Welcome to the World of Mahjong!

Mahjong, also known as Mah Jongg, is an exciting four-player game that combines both skill and luck. It originated in China and has gained popularity worldwide. In the 1920s, Mahjong made its way to the United States and has since become a beloved game in certain circles.

Today, I’m going to introduce you to the rules of American Mahjong, a variation that is slightly different from the original Chinese Mahjong. American Mahjong is designed to be more accessible to the general public and features an annual score card that keeps things interesting!

Perhaps you’ve seen Mahjong being played in TV shows or movies. It may seem complicated at first, but once you understand the rules, it can be a super fun game to play. So, let’s dive right into the world of Mahjong and learn how to play!

Setting Up for a Thrilling Game of Mahjong

Before we dive into playing the game, it’s crucial to set up the Mahjong properly. The setup is just as important as the rules themselves. The process might seem overwhelming, but I’ll guide you through it. First, let’s familiarize ourselves with the materials.

THE MAHJONG TILES

Mahjong consists of 166 game tiles, with 152 used during play. The remaining tiles are spares. These tiles can be divided into four groups:

• Suits
• Honors
• Flowers & Seasons
• Jokers/Wilds

SUITS – 108 TILES

There are 36 tiles in each suit:

– Circles/Dots (4 of each)

– Bamboos/Bams (4 of each)

– Characters/Craks (4 of each)

HONORS – 28 TILES

The Honors group consists of:

– Winds (4 of each, totaling 16)

– Dragons (4 of each, making 12 in total)

There are three types of tiles in Mahjong: the White Dragon (Soap), Green Dragon, and Red Dragon. These tiles can also be used as zeros.

Now, let’s talk about the Flowers & Seasons tiles. There are eight of them, with one tile for each flower and season.

Jokers are another type of tile, and there are also eight of them. Jokers have a special ability – they can replace any tile in a set of 3 to 6 identical tiles. However, they cannot be used in a pair or on their own.

Aside from the tiles, there are other materials you should know about in Mahjong. The Wind Indicator is used to show the direction of the wind in the game. It can help determine seating arrangements and can also be used for a fifth player to bet on the winner. However, the Wind Indicator is optional and not necessary for gameplay.

Lastly, there are Scoring Coins or Scoring Sticks. These are used to keep track of scores during the game. They are not essential for playing, but they can be helpful in keeping things organized.

Hey there! Let me tell you about some cool tools that can help you keep track of the score when playing a game. You can use sticks or coins and give them a value. But here’s the thing – these tools are optional, so you don’t have to use them if you don’t want to. They just make it easier to keep score.

RACKS & PUSHERS

When you’re playing, each player can have a rack to hold their tiles. It’s like a little stand that keeps everything organized. And then there are pushers. These are used to move the racks forward during play, but without revealing the tiles. It adds some mystery to the game!

DICE

Now, it’s time to talk about dice. The game uses two dice. They help decide who the dealer is and also determine where to break the wall, which is something we’ll talk about in a bit.

SCORE CARDS

Here’s another important tool – score cards. These cards are like cheat sheets that tell you how many points different hands are worth. The National Mahjong League updates them every year, so they’re always up to date. You can use them as a reference when you’re trying to figure out how many points you’ve scored.

SETTING UP THE GAME

Alright, let’s get started! First things first, grab yourself a rack and place it right in front of you. Perfect! Now, it’s time to mix things up a bit. Take all 152 tiles and give them a good shuffle, making sure to keep them face-down. We want to keep things exciting!

Now comes the fun part – building the wall. Each player needs to create a row of tiles in front of their rack. Make sure the row is two tiles high and spans 19 tiles across. Get creative and use every single tile you have. Let your imagination run wild!

Once the wall is built, we need to decide who will be the dealer, or the East. Each of us takes turns rolling the dice, and the person with the highest number becomes East. Then, the player to the right becomes South, followed by West, and finally North – just like the directions on a compass.

Now, it’s time to break the wall. The player who is East rolls the dice. Based on the number they roll, East counts the tiles in front of them, from right to left, and then breaks the wall by separating the tiles.

For example, if East rolls a 10, they will separate a group of 10 tiles (in two rows) from the right end of the wall in front of them. Then, East will push those tiles slightly to the left to break the wall. Finally, East takes four tiles – two from the top row and two from the bottom row – from the left side of the broken wall.

Okay, let me explain how the game works. It’s my turn to explain the rules and then it will be your turn to play. First, we all need to grab four tiles each for our hands. We keep grabbing tiles until we have 12 in total. Once we all have 12 tiles, I grab two extra tiles from the top row, specifically the first and third tiles. Then, the rest of you can take one tile each from the end. South grabs the first tile at the bottom, North grabs the second tile at the bottom, and West grabs the second tile at the top.

If we’ve set up the Mahjong game correctly and followed the rules, I should have 14 tiles, and the rest of you should have 13 tiles each.

Now, let’s talk about how to read the score card.

The hands are represented on the score card using numbers or letters, and they are colored in red, green, or blue. The colors don’t represent specific suits but rather indicate different suits that need to be used. Just remember that the flowers and zeros are always blue and don’t belong to a specific suit.

Understanding Mahjong Tiles and Hands

TILES

Mahjong tiles are divided into different categories, each with its distinctive symbol:

• Numbered Tiles: These are tiles that have numbers from 1 to 9, excluding flower tiles. The numbers represent the value of the tile.
• Direction Tiles: Tiles marked with N, S, E, and W represent the cardinal directions – North, South, East, and West, respectively. They help in determining the location of a player’s wind.
• Dragon Tiles: Tiles labeled D, R, and G represent different types of dragons. D stands for Dragon, R stands for Red Dragon, and G stands for Green Dragon. These tiles have their significance in the game.
• White Dragon Tile: This tile is represented by the number 0, and it is also known by other names like Soap or Zero. It has its unique role in the game.
• Flower Tile: Marked with an F, the flower tiles add an element of randomness and variety to the game.

HANDS

The scoring cards in Mahjong are divided into various categories, each representing a specific pattern or combination. Here are some of them:

• Year: These are patterns that form a year. For example, the tiles 2, 0, 1, and 7 would represent the year 2017.
• 2468: These are patterns that consist of only even-numbered tiles.
• Change-up: As the name suggests, this category varies, offering different patterns and combinations.
• Quints: These are hands that contain at least 5 identical tiles, with one of them being a joker. They add an interesting twist to the game.
• Runs: This category includes patterns that have consecutively numbered tiles, adding a sense of order and sequence.
• 13579: These are patterns that contain only odd-numbered tiles, creating a unique and distinct combination.
• Winds-Dragons: I use wind and dragon tiles in these patterns.
• 369: I use one of those three numbers in these patterns.
• Singles & Pairs: These patterns have single tiles and paired tiles.

HAND COMBINATIONS

• Pair: I have 2 of the same tiles.
• Pung: I have 3 of the same tiles.
• Kong: I have 4 of the same tiles.
• Quint: I have 5 of the same tiles, including jokers.
• Sextet: I have 6 of the same tiles, including jokers.

I can also have hands that are X for exposed or C for concealed.

THE CHARLESTON

Before we start playing, let’s talk about The Charleston. This is a special rule in American Mahjong that was introduced in the 1920s. During The Charleston, we can exchange tiles with our opponents to improve our hands.

Remember, you cannot exchange jokers during The Charleston!

The first round of The Charleston is mandatory, and here’s how it works:

1. Each of us will pass 3 tiles that we don’t want to the person on our right.
2. Then, we’ll pass another 3 unwanted tiles to the player sitting across from us.
3. Finally, we’ll pass 3 more unwanted tiles to the person on our left. At this stage, you can choose to secretly take one, two, or three tiles from the ones given to you and pass them to the player on your left without looking at them.

If we all agree, we can do another round of Charleston. The second Charleston is just like the first one, but we go in the opposite direction this time (first passing to the left, then across, and finally to the right).

Once we finish the second Charleston, we can do a courtesy pass. This means that I can talk to the person sitting across from me and ask if we can exchange up to 3 tiles.

Now that we’re finished with the Charleston steps, it’s time to start playing Mahjong!

Here’s how you play Mahjong: Let me explain the rules of Mahjong to you.



Alright, let’s dive into the exciting world of Mahjong! It’s like a cross between the card game Rummy and Dominoes, with its own unique twist.

So, here’s what you need to do: try to be the first person to put together a winning hand that matches one of the combinations on the scorecard. Once you’ve done that, shout out “Mahjong” and claim your victory!

HOW TO PLAY: DRAWING AND DISCARDING TILES

To increase your chances of winning at Mahjong, you’ll need to draw new tiles and discard ones that don’t fit into your hand.

When playing Mahjong, each player starts with 14 tiles in their hand. As the game begins, East is the first to act and must start by discarding a single tile. If no other player claims the discarded tile, play moves to the next player in a clockwise direction. The player who goes next draws a tile from the wall, which is the stack of tiles in the center of the table. The tile is taken from the point where the wall was last broken.

The top tile is drawn first, and if the wall is less than two tiles high, the bottom tile is drawn as well. After drawing a tile, the player has a choice. They can either discard the tile they just drew or keep it in their hand and discard a different tile instead. The discarded tile must be announced and placed face-up in the center of the table.

Once the tile is discarded, the player sitting to the right of the current player can draw the discarded tile if they want. If they don’t want it, they draw an unwanted tile from the wall. This process continues, with each player drawing and discarding tiles in a clockwise manner.

CALLING TILES

If you want to complete a pung, kong, quint, sextet, or any other combination for your hand, you can call the most recently discarded tile. This means that you can take the tile and use it to complete your set. However, keep in mind that by doing this, you give away some information about your hand to the other players.

It’s important to note a few rules when calling tiles:

• You cannot call a tile that you only need one of to complete a set.
• You cannot call a tile that completes a pair unless that pair completes your whole Mahjong hand.
• You cannot call on dead tiles, which are tiles that were discarded before the most recent one.
• Lastly, remember that you can use one or more jokers in your set.

When you’re playing Mahjong and someone calls a tile, they have to expose the combination that tile completed on their rack. Once it’s exposed, they can’t change it for the rest of the game. After that, they discard a tile they don’t want, and the game moves to the right of the player who made the call. This means that sometimes, when a player calls, some turns might be skipped.

If more than one person calls:

• If a player is completing a Mahjong, their call trumps a player who is just completing a set.
• If neither player is completing a Mahjong, the player whose turn is closest gets the tile.

Here’s a helpful tip: if you’re trying to keep your hand concealed on the score card, only take tiles from the wall, unless it’s the last tile you need to declare Mahjong.

JOKERS

Hey there! Let’s talk about the role of jokers in Mahjong. They’re pretty handy, but there are a few things you need to know. Jokers can replace any tile in a pung, kong, or sextet, which is pretty cool, right? But you can’t use them in singles or pairs, so keep that in mind.

If a hand is exposed and you happen to have the tile that the joker is replacing in an opponent’s hand, you can do a little switcheroo. It’s kind of like what you do in Rummikub! Here’s how it works:

1. First, you call a discard or draw a tile like you normally would.
2. Then, you swap out the actual tile for the joker. And hey, you can even swap out more than one tile if you have multiple jokers.
3. Finally, you discard a tile to keep your hand at 13 tiles, just like the rules say.

But here’s the thing: if someone discards a joker during their turn, that joker is dead. No player can pick it up, so don’t even try.

ADDITIONAL RULES AND PENALTIES

Now let’s cover some extra rules that you should keep in mind while playing Mahjong:

If the tile isn’t announced correctly, it becomes useless and can’t be claimed. Also, if the miscalled tile is one that’s needed to declare Mahjong, the player who made the mistake has to pay four times the value of the hand to the other player.

You can challenge another player’s hand and declare it impossible by looking at the exposed and discarded tiles. If the tiles confirm that the hand is impossible, then it becomes useless.

You can also challenge another player’s hand and declare that their exposure is invalid. This means that the tiles that are currently exposed should be concealed instead.

If a player has too few or too many tiles in their hand, they’re out of the game. Their hand becomes useless in this case too.

If I call a tile without exposing it, I can take it back. And if I mistakenly declare Mahjong without exposing my hand, we can keep playing with no penalty. But if I mistakenly declare Mahjong and expose my hand, my hand becomes dead. That’s an optional rule in Mahjong for using blank tiles. If you’re playing with friends at home and want to make the game more exciting, you can add blank tiles. Some popular house rules with blank tiles include exchanging a discarded tile for a blank and using the blank tile as a double joker to form a single or a pair. Finally, when the game ends, the meaning of these rules is that they provide a fun twist to the game while maintaining fairness.

The game of Mahjong ends when someone declares “Mahjong!” by forming a hand with 14 tiles. Once declared, the player must reveal their hand and indicate the corresponding section on the scorecard to confirm their Mahjong.

The payout is determined by the composition of the hand and the method used to create it.

After the first game of Mahjong, the game continues with the player sitting to the right of the original East Wind becoming the new dealer (East). The tiles are reshuffled, and the same rules are repeated.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MAHJONG AND PAYOUTS

Mahjong from a discarded tile: The player who discarded the tile pays double the value of the hand to the Mahjong winner. The other players pay a single unit.

Mahjong from drawing a tile from the wall: Each player pays the Mahjong winner double the value of their own hand.

When you play Mahjong and you win by picking up a discarded tile, without the use of jokers, singles, or pairs, the person who discarded the tile has to pay four times the value of that hand. And all the other players, including you, have to pay twice the value.

If you win by drawing a tile from the wall, without using jokers, singles, or pairs, then each player has to pay you four times the value of your hand.

But here’s the thing – if all the tiles have been drawn from the wall and the last discarded tile doesn’t result in a winning hand, then there is no payout. The game ends in a draw.

Let’s Move On to the Next Game

Once the first game of Mahjong is over, the player to the right of the original East Wind becomes the new dealer (East). You shuffle the tiles and repeat the rules mentioned above.

If you’re looking for similar games that combine skill and luck, you should check out Texas Hold’Em and Bridge.

Now, Let’s Talk Strategy



So you’ve learned the rules of Mahjong, huh? Good job! Now it’s time to up your game and start winning. I’m here to give you some insider tips that will help you dominate the competition.

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Get to Know the Score Card

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Before diving into a game of American Mahjong, let’s make sure you’re fully prepared. Familiarizing yourself with the score card may seem like a chore, but trust me, it’s worth it. By studying the score card, you’ll start recognizing patterns in your hand that others might miss. And that’s a definite advantage in this game.

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But instead of just focusing on the score card, you should practice with the score card for the year. This way, you can quickly spot patterns. For instance, you can practice the Charleston dance by yourself. Or you can invite your friends and family over for a few games to get more comfortable with the score card. And if you want, you can even use online tools and play with a bot.

Don’t Rush

We know it’s tempting to grab discarded tiles early in the game. But doing this has its drawbacks. When you take a discarded tile, other players can see what you’re doing and what you’re planning. Plus, it limits your options.

Stay Adaptable

Hey there! When it comes to your hand in Mahjong, it’s important to always keep your options open, especially at the start of the game. You never know where the game will lead you.

Be a keen observer

But here’s the thing – you’ve gotta be observant while playing Mahjong. Pay attention to the tiles that are being passed around during the Charleston, check out what tiles are exposed, keep an eye on those discarded tiles, be on the lookout for exposed jokers, and get to know how the other players are playing!

Mahjong Rules: American vs Chinese



Let’s talk about the differences between American Mahjong and traditional Chinese Mahjong.

• Racks and pushers: In American Mahjong, we have tools like racks and pushers to make the game easier to play. In Chinese Mahjong, you don’t have these tools. You have to rely on your own skills.
• Tiles: Both versions have symbols, but in American Mahjong, the tiles have words and numbers in English, while in Chinese Mahjong, there are only Chinese numbers and symbols.
• Score card: In American Mahjong, we use a score card to keep track of the game. In Chinese Mahjong, you have to rely on what you know without a card.
• Joker: In American Mahjong, there are 8 joker tiles for a total of 152 tiles, while Chinese Mahjong has 0 joker tiles, so it only has 144 tiles.

FAQ

How Many People Can Play Mahjong?

You can play Mahjong with 4 players.

How Many Tiles Does a Player Start with in Mahjong?

At the beginning of the game, each player makes a wall of 38 tiles in front of them. Then, each player starts with a hand of 13 tiles – except the dealer, who is East, and starts with 14 tiles.

How Many Flowers and Jokers Are There in American Mahjong?

American Mahjong has 8 jokers and 8 flower tiles.

What Is the Difference Between American Mahjong and Chinese Mahjong?

Hey there! Did you know that American Mahjong has its own set of unique tiles and scorecards that differ from the Chinese version? It’s pretty fascinating. If you want to learn more about the differences between American and Chinese Mahjong, just head to our section called American vs Chinese Mahjong above!

So, here’s the deal: I’m a digital nomad and avid traveler who absolutely loves board games. Seriously, I’ve been a huge board game nerd for as long as I can remember. But you know what games really get me excited? Word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and even Wordle. They’re just so much fun to play!