MERS Competition – certified by EMA' is granted to the tournament after the decision of the presidium. This certificate can be used for promotion by the organizers of the tournament.

Number of MERS tourmaments per country

A maximum of three competitions per country and per rule set can be certified each year; one MERS 2 and two MERS 1 tournaments. This was decided at the General Assembly 2009; and an exception was decided by the board of EMA in November 2012 for the French department of Réuinon to have the same quota of tournaments.

Avoiding coincident tournaments

If applications for two or more competitions (weight 2 or 5) should be requested for the same date, EMA will first negotiate with the organizers. If both insist on the same date, the date of receipt at the presidium of EMA is decisive. Different MERS 1 tournaments may be organized on the same date; EMA will try to avoid this, but given the number of tournaments, this cannot always be achieved. This was decided at the General Assembly 2009.

EMA Observer at MERS tournaments

Organisers are responsible for appointment of an EMA observer, and announcing the name at least two weeks before the event. The observer should preferably be an EMA board member from another country, or an experienced tournament player from another country. If in doubt organisers can ask the EMA presidium to appoint an observer when the list of participants is finalised. Observers would normally participate in the tournament as a player.

The EMA observer should submit a small report to the EMA board shortly after the tournament containing

  • Name of the EMA observer
  • Tournament name, location and dates.
  • Rule system and MERS weight.
  • Playing schedule: Number and length of playing sessions
  • Number of participants and number of countries represented
  • Names of the referees and whether they were playing or non-playing
  • Number of prizes and what they are awarded for
  • A few comments on the overall organisation, like playing venue, the equipment (tiles, tables), catering
  • Information and communication before and during the tournament. Was a clock clearly visible during sessions, and were results clearly communicated between sessions?
  • Irregularities experienced, if any
  • Complaints received or questions raised, if any
  • Brief conclusion

MERS competition must be open for all players from European countries.

Only players who are residents of EMA member countries are listed in the European ranking systems. A player needs an EMA registration number in order to be listed.

If an EMA member country requires a national membership administration – for players to be able to participate in tournaments – then EMA respects that such countries excludes such players. This does not imply that other countries should have to exclude such players. Players who do not comply with the regulations set by their country, will not enter the EMA ranking list.

There must be at least 16 players from EMA member countries participating (80 players for Mers5); any limitations for the maximum number of players, for instance due to dimensions of the venue, will have to be approved by the EMA.

Tournament format : MERS 1=at least 4 sessions of 90 minutes, MERS 2=at least 5 sessions of 120 minutes (90min for Riichi), MERS 5=at least 8 sessions of 120 minutes (90min for Riichi)

Application

EMA Quotas are used for European Mahjong Championship and all great events like WMC.

Base rank

These Quotas are automatically published in the same time of ranking updating. Thus, throughout the year, each country can see a simulation of the quotas which it will have in the next event.

Total number of seats

Total is set by EMA and organizers, and published as soon as possible on EMA website.

Quotas for non EMA and invited players

These seats are set by EMA, according to total number of seats.

We include all countries who are not affiliate to EMA.

If players are not interested, seats are redistributed in the EMA quota.

About OEMC and WMC: We offer seats to the best EMA player in the last European and World Championship. So, this is not necessarily the winner of these tournaments. The seats are personal and non-transferable. Forfeited seats are redistributed to EMA.

Countries with organizations should apply through these organizations. Players from countries without organizations can apply in the quota for Rest of the World.

Interested players should submit an expression of interest (to EMA or to the organizers who should inform EMA) with a deadline before the organisers opens for registration. Applications would then be considered by prioritizing :

  1. Participation of new countries who are potential EMA members,
  2. Other nations not already represented
  3. Non-EMA countries already represented.
  4. The first come, first served principle if needed.

Quotas for EMA players

These seats are automatic, according to total number of seats and seats for non EMA and invited players.

We don’t give a bigger quota to organizing country. All places are given automatically.

These seats are only for EMA members who are featured on the ranking list. See official EMA member organizations.

About best EMA player in last European and World championship: The seat is personal and is additional to the quota of the player’s country.

  • Example1: A country gets a quota of 15 seats. And (for example), the best player of the last OEMC comes from this country. So, they have a total of 16 seats (15 from EMA Quota and 1 from Invited Quota as best EMA player in last OEMC)
  • Example2: A country gets a quota of 15 seats. And (for example), the best players of the last OEMC and WMC come from this country. So, they have a total of 17 seats. Of course, only 16 seats if the best player of OEMC and WMC is the same.

Quotas are set automatically according to the algorithm below:

Part A

  • A1 = One seat for all EMA countries.
  • A2 = One seat for the 3 best EMA countries in the country ranking list
  • A3 = One seat for all countries who have players with a ranking > 700 points

Part B

  • B1 = Percent of players in ranking list (country / Total)
  • B2 = Percent of players with ranking >700 points (country / Total)
  • B3 = Average between B1 and B2

Quotas before Penalty and Redistribution

T = Total quota for EMA
Quotas Q = [A1+A2+A3] + [ B3*[T-SumAllCountries(PartA)] ] (with recursive method for this part, from EMA GA 2019)

Limits and Penalty

Each country can’t get more seats than numbers of players who have ranking > global average rank.

An EMA country can’t have a quota of 0 seats. Each EMA country has at least 1 seat.

Redistribution

One uses the module of redistribution to refine the quotas if need be, with the rise or the fall, according the “top ranking country”.

A country can’t get more seats than numbers of players who have ranking > global average rank. So, we will give seats to others if necessary.

  • Example1: before redistribution, we have 2 seats to give. So, the 2 best countries (in country ranking list) will have 1 seat more.
  • Example2: before redistribution, we have 2 seats to give. The 3 best countries have already reached the max (can’t get more than average). So, we give seats to countries ranked at 4 and 5 in the ranking list.

If countries can’t fulfil their quota, seats are redistributed to others (EMA countries).

At the end, if we have some seats to redistribute, EMA presidium will decide to give them to countries (even if some of them have reached its own quota).

Players who have participated in at least 2 MERS tournaments, are listed in the MERS. Players who do not comply with the requirements or regulations set by their national organization, will not enter the EMA ranking list.

A player with less than 5 tournaments is given a result of 0 (weight 1) for each missing tournament. Participation as non-playing official or referee is not rated.

Currently, there are 2 official EMA ranking lists: one for each official rule set: MCR and RCR (Riichi). The list for online ranking (MORSE) is updated more irregularly.