Mahjong Guides
Simple answers to the questions people ask about mahjong: how to play, the rules, the tiles, the card and more. Pick a topic below, or start with How to Play Mahjong.
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Start here
New to mahjong? Begin with these.
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Is Mahjong Hard to Learn?Mahjong is easier than it looks. Most people can play a slow game after one lesson and feel at ease in about 3 to...
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Mahjong for Beginners: How to Learn FastNew to mahjong? Here is the easiest way to learn: pick a style, learn the tiles, play a practice hand and get a few...
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How to Play MahjongLearn how to play mahjong step by step: set up the tiles, take turns, make sets and call mahjong. Simple rules with pictures.
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What Is Mahjong?Mahjong is a game for 4 players played with tiles instead of cards. Learn what it is, how you win and how it is...
American mahjong
The yearly card, the Charleston, jokers and more.
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American vs Chinese Mahjong: What Is the Difference?American mahjong uses 152 tiles, jokers and a yearly card. Chinese mahjong uses 144 tiles, no jokers and allows runs. See every difference.
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What Is Wright-Patterson Mahjong?Wright-Patterson mahjong is a 4-player Western style from US military bases. It uses 144 tiles, no jokers and its own rule book.
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Siamese Mahjong: American Mahjong for 2 PlayersSiamese mahjong is a 2-player version of American mahjong. Each player uses 2 racks and builds 2 hands. Here is how it works.
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Mahjong Jokers: How Many and How They WorkAmerican mahjong sets have 8 jokers. Jokers can stand in for a tile in a group of 3 or more, but never in a...
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The Charleston in MahjongThe Charleston is how American mahjong players swap tiles before play starts. Pass 3 tiles right, across, then left. Here is every step.
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The 2026 Mahjong Card: Release Date and Where to BuyThe 2026 National Mah Jongg League card is out. See when it came out, what it costs, how to order it and why there...
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The Mahjong Card (NMJL Card) ExplainedThe mahjong card lists the winning hands for American mahjong. Learn what the National Mah Jongg League card is, how to read it and...
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American Mahjong RulesThe main American mahjong rules in plain words: tiles, the Charleston, jokers, calling tiles, dead hands and how to win and get paid.
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How to Play American MahjongAmerican mahjong uses 152 tiles, 8 jokers and a new rule card each year. Learn the setup, the Charleston, turns and how to win.
Rules and scoring
How to play a hand, win it and keep score.
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How to Win at Mahjong: 10 Simple TipsTen simple mahjong tips to win more: pick 2 or 3 hands early, stay flexible, keep jokers, watch the discards and play safe late...
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Mahjong Hands: What a Winning Hand Looks LikeA winning mahjong hand has 14 tiles. In Chinese style it is 4 sets and a pair. In American style it must match a...
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Mahjong Cheat Sheet (Free Printable)A free one-page mahjong cheat sheet: tiles, sets, the Charleston, jokers and turn order. Print it and keep it by your rack.
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How to Score MahjongHow mahjong scoring works: in American mahjong the card gives each hand a value; in Chinese and Hong Kong styles you add up points....
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Mahjong Rules (Simple Version)The basic mahjong rules in plain words: 4 players, 13 tiles each, draw and discard, and win with 4 sets and a pair. With...
Tiles and terms
Every tile and every word, in plain English.
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Mahjong Terms: A Simple GlossaryEvery mahjong word in plain English, from bam and crak to pung, kong, Charleston, exposure and dead hand. A quick glossary for beginners.
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Pung, Kong, Chow and Quint in MahjongA pung is 3 matching tiles, a kong is 4, a quint is 5 and a chow is 3 in a row. Learn every...
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Mahjong Flower TilesAn American mahjong set has 8 flower tiles, and they all count as the same tile. In Chinese mahjong, flowers are bonus tiles. Here...
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Mahjong Wind TilesMahjong has 4 winds: East, South, West and North, with 4 of each (16 in all). Learn the wind tiles and how seat winds...
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Mahjong Dragon TilesThere are 3 dragons in mahjong: red, green and white, with 4 of each (12 in all). Learn what they look like and how...
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Mahjong Suits: Dots, Bams and CraksMahjong has 3 suits: dots, bams (bamboo) and craks (characters). Each suit runs from 1 to 9, with 4 of each tile. Here is...
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How to Read Mahjong NumbersThe crak tiles show numbers in Chinese. Learn to read 1 to 9 in seconds, plus what the big character under each number means.
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Mahjong Tiles: Names and MeaningsEvery mahjong tile explained: the 3 suits (dots, bams, craks), winds, dragons, flowers and jokers. Names, meanings and pictures.
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How Many Tiles Are in a Mahjong Set?An American mahjong set has 152 tiles, a Chinese set has 144 and a Japanese riichi set has 136. Some sets add spares to...
Setup and players
Walls, dice, racks, and games for 2, 3 or 4.
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How to Play Mahjong With 3 PlayersYou can play mahjong with 3 people. In American mahjong you skip the Charleston and leave one seat empty. Riichi players use a 3-player...
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How to Play Mahjong With 2 PlayersYes, 2 people can play mahjong. Skip the Charleston, sit across from each other and build 2 walls each, or try Siamese mahjong.
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How to Use Mahjong Racks and PushersMahjong racks hold your tiles so only you can see them. The pusher slides your wall to the middle. Here is how to set...
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How Dice Work in MahjongMahjong uses 2 or 3 dice. The roll picks the first dealer and shows where to break the wall. Here is how it works...
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How to Set Up MahjongHow to set up mahjong in 5 steps: mix the tiles, build the walls, roll the dice, break the wall and deal. American and...
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How Many Players Does Mahjong Need?Mahjong is made for 4 players. You can also play with 2 or 3, and 5 can play if one person sits out each...
Play together
Find a group, take a class or host a game night.
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How to Host a Mahjong NightHost a mahjong night in 6 easy steps: invite 4, set the table, pick snacks, agree on house rules and keep the game moving....
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Best Ways to Practice Mahjong OnlineThe best apps and sites to learn and practice mahjong, including the official NMJL Online game, free options and ways to play alone.
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Mahjong Lessons and ClassesWhere to find mahjong lessons near you or online, what a beginner class covers, and how many lessons it takes to start playing.
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How to Find Mahjong Near YouLooking for mahjong near you? Try community centers, JCCs, libraries, mahjong studios, Meetup and Facebook groups. Or start your own table.
Other styles
Chinese, Hong Kong, Japanese riichi and more.
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Mahjong vs Rummikub: What Is the Difference?Mahjong and Rummikub are both tile games with sets and runs. Rummikub uses 106 number tiles and no discards. See how they compare.
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Types of MahjongThe main types of mahjong are Chinese, Hong Kong, American, Japanese riichi, Taiwanese, Filipino and Singapore. See how they differ.
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Filipino Mahjong RulesFilipino mahjong uses 16-tile hands and wins with 5 sets and a pair. Winds and dragons count as bonus flowers. Learn the basics.
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Riichi Mahjong (Japanese Mahjong)Riichi is Japanese mahjong: 136 tiles, no flowers and a scoring role called a yaku that every win needs. Learn the basics in plain...
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Hong Kong Mahjong RulesHong Kong mahjong is a fast Chinese style with faan scoring. Most games need 3 faan to win. Learn the rules and scoring in...
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How to Play Chinese MahjongChinese mahjong uses 144 tiles and no jokers. Win with 4 sets and a pair. Learn the rules, chows, pungs, kongs and flowers in...
About mahjong
The name, the history and why people love it.
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Is Mahjong Gambling?Mahjong is not gambling by itself. You can play just for fun or for points. Some people play for small stakes, and laws vary...
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Is Mahjong Good for Your Brain?Studies link playing mahjong with better memory and thinking and fewer signs of depression, mostly in older adults. Here is what the research says.
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Why Is Mahjong So Popular?Mahjong is booming because people want fun, screen-free time together. Clubs, classes and pretty new sets are spreading the game fast.
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Mahjong History: Where It Came FromMahjong began in China in the mid-1800s, near Ningbo. It reached the US in the 1920s, and American mahjong got its own rules in...
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Mahjong, Mah Jongg or Mah Jong: Which Spelling Is Right?Mahjong, mah jongg and mah jong all mean the same game. "Mahjong" is most common. American players often write "mah jongg". All are correct.
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How to Pronounce MahjongSay mahjong as "mah-JONG", with the stress on the second part. Some people say "mah-ZHONG". Both are fine. Here is how to say it.
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What Does Mahjong Mean?Mahjong comes from Chinese. Its old name means "sparrow", maybe because the tiles clatter like chirping birds. Here is the full meaning.
