American Mahjong FAQ

Jokers can NEVER be used in singles or pairs — only in Pungs (3), Kongs (4), or Quints (5).

→ Joker rules explained

Yes — the NMJL® card defines all legal winning hands for the year. Without it you can't play official American mahjong. The card is published annually by the National Mah Jongg League, expires each spring, and is inexpensive (around $14) — available directly from nationalmahjonggleague.org.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A single hand typically takes 15–25 minutes once you know the rules — longer for beginners. A typical home session runs 4 hands (each player is East once) and takes 2–3 hours. Tournaments are shorter and timed.

→ How to play American Mahjong

To claim a discard for a Kong, you must already hold three that fit it — real tiles, a Joker, or a mix. You had three 1-Bams, so the called one made four — but only two 2-Bams and no Joker, one short.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

X means the hand is exposed — you may call discards and lay groups on top of your rack as you go. C means concealed — you can't call anything during play except the single tile that completes your Mahjong. Concealed hands are harder to finish, so the card prices them higher; that higher value is already in the printed number.

→ How to read the NMJL card

American Mahjong is built for exactly four players, and the NMJL® card assumes four. It also works with three: the official NMJL® way skips the Charleston entirely — deal 13 tiles to each of the three players (East takes an extra 14th, as in the four-player game), leave the unused fourth wall on the table to draw from, and play the tiles you're dealt. (A popular house-rule version adds a fictional fourth player to keep the Charleston alive.) For two players, the standard format is the community two-player variant commonly called Siamese Mahjong — each player builds two hands at once on two racks (27 tiles, no Charleston), and you win only by completing both. ("Siamese Mah Jongg®" is a trademark of its owner; MAHJ is an independent educational tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.) With five or more, the simplest approach is to rotate, with one person sitting out each hand.

→ Siamese Mahjong

American mahjong (NMJL®) uses 152 tiles (adds 8 Jokers and 8 Flowers), requires the NMJL® card defining specific legal hands, includes the Charleston tile-passing phase, and scores by hand value with the discarder paying double. Chinese mahjong uses 144 tiles (no Jokers, sometimes no Flowers), lets players make any valid pattern without a card, has no Charleston, and scores by point-counting rules that vary by region.

→ American vs. Chinese Mahjong

Always do the 2-second mental check before calling. A bad call locks tiles into an exposure you can't undo — it can kill your hand for the round.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

American mahjong sets generally range from $60 to over $400, with most standard complete sets (racks and pushers included) priced between $100 and $250. Budget-friendly basic sets can be found around $60; premium, designer, or high-end wooden sets often exceed $300–400. Make sure the set includes Jokers — sets sold as "Chinese mahjong" often don't.

→ Gear Guide

You swapped one exact tile for a Joker — and a Joker can stand in for any tile you still need to finish a group of 3 or more.

→ Joker rules explained

Won off a discard — only the discarder pays double: 30¢ × 2 = 60¢. The other two pay 30¢ each, so you collect $1.20 total. (Win off your own draw and all three would pay double.)

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

The rules in parentheses say "Any 4 Consec. Nos." — meaning the numbers are a pattern. 1-2-3-4 could be 4-5-6-7, 5-6-7-8, or any other consecutive set. One suit only.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Same color on the card means same suit. You pick which suit — but all groups in that color must match.

→ How to read the NMJL card

C means concealed — you build it hidden. The only discard you may call is the one that completes your Mahjong. X means exposed, where calling is allowed, so beginners should favor X hands.

→ How to read the NMJL card

Make sure your rack is sorted — Bams, Craks, Dots grouped together, ordered by number. This makes patterns visible.

→ What is the Charleston?

Yes — and this surprises almost everyone. The Red Dragon pairs with Craks, the Green Dragon with Bams, and the Soap (White Dragon) with Dots. When the card asks for dragons that match a suit, this is the pairing it means. Winds, Flowers, and Jokers are the tiles that truly have no suit.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Every winning hand is exactly 14 tiles. If your count doesn't add up to 14, re-check how you're reading the groups.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Four tiles together form a kong — one group of 4 identical tiles. Two pairs would be shown with a space between them (XX XX).

The 1 Bam usually shows a bird — a peacock, sparrow, or rooster — instead of a bamboo stalk, so it's the tile beginners most often mistake for a Flower. Flowers show plants, seasons, or scenes and are usually numbered or marked differently by the set maker. Quick check: if there's a bird on it, it's the 1 Bam.

→ What are Flowers?

A Year hand is built from the digits of the current year — with Soap standing in for any zero. Check your tiles against those digits.

→ Strategy for winning

There are 8 Flowers — each unique, but all interchangeable at the table.

→ What are Flowers?

There are 8 Jokers, and they're the most powerful tiles in the game.

→ Joker rules explained

36 Bams + 36 Craks + 36 Dots (108 number tiles) + 16 winds + 12 dragons + 8 flowers + 8 jokers = 152.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

C means concealed. You cannot call any discards during play — except for Mahjong (the final winning tile). Every other tile must come from the wall or Charleston.

→ How to read the NMJL card

The 1 Bam is the famous 'bird' tile — almost every set draws it as a bird instead of a stalk.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Tiles that fit none of your candidates have zero value. Discard them first.

→ Strategy for winning

A full American Mahjong set has 152 playing tiles: three suits of 1–9 with 4 copies each (108), 4 copies each of the four Winds (16), 4 copies each of the three Dragons (12), 8 Flowers, and 8 Jokers. If a set has only 144 tiles, it's missing the Jokers — that's a Chinese-style set.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

One of the three suits, depicted with bamboo stalks. Numbered 1–9, 4 copies of each in the set.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

A common nickname for the 1 Bam tile, which depicts a bird (often a peacock, sparrow, or rooster) instead of a single bamboo stalk. It looks similar to a Flower at first glance — if there's a bird on it, it's a 1 Bam.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

One of the three suits, marked with the Chinese character for the number. Numbered 1–9, 4 copies of each in the set.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

One of the three suits, depicted as round circles or coins. Numbered 1–9, 4 copies of each in the set.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Each Dragon belongs to a suit: Red Dragon with Craks, Green Dragon with Bams, and Soap (White Dragon) with Dots. When a hand on the card asks for dragons that match a suit, this pairing is what it means. Winds, Flowers, and Jokers, by contrast, belong to no suit at all.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Three types: Red Dragon (中), Green Dragon (發), and White Dragon / Soap (blank or framed). 4 copies of each.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

There are 8 Flower tiles in the set. They usually show different pictures (sometimes called 4 flowers + 4 seasons), but at the American table they're all just "Flowers" — any Flower works as any other, and they belong to no suit. They're regular playing tiles that show up as F in specific hands on the card.

→ What are Flowers?

The wild-card tile. There are 8 in the set. Jokers may substitute in any group of 3+ identical tiles (Pungs, Kongs, Quints), but never in a pair or single. Cannot be passed in the Charleston, cannot be called from the discard pile.

→ Joker rules explained

Mnemonic for the four Wind tiles: North, East, West, South — the order they're commonly listed in hands on the card. Play itself simply moves to your right around the table, starting with East.

→ How to read the NMJL card

The tile holder in front of each player. Has a ledge where your tiles sit facing you (hidden from others) and a flat top area where exposed groups go when you call.

→ How to set up the game

The everyday name for the White Dragon, which is either blank or shows a simple frame — like a bar of soap. It pulls double duty: it's a Dragon in Winds & Dragons hands, and it stands in as a zero in number-based hands like Year hands and 2468. When the card shows a 0, that means Soap.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Four types — East (東), South (南), West (西), North (北) — with 4 copies of each. Used in specific hands on the card and to mark seating positions.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Pairs and triples you already hold are the strongest signals. A hand that uses tiles you have is far more realistic.

→ Strategy for winning

Green Dragon goes with Bams, Red Dragon goes with Craks, and White Dragon (Soap) goes with Dots.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

The three number suits are Bams (bamboo), Craks (characters), and Dots (circles).

→ The 152 tiles, explained

With 2\u20133 candidates, most tiles you draw are useful for something. Committing to 1 hand too early means every bad draw is a wasted turn.

→ Strategy for winning

Each wall is 19 stacks long and 2 tiles high. 4 walls × 19 × 2 = 152 tiles, exactly the whole set.

→ How to set up the game

Three players get 13 tiles; East gets 14. In the final round, East takes both the 1st and 3rd tiles (the "leapfrog") and ends up with one extra. East's first discard officially starts the game.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

2 tiles high. Build the bottom row first, then place the top row on top.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

East rolls the dice and breaks their own wall. The dice total tells you how many stacks in from the right end to split. The opening point is where East draws the first tiles.

→ How to set up the game

Pushing the next wall forward and slightly diagonal so it can be dealt from when the current wall runs out.

→ How to set up the game

Strictly speaking, there is no dealer in American Mahjong — each player takes their own tiles from the wall. The role other games give a dealer belongs to East: East breaks the wall, draws first, starts with the extra 14th tile, and makes the first discard, which officially starts the game.

→ How to set up the game

The player who starts with the extra 14th tile and makes the first discard — the official start of the game. East breaks the wall and draws first. The other seats are also named by direction, though those terms are rarely used outside tournaments. After each hand, East rotates to the right (counter-clockwise).

→ How to set up the game

Same word, 3 meanings: • Your hand — the tiles you're holding • A winning hand — the pattern you're building • A hand of Mahjong — one complete round

The shuffle. All 152 tiles are placed face-down and mixed around by hand before building the wall. Also called "washing."

→ How to set up the game

Sliding your wall forward toward the center of the table so it can be drawn from. When the current wall runs out during the deal, the next player to the left (clockwise) pushes their wall in. See also Curtsy.

→ How to set up the game

The long flat arm attached to (or paired with) your rack, used to slide your wall of tiles toward the center of the table without knocking it over. American sets usually include four. They're not required — you can push the wall by hand — but they keep the wall straight and save your back.

→ How to set up the game

Placing a drawn tile onto your rack. After someone discards, the next player should pause briefly before racking to give others a chance to call.

→ When can you call a tile?

The 4-sided structure of stacked tiles in the middle of the table at the start of the game. Each side is built by one player: 19 tiles long, 2 high.

→ How to set up the game

When a wall runs out, the player on the left pushes their wall toward the center. Dealing continues from there.

→ How to set up the game

Both play and deal move to the right (counter-clockwise). East takes tiles first, then the player to East's right, then across, then left. Each player takes their own tiles from the wall.

→ How to set up the game

East rolls the dice. The total tells East where in their own wall to break.

→ How to set up the game

Any single player can stop the Charleston after the first three passes. It only takes one.

→ What is the Charleston?

Never. Jokers can never be passed in the Charleston — they're your most valuable tiles.

→ Joker rules explained

If other players are passing Dots, they're not collecting them. That's good news for you if Dots are part of your plan.

→ What is the Charleston?

Every Charleston pass is exactly 3 tiles, traded face-down with another player.

→ What is the Charleston?

A move on the first left (pass 3) or the last right (pass 6) where you push along 1, 2, or 3 tiles you just received without looking at them. Not allowed on the courtesy pass. Peeking before deciding is considered cheating.

→ What is the Charleston?

The unique tile-trading ritual at the start of every American Mahjong hand — 6 passes plus an optional courtesy. First Charleston (right → across → left) is mandatory; second Charleston (left → across → right) is optional. Followed by the optional courtesy pass with the player across.

→ What is the Charleston?

The Courtesy Pass is the final optional pass of the Charleston. You and the player across from you may exchange 0, 1, 2, or 3 tiles. If you want different numbers, you exchange the smaller number. Each opposite pair decides independently.

The mandatory first three passes: right → across → left. Everyone must do all three. Cannot be skipped.

→ What is the Charleston?

Mnemonic for the Charleston sequence: Right → Over (across) → Left → Left → Over → Right → optional courtesy. The two halves mirror each other around the "LL" in the middle.

→ What is the Charleston?

The optional second round of three passes (left → across → right) that happens after the first Charleston. Any single player can call "stop" to skip it without explanation — but this must be done before it begins. Once the second Charleston starts, all three passes must be completed; you can't stop partway through.

→ What is the Charleston?

Passing tiles you just received without looking at them. Per NMJL® rules, blind passes are only legal on the first left (pass 3) and the last right (pass 6) — the final pass of each Charleston, not the courtesy. You can pass 1, 2, or 3 blind.

→ What is the Charleston?

First Charleston: right, then across, then left. Second Charleston (optional): left, then across, then last right. Then the courtesy pass with the player across.

→ What is the Charleston?

Flexibility is power. Keeping tiles that could work for multiple hands on the card gives you the best chance of finding a winning path.

→ What is the Charleston?

If you don't have obvious tiles to give away, or you're unsure what you're building, "zero" is the smart, safe answer.

→ What is the Charleston?

There's no hard rule. Default to continuing — more trading usually means a better hand. Treat these as signals to consider stopping: your hand is already strong, and you'd mostly be giving up tiles you'd rather keep. It takes just one player, and you never have to explain why.

→ What is the Charleston?

Your pair of 1 Craks is real progress; the 9 Crak is a lone single with no pair of its own. Early on, keep your pairs and let unsupported singles go. (1 and 9 do both fit a 13579 odd-numbers hand — but you can't build a hand on one far tile, and you commit to a specific hand later.)

The player who receives your tiles sees them. Passing 3 of one suit signals you're not collecting it. Information goes both ways.

→ What is the Charleston?

Never pass a pair if you can help it — a joker can't build one for you. If you must, split it: send the two tiles to different players so no single opponent gets a ready-made pair.

→ What is the Charleston?

Yes. Discards stay face-up on the table for the entire hand — you can scan them anytime to count what's dead and read the table. Some groups push older discards aside or sort them; either way they're visible.

→ When can you call a tile?

Generally no — once you've named the tile and set it in the center, it belongs to the table and your turn is over. If you name it wrong, that's a misnamed discard, which carries its own consequences under NMJL® Article 67 rather than a do-over. The habit to build: look at the tile, say its name, then let go — in that order.

→ When can you call a tile?

The first Charleston (right, across, left) is required every hand. The second Charleston (left, across, right) is optional — any single player can stop it before it begins, no explanation needed — but once it starts, all three passes must be completed; you can't stop partway through. After that, the courtesy pass with the player across from you is also optional; either of you can pass zero tiles.

→ What is the Charleston?

Every turn: draw a tile from the wall, decide what to keep, discard one tile face-up.

→ How to play American Mahjong

That's a false Mahjong. Per NMJL® rules your hand is dead for the rest of the round — you stay seated but stop drawing and discarding, and you still pay the winner if someone else goes out. Some groups add an extra penalty, but that's a house rule. The etiquette takeaway: don't throw your tiles in until a Mahjong has been verified, so a wrong call doesn't cost you your own hand.

→ When can you call a tile?

That's called a wall game. The hand simply ends — no one pays and no one wins. Everyone throws their tiles in, the set gets mixed, and you build new walls for the next hand. Wall games are common, especially at careful tables, so don't be discouraged by one.

→ How to set up the game

A wall game means nobody won. No payments, just reshuffle and deal again.

→ How to set up the game

Name every discard out loud and place it face-up in the middle of the table. This is an official NMJL® rule — it gives other players a chance to call.

→ When can you call a tile?

East already has 14 tiles, so they discard one to start the game. Play then moves to the right.

→ How to play American Mahjong

No — never. Jokers only substitute in groups of three or more identical tiles (Pungs, Kongs, Quints, and larger). Pairs and single tiles must always be the real, natural tiles. This is why Singles & Pairs hands can't use Jokers at all, and why the pair is often the hardest part of a hand to finish.

→ Joker rules explained

No — you can only call a discard to complete an exposure of three or more identical tiles (a Pung, Kong, or Quint), or to complete your whole hand for Mahjong. The one exception is that final Mahjong tile: it can be anything your hand needs, including the second tile of a pair. Until then, pairs come only from your own draws and the Charleston.

→ When can you call a tile?

Yes — Jokers live in the wall like every other tile. Drawing one is how most Jokers enter play. Once a Joker is in your hand it's yours; no special procedure needed.

→ Joker rules explained

No. Jokers can never be passed in the Charleston or the courtesy pass — if you're lucky enough to be dealt one, it stays with you. Passing one by accident is a real (and awkward) beginner mistake, so double-check your three tiles before you slide them over.

→ What is the Charleston?

Discarded Jokers are dead. They cannot be called or claimed by anyone — which is why players almost never discard them, only as a last resort when folding.

→ Joker rules explained

Once you rack the tile, the previous discard is no longer callable per NMJL® rules. If someone wanted to call but didn't say it before your rack landed, they lose the call. This is why pausing a beat before racking is good etiquette — it gives the table a chance to call.

→ When can you call a tile?

Mahjong beats a regular call while the discard is still live — if one player calls Mahjong and another calls for a Pung, Kong, or exposure at the same time, the Mahjong call gets the tile. If two players both call for an exposure (Pung or Kong) at the same time, the player closest to the right of the discarder (next in turn order) gets it. The same tiebreaker applies to simultaneous Mahjong calls — next in turn order from the discarder wins. Once a caller completes their call, exposes, and makes their own discard, the previous discard is dead and can no longer be claimed.

→ When can you call a tile?

The stretch of time when a discard can still be claimed: from the moment it's named until the next player commits to their turn. The window closes as soon as that next player does any one of three things — racks their drawn tile, starts a joker exchange, or makes their own discard. Just drawing the wall tile and tapping it on the table, without racking, does NOT close the window — the previous discard is still callable until one of those commitments happens. This is why the polite pause before racking matters — it keeps the window honestly open.

→ When can you call a tile?

Claiming another player's discarded tile to complete a Pung, Kong, Quint, or Mahjong. You must say it out loud ("Call!" or "Mahjong!") before the next player racks.

→ When can you call a tile?

A hand marked "C" on the card. You cannot call any tiles during play (you can still claim a discarded tile to win on Mahjong, but not before). Concealed hands are listed at higher base values than equivalent exposed hands — but the higher value is already in the printed number, NOT a payout multiplier.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

A tile placed face-up in the center of the table at the end of a turn — you must say its name out loud as you place it. Once you say its full name, or the tile touches the table, it's dead to you: you can't take it back into your hand or use it for a joker exchange. But if you've only said part of the name (like “seven”) and it's still in your hand, you can change your mind. Meanwhile, other players can still call your discard (to complete a group) until the next player racks. A discard can never be used for a joker exchange, though — those always come from a player's own hand.

→ When can you call a tile?

Laying a called group face-up on top of your rack so all players can see it. Required when you call a Pung or Kong. Exposures cannot be taken back, and they reveal information to opponents — every exposure is a tell.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

A hand marked "X" on the card. You may call tiles and expose groups during play. Easier to build than concealed hands, and worth less.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

An exposure is a Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet you make by calling another player's discard and placing the completed group face-up on top of your rack. Hands marked X on the NMJL® card allow exposures; hands marked C are concealed and do not allow exposures during play.

On your turn, if any exposed group contains a joker and you have the real tile that joker stands for, you can swap your real tile for the joker. Hand the tile to the player whose rack holds the joker — never reach onto their rack yourself. The tile you give always comes from your hand — never from the discard pile.

→ Joker rules explained

Four identical tiles. Can be made by drawing all four yourself, or by calling a discarded 4th when you already hold three. Jokers can substitute in a Kong.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

The win declaration. You say "Mahjong!" the moment your 14 tiles match a hand on the card. If you're winning on someone's discard, you must call it before the next player racks their drawn tile; a self-picked win you declare on your own turn.

→ Strategy for winning

Two identical tiles. Cannot be formed by calling (except as the final tile of a Mahjong claim). Jokers cannot substitute in a pair, ever.

→ Joker rules explained

Three identical tiles. Can be made by drawing them yourself or by calling a discarded 3rd when you already hold two matching tiles (two real, one real plus a joker, or two jokers). Jokers can substitute in a Pung.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Five identical tiles — yes, that exists in some hands on the card. Since only 4 copies of each number, wind, or dragon tile exist, a quint of those always uses at least one joker — and the tiles you hold to make it can even be all jokers.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Six identical tiles — a rare, heavily-jokered group that appears on only a few hands. Since only 4 copies of each number, wind, or dragon tile exist, a sextet of those needs at least two jokers (and can use even more).

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

A Pung is a group of 3 identical tiles. A Kong is 4 identical tiles. Both count as one group toward your hand. Some NMJL® hands also use Quints (5). All of these accept Jokers as substitutes — pairs and singles do not.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Joker exchanges happen only on your own turn — after you've drawn from the wall (or called a discard and made your exposure), and before you discard. Give the real tile it stands for; take the Joker from any exposed group.

→ Joker rules explained

Jokers substitute only in pungs, kongs, quints, and sextets — groups of 3+. They can never be used in pairs or singles.

→ Joker rules explained

You can call for Pungs (3), Kongs (4), Quints (5), Sextets (6), or Mahjong. Pairs and sequences can't be called.

→ When can you call a tile?

Don't panic — your exposure might fit a different hand on the card. Your hand is only dead if the exposed group doesn't work for ANY valid hand. Always look for alternatives before giving up.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

'C' means fully concealed — no exposures, not even one Pung. The one exception: calling Mahjong on a discard that completes your entire hand. Calling for a Pung, Kong, or Quint (five of a kind) kills the hand. Can't win on it now? Pass.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

A concealed hand (marked 'C' on the card) allows no exposures — they'll never call for a pung, kong, or quint, only for the discard that completes Mahjong. Every other tile comes from the wall or Charleston. Zero exposures and no clear pattern is a strong tell.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

Two exposures with the same number (3) in different suits are a strong clue toward a like-numbers hand — so hold back your 3-Craks. That 3 could also sit in an odds or consecutive hand, so it's a clue, not proof.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Two same-suit exposures are a strong clue toward a Bam-centered hand — so hold back your Bams. One clue isn't proof (some hands use two suits), but it's the safe read here.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Wide early, narrow late. By the mid-game you must commit to a single hand and start discarding tiles from your backup candidates.

Players pass tiles they don't want. Passing Craks means Craks don't fit their hand — likely safer to discard toward that player later, and possibly more available in the wall for your own Crak hand.

→ What is the Charleston?

3+ exposures means an opponent could be as little as one tile from winning. Only discard tiles you are certain they cannot use.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

Almost never — treat every discard as carrying some risk. You get closest to safe when every other copy of a tile is already visible on the table (in discards or exposures): then no one can call it for a Pung, Kong, or Quint. Even then, a player could still be waiting to win on it as a single, so no discard is ever a total guarantee. Short of that, you can only lower the risk — by reading exposures, watching what each player passes on, and favoring tiles similar to ones already ignored.

→ When can you call a tile?

Early game (Turns 1–5) is for patience and flexibility, not commitment — you haven't seen enough draws to know what the wall holds. Keep your candidates open and let the tiles guide you.

→ Strategy for winning

Carrying all three suits when your hand needs one means slow discards and no momentum. Commit to your primary suit by mid-game and shed the rest.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

When key tiles are already discarded in mid-game, your primary is unlikely to complete. Pivoting to a backup that uses tiles you already hold is the sharper play — the longer you wait, the fewer draws you have left to recover.

→ When can you call a tile?

The suit nobody is discarding is likely the hot suit — someone may be actively collecting it. Discarding Bams into a table where nobody wants to throw them is a real risk.

Keep 2–3 candidates after the deal. Committing to 1 too early means every bad draw hurts you. Narrow down as the game progresses.

→ How to set up the game

When the wall's nearly gone and you're still several tiles short, the hand can't finish in time. Stop chasing it — switch to defense and throw only safe tiles.

→ How to set up the game

Once you expose, you can still switch hands — but only to a hand that uses your exposed group. Your exposed tiles stay on your rack exactly as they are.

→ Pung, Kong, and Quint

Folding means you stop trying to win and discard only the safest tiles you can. You keep playing — you just don't want to feed the winner.

→ Strategy for winning

A hand category on the NMJL® card built entirely from odd-numbered tiles (1s, 3s, 5s, 7s, 9s). Specific 13579 hands change yearly, but the category name always means odd-only.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A hand category on the NMJL® card built entirely from even-numbered tiles (2s, 4s, 6s, 8s). Specific 2468 hands change yearly, but the category name always means even-only. Frequently includes Soaps (which act as 0s).

→ How to read the NMJL card

A hand category on the NMJL® card built around 3s, 6s, and 9s. Specific 369 hands change yearly, but the category name always restricts you to those three numbers.

→ How to read the NMJL card

One of the 2–3 hands on the card you're building toward early in the game. The flexibility curve narrows from 3 → 2 → 1 candidates as the game progresses.

→ Strategy for winning

The annual card published by the National Mah Jongg League® listing every legal winning hand for that year, with its value, suit restrictions, and whether it's exposed (X) or concealed (C). Required to play officially.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A hand category on the NMJL® card built from numbers in numerical order (e.g. 3-4-5 or 5-6-7). The card tells you the pattern (FF 11 222 333 4444); you choose which consecutive numbers to use within the constraint shown in parentheses.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A tile is dead for your hand when enough copies are already visible (in discards and exposures) that you can no longer collect what you need — if you need a Pung but three copies are on the table, your natural Pung is gone (though a Joker can still fill a group of three or more). A live tile still has enough unseen copies. Counting dead tiles is the heart of reading the table.

→ When can you call a tile?

Shifting from playing to win to playing to not lose. You keep playing — drawing and discarding — but choose only the safest possible discards because an opponent is dangerously close to winning.

→ Strategy for winning

A suit that nobody at the table is discarding. Usually means at least one opponent is hoarding it. Avoid feeding the hot suit.

→ Strategy for winning

A hand category built around the same number across multiple suits (e.g. groups of 5 Crak, 5 Bam, 5 Dot). Usually visible on the card under "Like Numbers."

→ How to read the NMJL card

The National Mah Jongg League® — the organization that publishes the official annual card and standardized American Mahjong rules.

→ The 2026 NMJL card

Needing exactly one more tile to complete your hand. Being one away is when calling matters most — and when opponents' defenses go up. Many players say they are waiting, or that a hand is set; it all means one tile from Mahjong.

→ Strategy for winning

Switching from your primary candidate hand to a backup mid-game when the primary stalls (e.g., key tiles are dead in the discard pile or opponents are racing ahead). A successful pivot keeps you in the running; a poorly-timed pivot wastes draws. Best done before the wall gets short.

→ Strategy for winning

A category of hands on the NMJL® card built around 5-tile groups (Quints). Because only 4 copies of each number, wind, or dragon tile exist, a Quint of those needs at least one Joker. Specific Quints hands change yearly, but the category always features Quints prominently.

→ How to read the NMJL card

Tracking which tiles have been discarded or exposed so you know what's still "live." Once 3 of a tile are visible, the 4th is almost always safe to discard — only a joker-backed call (a 2-joker Pung, 3-joker Kong, or 4-joker Quint) is still possible.

→ Strategy for winning

A hand category that requires all groups to be in a single suit (all Bams, all Craks, or all Dots). Listed on the card as "Same Color" or similar.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A hand category made entirely of pairs and single tiles. Jokers cannot be used anywhere in a Singles & Pairs hand. The jokerless bonus is already baked into the printed value, so don't double these at payout.

→ How to read the NMJL card

The information leak when an opponent calls and exposes. Every exposure tells you their suit focus, number focus, and likely hand category. Your defense depends on reading them.

→ Strategy for winning

A category of hands on the NMJL® card built primarily from the four Winds (N, E, W, S) and three Dragons (Red, Green, Soap). Often combined with Flowers, and some lines add a paired number group — the numbers can vary, so check the parentheses.

→ How to read the NMJL card

A hand built around the digits of the current year (e.g. 2-0-2-6 for 2026). Often the easiest place for a beginner to start, since the digits are usually easy to spot in your starting tiles.

→ How to read the NMJL card

Overlapping tiles mean switching costs almost nothing: if your backup uses the same suit cluster as your primary, you lose only a few discards rather than starting over. That's why scanning the card for two same-suit hands at the deal is smart preparation.

→ The 152 tiles, explained

Early exposures sacrifice flexibility and secrecy: once you expose, you're locked to hands that use that group. Wait until your hand path is clear before calling.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

Every exposure reveals an opponent's suit and hand pattern — and under NMJL rules, once they expose, their choices narrow to hands that include their exposed group. Frequent early callers reveal their direction and lose flexibility — valuable data for you.

→ When can you call a tile?

Once 3 of a tile are out of play, no one can call it for a pung without 2 Jokers. The 4th copy is almost always safe to throw.

→ When can you call a tile?

Jokers are most valuable on rare tiles. Don't use one on a common middle-suit tile you'll likely draw. Jokers can never substitute in a pair.

→ Joker rules explained

What an opponent isn't throwing is more revealing than what they are. The 'hot' suit is the one nobody is dumping.

→ Strategy for winning

Start with tiles that have zero value to you — those in none of your candidate hands. Jokers are almost never discarded; save them unless you're folding as a last resort.

→ When can you call a tile?

When you're 2 tiles away, the wall doesn't have enough draws left to support starting over — stay the course. A near-complete hand beats a fresh start almost every time in late game; the exception is if your needed tiles are completely dead in the discard pile.

→ Strategy for winning

All-pung/kong hands in common tiles are the most forgiving: a joker fills any group of 3+, and common tiles get discarded often so you can call them. Singles & Pairs (no jokers) and Concealed (you draw almost every tile yourself) are higher-value but much harder to finish — save them for later.

→ Strategy for winning

Jokers buy time. With 3 jokers in your rack, they fill in for tiles slow to arrive — your hand may be closer than it looks. Don't bail on a strong primary just because draws have been slow; let the jokers work before you switch.

→ Joker rules explained

A hand you never complete pays nothing — the 25-cent win beats a 50-cent attempt that never comes together. Viability first, value second.

→ When can you call a tile?

Concealed is NOT a multiplier. The card already gives concealed hands a higher printed value. Just use the number on the card.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

Once another player declares your hand dead, you stop drawing and discarding but stay at the table and still pay the winner if someone else completes their hand. (Don't declare your own hand dead — keep playing defensively until another player notices.)

→ What is a dead hand?

Self-pick means all three players pay double: 25¢ × 2 = 50¢ each.

→ How scoring works

When a player wins on a discard, the discarder pays the winner 2× the hand value, while the other two players pay only 1×.

→ How scoring works

The number printed next to each hand on the NMJL® card — the base amount each losing player pays the winner. Harder hands carry higher values, and concealed versions are priced higher than comparable exposed ones. Bonuses like discarder-pays-double and the jokerless double are applied on top of this printed number.

→ How scoring works

The official NMJL® rule covering the jokerless bonus: a winning hand with no jokers pays double the normal value. Exception: Singles & Pairs hands can't use jokers at all, so they don't get the extra double — their higher printed value already reflects it. (The exact article number varies by rulebook edition — check your current NMJL® card.)

→ How scoring works

A winning hand with no jokers pays double. Stacks with the discarder / self-pick bonus. Exception: Singles & Pairs hands already have the bonus baked into the printed value — don't double them again.

→ How scoring works

Drawing your winning tile from the wall yourself, with no discard involved. All three other players pay double.

→ How scoring works

A hand where the wall runs out before anyone calls Mahjong. No payments are made. Reshuffle and redeal.

→ The full rulebook

Discarder pays double (×2), then jokerless doubles again (×2). 25¢ × 2 × 2 = $1.00.

→ Joker rules explained

The discarder pays double: 25¢ × 2 = 50¢. The other two players each pay 25¢.

→ How scoring works

You hand the real tile to the player whose rack holds the joker; they make the swap and hand you the joker. Reaching onto someone else's rack is poor table etiquette.

→ Joker rules explained

There's no official NMJL® time limit in casual play — but the general expectation is to keep a reasonable pace so everyone stays engaged. Most casual hands aim to finish in about 10–15 minutes. Tournament play is faster: tournaments typically target 4 hands per hour, which leaves only a few seconds per turn. Either way, taking a full minute to decide on a discard is considered poor etiquette.

→ How to play American Mahjong

Per NMJL® Article 67: a Mahjong claim on a misnamed tile is valid, and the misnamer alone pays the winner 4× the hand value. The other two players pay nothing. This is the most expensive mistake in the game.

→ When can you call a tile?

The official NMJL® rule covering misnamed discards. If a player calls Mahjong on a misnamed tile, the Mahjong is valid and the misnamer alone pays the winner 4× the hand value. The other two players pay nothing.

→ The full rulebook

A hand that can no longer reach a valid winning position (because of an illegal call, wrong tile count, or other rule violation). Per NMJL®, another player must declare it dead — you can't call your own hand dead. Until then, keep playing defensively. Once declared, you stop drawing and discarding, stay seated, and still pay the winner.

→ What is a dead hand?

Calling Mahjong when your hand isn't actually valid. Per NMJL® rules, your hand is dead for the rest of the hand — you stay seated but stop drawing and discarding, and you still pay the winner if someone else goes out. Some groups add an extra penalty, but that's a house rule.

→ What is a dead hand?

Announcing a discarded tile by the wrong name. Covered by NMJL® Article 67 — if Mahjong is called on a misnamed tile, the misnamer alone pays the winner 4× the hand value. If an exposure is called on a misnamed tile, the call is invalid (no penalty unless the claimer prematurely makes an incorrect exposure, which kills their hand).

→ The full rulebook

Official NMJL® rule: every discard must be announced out loud as it's placed. Other players need to hear the tile name in order to call it.

→ Table etiquette

Etiquette convention: after you draw a tile, count to about 3 before placing it on the sloped part of your rack. That pause is the window where any other player can call the previous discard. Racking too quickly can rob a legitimate call.

→ Table etiquette

Drawing a tile from the wall before it's your turn. Treated as a serious error in NMJL® rules — it can cost you a dead hand.

→ Strategy for winning

Local customs a group agrees to that go beyond (or bend) official NMJL® rules — extra penalties for a false Mahjong, blanks as wilds, different stakes, and so on. None are official, and every group's mix is different. When you join a new table, it's perfectly polite to ask about any table rules before the first hand.

→ Table etiquette

Commenting on the live hand — hinting at what you're collecting, reacting to a discard, or coaching another player mid-hand. It's considered poor form, because stray remarks leak information the tiles are meant to keep hidden. Save the analysis for after someone calls Mahjong.

→ Table etiquette

Pushing your tiles face-down into the center at the end of a hand to mix them with the rest of the set. Once the winner's hand is verified and payouts are settled, everyone throws their tiles in and the next round begins. Don't throw your hand in before a Mahjong call is verified — per the NMJL® card's "Mah Jongg in Error" rules, a player who throws in their hand on an unverified call that turns out false carries that error themselves; the hand can't be reconstructed.

→ Table etiquette

The Charleston is meant to be quick — each pass takes seconds. Beginners are forgiven for being slower, but aim for a fast rhythm.

→ What is the Charleston?

Naming your discard out loud is an NMJL® rule, not optional politeness. Other players need to hear it in order to call.

→ When can you call a tile?

The discard is callable until the next player racks their drawn tile (places it on the sloped part of the rack). That's why pausing before racking gives people time to call.

→ When can you call a tile?

Don't panic — your exposure might fit a different hand. Check the card. Your hand is only dead if the exposed group doesn't work for ANY valid hand.

→ Exposed vs. concealed hands

Dead-hand penalties don't apply during the Charleston. If a tile-count error is found before play begins, the entire hand is reshuffled and redealt.

→ What is the Charleston?

Once you discard, your turn is over. You can't go back and claim Mahjong on a tile you already had. Your hand is still alive — keep playing for another win.

→ When can you call a tile?

Stop, speak up immediately, describe what happened factually, and let the table decide. Self-reported mistakes are almost always handled gracefully. Hidden ones are not.

→ The full rulebook

A Joker exchange is only legal after you draw — or after you call and expose — and before your discard. Reaching for it before you've drawn takes you out of turn order: an immediate dead hand.

→ Joker rules explained

Official rule: no Charleston with three players. East discards and play begins. The ghost player is a house rule, not official.

→ Playing with 3 players

Each player takes their own tiles — from the face-down pile, or from the wall if your table builds one. Under the latest rules both take 27, and East opens with a regular pick-and-discard turn. Some tables play the older 28/27 way, where East just discards the extra tile to start. With 27 tiles you have enormous flexibility in choosing your two hands.

→ Siamese Mahjong (2 players)

Set up before the Charleston: 7 groups of 3, one per pass — the 6 Charleston passes plus the courtesy pass. Players take Bob's pre-set groups when he passes; tiles passed to Bob go back into his wall.

→ Playing with 3 players

A popular house rule, not official — it keeps the Charleston in the game. Just make sure everyone at the table agrees before using it.

→ Playing with 3 players

If both your hands compete for the same tiles or jokers, you'll be fighting yourself all game. The key skill is finding two non-competing hands in your initial 27–28 tiles — ideally different suits and different numbers.

→ Siamese Mahjong (2 players)

You can freely move concealed tiles between your two racks at any point — even after one rack has an exposure. Only the exposure itself is locked to its rack. All other concealed tiles can still move freely.

→ Siamese Mahjong (2 players)

The circle breaks down: one player receives from both sides before passing, and dumping tiles into the empty seat costs nothing. So the official rule skips it.

→ Playing with 3 players

Completing one hand doesn't win the game — you need both. But you can declare your first hand done, which protects those Jokers from opponent swaps. Then you continue drawing and discarding until your second hand is complete.

→ Siamese Mahjong (2 players)

Self-pick is the same as four-player: all remaining players pay double. With three, that's both opponents.

→ Siamese Mahjong (2 players)

On iPhone or iPad, yes — your MAHJ unlock can be shared with your Apple Family Sharing group. Turn on Purchase Sharing in your Apple Family settings, and each family member taps "Restore Purchases" in MAHJ to unlock it. On Android, Google Play doesn't support sharing in-app purchases through Family Library, so if family members use separate Google accounts, each person needs their own MAHJ unlock.

If their device is signed into the same Apple Account (or Google account) you bought with, they can unlock it by tapping Restore — no second purchase needed. On iPhone or iPad, you can also share your unlock with your Apple Family Sharing group (turn on Purchase Sharing in your Apple Family settings; they tap Restore). On Android, Google Play doesn't allow sharing an in-app purchase across different Google accounts, so a family member on a separate account needs their own unlock.

Your unlock is tied to the app store account you bought with, so it travels with that account. On another iPhone or iPad signed into the same Apple Account, open MAHJ, go to Settings, and tap "Restore purchase." On Android, do the same on a device signed into the same Google account you bought with. The website (welcome2mahj.com) is a separate free preview — an app purchase doesn't unlock the website. (Your lesson progress is also saved separately on each device.)

Your purchase is tied to your app-store account (your Apple ID on iPhone and iPad, or your Google account on Android), not to a login inside MAHJ — so it carries to any device signed into that same account. On the other device, open MAHJ and tap into any premium lesson to bring up the upgrade screen, then tap Restore. As long as that device uses the same Apple ID (or Google account) you bought with, it unlocks everything and you won't be charged again. If Restore says it can't find your purchase, make sure both devices are signed into the same account — on iPhone or iPad, check Settings and tap your name at the top.

You haven't lost anything. Right now MAHJ saves your lesson progress on each device separately, and there's no account login yet — so a second device won't show the lessons you already finished on the first. Your purchase still carries over (tap Restore, as above), and you can jump straight to any lesson on the new device. Syncing your progress across devices is on our roadmap.