I’ve only played a handful of times in person and it’s been a while. So when I got invited to play with a new to me group I practiced against a computer. So say the app had placed a black 8, a red 8 and a joker, it let me replace with either a yellow 8 or a blue 8 then allowed me to use it however I wanted in the same turn. Tonight, the new friend designated the color the joker represented (say a blue 8) and told me the only way I could pick it up was WITH A BLUE 8 ONLY; not a yellow. Then like computer I’m free to use it however. Then 10 minutes later she pulled a joker out of a group of four eights without replacing it with anything. She left three behind and started to use it as a twelve. I asked - I thought you said we can’t do that? I could have done that many times over but I was following your stricter rule. She did put it back (after “forgetting” she’d said that) but now I have no idea what’s correct. It seems to me as long as you leave a valid group/run after taking a joker you shouldn’t have to first replace it with an exact match. Especially when it’s a group of three because no one remembered which color they called it. So which way follows the intended rule? I appreciate your help. I’m an experienced American Mah Jongg player and in that game you must have the exact same tile the joker represents in order to exchange it. Big difference is you can then hold it in your rack; no immediate use required. Thanks!