Learn Mahjong: A Beginner's Guide

Mahjong, a game steeped in rich history and enjoyed by millions worldwide, offers a fascinating blend of skill, strategy, and chance. If you’re intrigued by this captivating four-player game and eager to Learn Mahjong, you’ve come to the right place. This guide focuses on American Mah Jongg, a vibrant and popular variation governed by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) rules.

Whether you’re completely new to tile games or looking to expand your gaming repertoire, this beginner-friendly guide will walk you through the essentials. We’ll break down the rules and mechanics of American Mah Jongg step-by-step, ensuring you’re ready to play with confidence. Once you’ve grasped these fundamentals, you can delve deeper into strategic gameplay with resources like our Complete Guide to American Mah Jongg Strategy.

Let’s embark on this exciting journey to learn mahjong and unlock the secrets of this engaging and rewarding game.

Understanding the Tiles: Your Mahjong Starter Kit

An American Mah Jongg set is your gateway to the game, comprised of 152 unique tiles. Familiarizing yourself with these tiles is the first crucial step in your journey to learn mahjong. Let’s explore each type:

Numbered Tiles

The foundation of your hands will be built with numbered tiles. These tiles are categorized into three suits: Craks, Dots, and Bams. Each suit features numbers ranging from 1 to 9, and importantly, there are four identical tiles for each number and suit combination.

Craks

A selection of Crak suit Mahjong tiles showcasing numbers 1 through 9.

Dots

A variety of Dot suit Mahjong tiles from number 1 to 9.

Bams

Bamboo or Bam suit Mahjong tiles, numbered 1 through 9.

Note: Keep an eye out for the one-bam tile, which is traditionally represented by a bird, adding a touch of visual flair to your set.

Wind Tiles

Wind tiles add another layer of complexity and strategy. There are four distinct wind tiles: North, East, West, and South. Just like the numbered tiles, you’ll find four instances of each wind tile in a standard set.

The four Wind tiles in Mahjong: North, East, South, and West.

Dragon Tiles

Dragon tiles are powerful and visually striking, playing a key role in many winning hands. The three dragon types are Green Dragon, Red Dragon, and White Dragon (often referred to as Soap). Each dragon type also has four tiles in the set.

The three Dragon tiles in Mahjong: Green, Red, and White (Soap).

Each dragon is associated with a specific suit, a connection that becomes significant when reading the Mahjong card:

Bams are linked with Green Dragons
Craks are linked with Red Dragons
Dots are linked with White Dragons (Soap)

We’ll delve deeper into these associations when we discuss how to interpret the Mahjong card.

Note: The White Dragon, or Soap tile, also serves a dual purpose, representing the number zero within the game’s combinations.

Flower Tiles

Flower tiles, while not directly part of standard winning hands, can contribute bonus points and add to the game’s charm. A set includes eight flower tiles. These tiles may depict various floral designs and sometimes even include seasonal markings. However, for American Mah Jongg rules, all flower tiles are interchangeable and treated equally.

A Flower tile as represented in the I Love Mahj online Mahjong game.

Joker Tiles

Jokers are the wildcards of Mahjong, adding an exciting element of flexibility to your hand-building. An American Mah Jongg set includes eight joker tiles. These versatile tiles can substitute for almost any other tile when you’re forming winning combinations. However, there are specific rules and restrictions on their use, which we will explore further.

A Joker tile from a Mahjong set, acting as a wildcard.

Decoding the Mahjong Card: Your Hand Guide

Unlike some other Mahjong variations, American Mah Jongg utilizes a card that outlines all the possible winning tile combinations, known as “hands.” The primary objective of the game is to assemble a hand of 14 tiles that perfectly matches one of these listed combinations. This card introduces a unique and engaging dimension to the game, requiring players to quickly recognize patterns and strategize based on the ever-changing possibilities. Adding to the challenge, a new card is released annually, typically by organizations like the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). This annual update keeps the game fresh and demands continuous learning and adaptation, even for seasoned players.

While we cannot display the copyrighted NMJL card here, understanding how to read and interpret it is crucial to learn mahjong. Purchasing the official NMJL card is an essential step for any aspiring American Mah Jongg player. This section will equip you with the knowledge to navigate the card and decipher the valid tile combinations.

Hands

Each line on the Mahjong card represents a distinct winning hand. Every hand is composed of exactly 14 tiles. Colors and clarifying notes on the card provide specific details and constraints for each hand.

Abbreviations

To efficiently represent the various tile combinations, the card employs a set of standard abbreviations:

1 – 9: Represent the numbered tiles within each suit.
D: Denotes any Dragon tile (Green, Red, or White).
F: Indicates a Flower tile.
N, E, W, S: Represent the four Wind tiles: North, East, West, and South.
0: Specifically refers to the Soap tile, or White Dragon.

Combinations

Winning hands are constructed from groups of identical tiles. The card uses specific terms to denote these groupings:

Single: A lone, individual tile.
Pair: Two identical tiles.
Pung: Three identical tiles.
Kong: Four identical tiles.
Quint: Five identical tiles.
Sextet: Six identical tiles.

For instance, a “pung of West winds” would be written as WWW on the card, while a “kong of 3s” would be represented as 3333. Similarly, a “quint of flowers” would be shown as FFFFF.

It’s important to note that these combinations refer to groups of identical tiles. The card may sometimes list groups of tiles together, like NEWS or 2020, but these are actually sets of individual, different tiles, not combinations in the pung/kong sense. This distinction can be initially confusing for beginners, and recognizing these as sets of singles rather than combinations is key.

Colors on the Card

The NMJL card utilizes three colors: blue, red, and green. These colors are not indicators of specific suits in themselves. Instead, they function to group tiles within a hand, indicating that tiles of the same color within a hand must belong to the same suit.

Consider this example hand representation: 222 444 6666 8888

Here, the 2s and 4s are presented in one color, and the 6s and 8s in another. This signifies that the 2s and 4s must be from one suit, and the 6s and 8s from a different suit. For example, you could use Dots for the 2s and 4s and Craks for the 6s and 8s, or Bams for the 2s and 4s and Dots for the 6s and 8s – both are valid as long as the color groupings are maintained within suits.

An example Mahjong hand using even numbers from two different suits.

Another example hand using even numbers, this time spread across three suits.

When dragon tiles are incorporated into a hand and are depicted in the same color as other combinations, it signifies that the dragon must match the suit being used for those combinations according to the suit-dragon associations:

Green Dragons must be paired with Bams.
Red Dragons must be paired with Craks.
White Dragons (Soap) must be paired with Dots.

For example, consider the hand: 22 444 DDDD 666 88. If all elements are in the same color on the card, it indicates that all numbers and the dragon must be in the same suit, with the dragon type matching that suit. A valid hand could be: a pair of 2-craks, a pung of 4-craks, a kong of Red Dragons, a pung of 6-craks, and a pair of 8-craks.

A Mahjong hand with even numbers in the Crak suit, using matching Red Dragons.

In some instances, a dragon tile on the card might be shown in a different color from the other combinations in the hand. This indicates an “opposite dragon,” meaning the dragon should not match the suits used for the other combinations.

Example: 22 44 666 888 DDDD. Here, you’ll need to select one suit for the 2s and 4s, a different suit for the 6s and 8s, and the dragons must then correspond to a third, distinct suit. A possible winning hand could be a pair of 2-dots, a pair of 4-dots, a pung of 6-craks, a pung of 8-craks, and a kong of Green Dragons.

A Mahjong hand with even numbers across three suits, incorporating opposite Dragons.

Sections on the Card

The hands on the NMJL card are thoughtfully organized into sections. These sections are generally consistent from year to year, providing a helpful structure for learning and memorizing the card:

Year Hands: These hands incorporate the current year, often using numbered tiles and Soap tiles to represent the digits.
2468 Hands: These hands exclusively utilize even-numbered tiles.
Any Like Numbers Hands: In these hands, all numbered tiles are the same rank (e.g., all 3s).
Quints Hands: As the section name suggests, these hands contain quints (five-of-a-kind combinations).
Consecutive Runs Hands: These hands are built using sequences of numbers in increasing order (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
13579 Hands: These hands are composed solely of odd-numbered tiles.
Winds and Dragons Hands: These hands primarily feature Wind and Dragon tiles, although some may also include numbered tiles.
369 Hands: These hands specifically incorporate the numbers 3, 6, and 9.
Singles and Pairs Hands: These hands are unique in that they only include single tiles and pairs – no pungs, kongs, or other larger combinations are permitted.
Multiplication/Addition Hands: Some cards also include sections based on mathematical concepts like multiplications or additions, adding another layer of complexity and fun.

Important Notes on Sections:

Within each section, a hand may also include Dragon and/or Flower tiles, adding further variation.
For “Any Like Numbers” hands, the card typically shows ‘1’ as the example number, but any number from 1 to 9 can be used to fulfill the hand.
For “Consecutive Runs” hands, sequences often begin with ‘1’ on the card, but unless specified otherwise, any valid consecutive number sequence is generally acceptable.

For example, a hand represented as FFFF 1111 22 3333 could be realized as a kong of Flowers, a kong of 4-craks, a pair of 5-craks, and a kong of 6-craks.

A Mahjong hand example showcasing a consecutive run of numbers.

Concealed Hands

Certain hands on the card are marked with an “X,” indicating they are “exposed” hands, while others are marked with a “C,” signifying “concealed” hands. When playing a concealed hand, a crucial rule is that you cannot call discarded tiles for exposures (except for the final tile to declare Mah Jongg).

Notes on the Card

Each hand description on the card is accompanied by a clarifying note, usually in parentheses. These notes are essential for resolving any ambiguities in the hand representation and clearly define what is permitted and prohibited for that specific hand.

For instance, the first line of the “Consecutive Runs” section often includes the note “These numbers only.” While generally, consecutive run hands allow for any sequence of consecutive numbers, this specific hand is restricted to the exact numbers listed on the card.

Another example is a hand like FFFFF DDDD 11111. The colors might suggest that the numbers and dragons must be in different suits. However, a note like “Any number, any suit, any dragon” clarifies that suits are irrelevant in this instance.

Always carefully read these notes to ensure you correctly understand the requirements and restrictions for each hand on the card.

Points

The final piece of information for each hand is its point value, indicating the points awarded for winning with that hand. Higher point values generally correspond to more challenging or less common hands. In addition to the base points listed on the card, bonus points can be earned for certain achievements during gameplay, such as having a jokerless hand or self-picking the winning tile.

Let’s Play Mahjong: Game Mechanics Unveiled

Now that you’re familiar with the tiles and the card, it’s time to delve into the exciting world of gameplay! Understanding the game mechanics is the next vital step in your journey to learn mahjong. Let’s break down each stage of the game:

Setting Up the Game

The initial setup differs slightly depending on whether you’re playing online or in person:

In-Person Setup:

Gather four players around a square table.
Provide each player with a rack to hold their tiles.
Place all 152 tiles face down in the center of the table and thoroughly shuffle them.
Each player constructs a “wall” of tiles in front of their rack, consisting of 19 tiles in length and 2 tiles in height.
Players roll dice, and the player with the highest roll is designated as “East.”
East rolls the dice again to determine the break point in their wall. Count the dice total from the right side of East’s wall and break the wall at that position.
Starting with East, each player takes four tiles at a time, moving counter-clockwise. Tiles are drawn initially from East’s broken wall section, then from the next wall in clockwise order.
Continue drawing four tiles each until each player has 12 tiles.
East then takes two additional tiles (the first and third tiles from the top of the wall at the break point), and the remaining players, in counter-clockwise order, each take one tile.
East now begins with 14 tiles, while the other three players have 13 tiles each.
Players arrange their tiles on their racks, concealed from opponents.

Online Setup:

When playing Mahjong online, the game setup is automated. The software handles tile shuffling, dealing, and wall construction, allowing you to jump directly into gameplay.

The Charleston: Passing Tiles Strategically

The Charleston is a unique and strategic phase in American Mah Jongg, involving the passing of unwanted tiles between players to improve your starting hand. It unfolds in a specific sequence of passes:

First Charleston (Mandatory):

Pass Right: All players simultaneously select three tiles from their hand and pass them face down to the player on their right.
Pass Across: Players then take three tiles from the player on their left (who just passed to them) and pass three different tiles face down to the player sitting across from them.
Pass Left (Blind Pass): Finally, players take the tiles passed to them from across the table and pass three tiles to the player on their left. This pass is “blind,” meaning players can pass anywhere from zero to three of their own tiles, supplementing the pass with tiles they just received, without looking at the received tiles first.

Second Charleston (Optional):

A second Charleston is optional and can be initiated if all players agree. This Charleston begins with a pass to the left and follows a similar pattern:

Pass Left: Players pass three tiles to the player on their left.
Pass Across: Players pass three tiles across to the player sitting opposite.
Pass Right (Blind Pass): Players pass three tiles to the player on their right, again with the “blind pass” option.

If any player wishes to stop after the Second Charleston, the game proceeds directly to the Courtesy Pass.

Courtesy Pass:

The Courtesy Pass offers a final opportunity for tile exchange. Each player declares to the player opposite them how many tiles (0-3) they wish to pass. Both players then exchange tiles, passing the lower of the two requested amounts.

Important Note: Jokers cannot be passed during any phase of the Charleston or Courtesy Pass.

Order of Play: Turns and Flow

Once the Charleston is complete, the main game begins. East, starting with 14 tiles, initiates the game by discarding one tile. Play then proceeds counter-clockwise. Each player, in turn, performs the following actions:

Draw a Tile: Draw a tile from the wall.
Discard a Tile: Discard one tile face up into the discard pile.

During this process, any player has the opportunity to “call” a discarded tile if they can use it to form an “exposure” (a pung, kong, or quint).

Play continues in this counter-clockwise rotation until one player declares “Mah Jongg” by completing a winning hand, or until the wall is depleted of tiles, resulting in a “wall game.”

Walls: Replenishing Tiles

Tiles are drawn from the “wall,” the stacked rows of tiles built during setup. As tiles are drawn, the wall gradually diminishes. Once all tiles have been taken from the current active wall, the next wall in clockwise order is “pushed out” towards the center of the table, making it the new active wall for drawing tiles.

Drawing & Racking: Starting Your Turn

At the beginning of your turn, you must draw a tile from the active wall. Tiles are always drawn from the end of the wall closest to the center of the table. After drawing, you place the tile on your rack, typically on the tilted edge, visible only to you. “Racking” the drawn tile signals the end of the window for other players to call the previously discarded tile.

In online Mahjong, tile drawing can be automated, or you may need to click a button to draw a tile, depending on the game interface.

Discarding: Ending Your Turn

After drawing a tile and assessing your hand, you must discard one tile face up onto the table, creating the discard pile. In a physical game, you would verbally announce the tile you are discarding (e.g., “one bam,” “north wind”). In online games, discarding is usually done by double-clicking or dragging the tile, and the software announces the discarded tile.

Once a tile is discarded, it cannot be retracted. Discarding a tile signifies the end of your turn, and play passes to the next player in counter-clockwise order, unless a player calls the discarded tile.

Calling a Tile: Building Exposures

“Calling” a discarded tile is a key mechanic for building your hand in American Mah Jongg. You can call a discarded tile if you need it to complete a combination of three or more identical tiles (a pung, kong, or quint) that aligns with a hand on the NMJL card.

To call a discarded tile:

Announce “Call”: Verbally declare “Call” to alert other players.
Expose Tiles: Place the called tile face up on your rack, and then add the necessary matching tiles (which can include jokers) from your hand to form the desired combination (pung, kong, or quint). This set of exposed tiles is called an “exposure.”
Discard a Tile: To complete your turn after calling and exposing, you must discard a tile from your hand.
Play Continues: Play then proceeds to the player on your right, unless your discarded tile is also called.

If you call a discarded tile and it is the final tile you need to complete your Mah Jongg hand, you declare “Mah Jongg” instead of just “Call” and expose your entire winning hand.

Rules of Calling a Tile:

Timing: You can only call a tile between the moment it is discarded and before the next player racks a drawn tile from the wall.
Most Recent Discard: You can only call the most recently discarded tile, not tiles discarded in previous turns.
Combination Size: You can only call a tile to form a combination of three or more tiles (pung, kong, quint), not for singles or pairs, unless it is the final tile needed for Mah Jongg.
Jokers in Exposures: You can use jokers to substitute for regular tiles within your exposures. For example, a pung of 5-craks could be formed with three 5-craks, two 5-craks and a joker, or even one 5-crak and two jokers.
No Calling Jokers: You can never call a discarded joker.
Concealed Hand Restriction: You cannot call a tile if you are aiming for a concealed hand (hands marked with “C” on the card), unless it is the final tile to complete Mah Jongg.
Exposure Editing: Once you have made an exposure, you can modify it (e.g., upgrade a pung to a kong if you draw the fourth matching tile) until you discard a tile. After discarding, the exposure is locked and cannot be changed.
Multiple Calls: If two or more players attempt to call the same discarded tile:
- Priority: The player closest to the discarding player in counter-clockwise order has priority.
- Mah Jongg Priority: A player calling Mah Jongg always takes precedence over players calling for exposures.

Joker Power: Wildcard Usage

Jokers are incredibly valuable wildcard tiles, but their use is governed by specific rules. Jokers can substitute for any regular tile, but only within combinations of three or more tiles (pungs, kongs, and quints). You cannot use jokers to represent singles or pairs. Remember that combinations like NEWS or 2020, while listed together on the card, are sets of individual tiles, not pungs or kongs, and therefore cannot utilize jokers.

Swapping Jokers: Strategic Tile Exchange

When it is your turn, you have the opportunity to strategically swap an exposed joker. If another player has an exposure that includes a joker, and you possess the tile that the joker is representing, you can exchange your tile for their exposed joker. This applies whether the joker is in an opponent’s exposure or in one of your own previously made exposures.

For example, if a player has exposed a pung of two 5-craks and a joker, and you have a 5-crak in your hand, you can exchange your 5-crak for their joker. If you had two 5-craks, you could swap for both jokers in the exposure, if applicable. In a physical game, you would politely request the joker from the player rather than simply taking it from their rack.

Declaring Mah Jongg: Claiming Victory

When you have successfully arranged your 14 tiles to match a winning hand on the NMJL card, you can declare yourself the winner by calling “Mah Jongg!” You should announce this verbally and then lay all your tiles face up on your rack for verification by the other players.

The winning player is awarded the point value associated with the declared hand (as indicated on the card). Bonus points may also be awarded for circumstances like having a jokerless hand or self-picking the Mah Jongg tile. Penalties may be applied to the player who discarded the winning tile, depending on house rules or tournament regulations.

Payout rules for games played for money and point accrual systems in tournaments vary and are beyond the scope of this beginner’s guide. Online Mahjong games may also have their own specific scoring and payout rules.

Wall Games: When No One Wins

If the wall is completely depleted of tiles before any player declares Mah Jongg, the game ends in a draw, known as a “wall game.” In a wall game, no player wins, and no points are awarded.

Dead Hands: Game Over for a Player

In certain situations, a player’s hand can be declared “dead” by other players. When this occurs, the player is removed from active play – they can no longer draw tiles, discard, or call tiles. The game continues with the remaining players.

Common conditions that can lead to a dead hand declaration:

False Mah Jongg Call: If you incorrectly declare “Mah Jongg” but your hand does not actually match a valid hand on the NMJL card, or if it matches a concealed hand when you have made exposures, your hand becomes dead.
Non-Viable Hand: If your exposures clearly indicate that you are pursuing a specific hand on the card, and it becomes mathematically impossible to complete that hand (e.g., you need a pair of North winds, but all four North wind tiles are already exposed or discarded), your hand may be declared dead.
Incorrect Tile Count: If you are found to have an incorrect number of tiles in your hand (you should generally have 13 tiles, or 14 on your turn or when calling Mah Jongg), your hand can be declared dead.

In home games, NMJL rules suggest that disagreements about dead hands are resolved at the end of the game. However, in tournaments and many online Mahjong platforms, incorrectly calling another player’s hand dead will result in your hand being declared dead as a penalty.

Continue Your Mahjong Journey

Congratulations! You’ve now covered the fundamentals of American Mah Jongg and are well on your way to learn mahjong. This guide has provided you with a solid foundation in tile recognition, card interpretation, and game mechanics.

To further enhance your skills and deepen your understanding of the game, consider exploring resources like:

Complete Guide to American Mah Jongg Strategy (for advanced strategic insights)
The official National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) website (https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org/) for the official card and rules.
Online Mahjong platforms to practice and play against others.

With practice and continued learning, you’ll soon be enjoying the exciting challenges and social connections that American Mah Jongg offers. Happy playing!

Learn Mahjong: A Beginner’s Guide