The Mahjong Card (NMJL Card) Explained

What is the mahjong card?

The mahjong card is the list of winning hands for American mahjong. People also call it the NMJL card or the American mahjong card. Its official name is Official Standard Hands and Rules.

You need it to play. You win only when your 14 tiles match a hand on the current card.

The hands change every year, so the League makes a new card every year. Each card is used from April 1 to March 31.

New to the game? Start with how to play American mahjong.

What is the National Mah Jongg League?

The National Mah Jongg League is the group that makes the card. NMJL is short for its name. Many people search for it as the National Mahjong League.

The League was founded in New York City in 1937. It wanted everyone to play by the same hands and rules. The League says it started with 32 members and now has over 350,000.

Money from card sales goes to charity. The League also answers rules questions.

How do you read the mahjong card?

Each line on the card is one hand. The hands are grouped into sections, such as 2468 or Quints.

• Numbers stand for number tiles.
• Letters stand for other tiles. F is a flower and D is a dragon. N, E, W and S are the winds.
• 0 is the white dragon. It works as a zero in year hands like 2026.
• Colors show which groups share a suit. Same color means same suit. Different colors mean different suits.
• X means exposed. You may call discards (tiles other players throw out) to make groups you show on your rack.
• C means concealed. You can't show groups, and you may call only your last tile to win.
• The value is the number at the end. Most hands are worth 25 to 50 points.

A color is not tied to one suit. Here is a made-up example.

A line shows 555 in blue and 777 in red. Blue and red must be two different suits. So 5 dots with 7 craks works, but 5 dots with 7 dots does not.

To see how hands work in general, read about mahjong hands.

Where can you buy the NMJL card?

You buy the card from the National Mah Jongg League, online or by mail.

1. Online. Order from the NMJL store.
2. By mail. Print the League's order form. Mail it with a check to NMJL, PO Box 50003, Newark, NJ 07101-8006.

Prices can change. Many charities and synagogues also take group orders. For dates and this year's card, see the 2026 mahjong card.

Is there a free mahjong card PDF or printable?

No. The card is copyrighted, so there is no free official PDF or printable. Copying or scanning it is not allowed.

So if you search for printable mahjong cards, you will not find an official one. To get the card, buy it from the League or through a group order.