How to Play American Mah Jongg

1. The goal and what you need

Your goal is to complete a 14-tile hand that matches one of the patterns allowed by the NMJL card. Collecting matching groups is not enough by itself: the numbers, suits, group sizes and special instructions must all fit.

• American Mah Jongg tiles: use the 152 playing tiles described below. Retail sets may include additional tiles for replacements or other uses.
• The NMJL card: each player should have the same edition. The hands change annually; the tile set does not need annual replacement.
• Table equipment: four racks, two dice and a table with space for the walls and discards. Pushers and a playing mat are useful additions.

Starting from scratch? Our beginner's buying guide explains complete sets and the pieces you may want to add separately.

2. Get to know the tiles

There are three numbered suits. Each runs from 1 to 9, with four copies of every number: 36 tiles per suit and 108 suited tiles altogether.

Bams / Bamboos

Bamboo-stick patterns. The 1 Bam commonly has a bird. Green dragons are associated with this suit.

Cracks / Characters

Chinese characters with number references. You may also hear "Craks." Red dragons are associated with this suit.

Dots / Circles

Circle patterns representing each number. White dragons, also called Soap, are associated with Dots.

16 winds

Four each of East, South, West and North.

12 dragons

Four each of red, green and white. Soap can represent zero where the card requires it.

8 flowers

Interchangeable regardless of artwork or printed numbers. Use them in card hands, not as separate bonus tiles.

8 jokers

Wild tiles for permitted matching groups of three or more, never singles or pairs.

3. Read a hand before you build it

Choose a possible hand on the card and check every grouping. A pair is two matching tiles; a pung is three, a kong four, a quint five and a sextet six. For numbered tiles, matching means the same number and suit.

Card colors show suit relationships, not tile paint colors. Different colors usually require different suits. Read the printed instructions, including exceptions for suitless tiles, flowers and zeroes.

Use the Mah Jongg glossary for unfamiliar terms. The NMJL sells the official card and rulebook.

4. Build the walls and deal

1. Mix the playing tiles

   Shuffle all 152 tiles face down. Each player builds a wall of 19 stacks, two tiles high, in front of their rack.

2. Choose East and break the wall

   Choose the starting dealer, called East. East rolls two dice, counts that many stacks from the right end of their own wall, and makes a break. Begin taking tiles on the left side of the break.

3. Take four tiles at a time

   East takes two stacks, or four tiles. Continue to the right, counterclockwise, until each player has 12 tiles. Serve the next wall when needed.

4. Finish with 14 and 13

   East takes the top tiles from the first and third remaining stacks. The other players each take the next available tile in turn. East now has 14 tiles; everyone else has 13.

Turn order moves right, but new walls are served in the opposite direction, to the left. For illustrated dealing instructions, see the American Mah Jongg Association's dealing guide.

5. Exchange tiles in the Charleston

Pass unwanted tiles face down to improve your starting hand. Keep your possible card hands in mind. Do not pass jokers.

For passing details and uncommon exceptions, use the AMJA Charleston reference.

6. Draw, call and discard

East starts by discarding, not drawing. Name the tile and place it face up in the center. Unless someone makes a legal call, the player to East's right takes the next turn.

On a normal turn, draw the next wall tile. Check your hand, make any legal joker exchange, then discard one tile unless you have Mah Jongg. Name every discard clearly, such as "Two Bam." Your hand returns to 13 tiles after discarding, counting both concealed and exposed tiles.

7. Use and exchange jokers correctly

• Use jokers in matching groups of three or more. For example, two 5 Bams and a joker can represent a pung of 5 Bams.
• Never use a joker for a single or pair. A natural tile and a joker do not make a legal pair, even for Mah Jongg. A printed grouping of different singles, such as NEWS, is not a kong.
• Exchange only on your turn. After drawing, or claiming a discard and completing a legal exposure, you may trade a matching natural tile from your hand for a joker in a valid exposure, including your own. Do this before discarding.
• Do not call a discard just to redeem a joker. First obtain it through a legal move; an exchange is not a reason by itself to claim a tile.

For exchange restrictions and unusual situations, consult the AMJA joker rules.

8. Declare Mah Jongg and check the hand

When your 14 tiles match an allowed card hand, say "Mah Jongg" and reveal the full hand for verification. The winning tile may come from the wall, a legal discard claim or a legal joker exchange.

Check the suit relationships, tile groupings, C or X designation, and all printed instructions before mixing the tiles for the next game.

A jokerless win receives an additional doubling, except for Singles and Pairs hands. You can use chips or written scores while learning; consult the rulebook for penalties and special cases.

American Mah Jongg beginner FAQs