Chow

Learn when a sequence call is legal.

Concept

Play a Chow meld when you have a sequence of three tiles of the same suit.

You can play a Chow either as "concealed" Chow (i.e. you have the sequence concealed in your hand), or as a "revealed" Chow when you use two tiles from your hand along with the most recent discarded tile. Revealing a Chow is restricted such that you can only reveal your Chow using the discarded tile from the player to the left of you.

You cannot Chow honors, and you cannot play a revealed Chow using a discarded tile from players across from you or from your right.

Visual example
Concealed hand
Open meld area
Left player discards 5 Bamboo. You have a 3 and 4 Bamboo in your hand, and so you reveal a Chow by taking the discarded 5 Bamboo.
Rule in plain English

Sequence from left.

Chow completes a sequence, but only from the player on your left.

Interactive check

Left player discards 5 Bamboo. You have 3 and 4 Bamboo. Can you Chow?

Not complete
Takeaway

Chow completes a sequence.

If you reveal a Chow, you can only use a discarded tile from the person to your left. Chows also have the lowest call priority.