How to Play American Mahjong

American Mahjong is its own version of Mahjong

American Mahjong grew from Chinese Mahjong but uses a distinct rhythm and rule set. Most social games in the United States use a 152-tile set, racks, Jokers, a pre-play passing phase called the Charleston, and an annual card of legal hands. That card matters: the combinations change each year, so memorizing last year’s hands will not prepare you for this year’s game.

This article follows common National Mah Jongg League-style play. House rules and tournament procedures can differ, so settle local conventions before the first wall is built. We explain the mechanics but do not reproduce the copyrighted hand combinations from the annual card.

What four players need

• A 152-tile American Mahjong set. Standard play uses the numbered suits, Winds, Dragons, Flowers, and eight Jokers. Some retail sets include spare blank tiles or extra Jokers; separate those extras before play unless your group uses them.
• Four racks and a pair of dice. The rack keeps 13 or 14 tiles organized and provides a ledge for exposures.
• A current card for every player. For the 2026 season, use a 2026 card rather than an older reference sheet. Cards are available from the National Mah Jongg League store.
• Four players. Three-player adaptations exist, but the setup and passing sequence below assume a standard four-player table.

Meet the tiles before choosing a hand

Set up the table step by step

1. Remove unintended extras. Confirm that the active set contains the 152 tiles your table expects. Keep spare blanks or bonus Jokers out of the wall.
2. Mix all tiles face down. Players shuffle together in the center of the table.
3. Build four walls. Each player makes a wall 19 stacks long and two tiles high, for 38 tiles per wall.
4. Choose East and break the wall. Your group can roll dice or use its normal seat-selection method. East begins as dealer.
5. Deal the starting hands. East begins with 14 tiles; the other players begin with 13. Place tiles on racks where opponents cannot see their faces.

Do a quick count before the Charleston. A wrong starting count creates confusing problems later, and it is much easier to correct before anyone has passed a tile.

How to read the annual card without freezing up

The card is a menu of exact winning hands, grouped into sections. Each line uses numbers, letters, spacing, and color to show the required tile values, group sizes, and suit relationships. A hand marked concealed must remain unexposed until the winning call; other hands may allow exposures.

At the start, shortlist two or three lines that fit your strongest tiles. Look first for repeated numbers, Flowers, Winds, Dragons, and pairs because those features narrow the options quickly. Do not lock onto one hand too early. The Charleston exists partly to help your rack reveal a better direction.

The Charleston: improve your hand before play

During the Charleston, all players pass three tiles at the same time. The usual first sequence is right, across, then left. A second sequence may follow in the opposite pattern—left, across, then right—according to the rules and agreement used at your table. A final courtesy pass across may allow zero to three tiles.

Never pass a Joker. Avoid passing pairs or tiles central to your leading card options. On the permitted blind pass, a player may pass along one or more received tiles without looking at them, subject to the table’s rule. Keep every pass face down and wait until all four players are ready before picking up incoming tiles.

For a first game, say each direction aloud. “Three right,” “three across,” and “three left” sounds almost comically basic, but it prevents the most common beginner traffic jam.

What happens on every turn

1. East starts by discarding one tile from the 14-tile starting hand.
2. After that, a player normally draws one tile from the live wall, evaluates the rack, and discards one tile face up.
3. Announce every discard clearly. Once the next player draws, the previous discard is generally no longer available.
4. A player may call the newest discard to complete an allowed exposed group or to complete Mahjong. When a discard is called, turn order jumps to the caller.
5. Keep 13 tiles after your discard. A legal winning hand contains 14 tiles.

Calling a discard

You cannot call a discard merely because it is useful. In an exposed hand, the called tile must immediately complete a valid grouping of at least three tiles, which is then placed face up on the rack. A single or pair generally cannot be exposed; the exception is calling the final tile to declare Mahjong when the hand permits it. Concealed hands cannot make ordinary calls.

Using and exchanging Jokers

Jokers can stand in for tiles in eligible groups of three or more, but not in singles or pairs. On your own turn, an exact natural tile may be exchanged for a Joker already visible in an exposure. A discarded Joker is simply discarded; it cannot be called back from the table.

How to declare Mahjong

When your 14 tiles match one complete line on the current card—correct values, suits, group sizes, pairs, and exposure status—say “Mahjong” and display the hand. The table checks it against the card. If it is valid, the hand ends and scoring follows the card value plus any table rules agreed before play.

If the wall runs out without a valid declaration, the game is a draw. Do not force a nearly correct hand into a win: one incorrect suit relationship, an illegal Joker in a pair, or an exposure on a concealed line makes the hand invalid.

Your first-game checklist

• Use the current annual card and keep it open in front of you.
• Count 13 tiles after each discard.
• Track two possible hands until your rack develops a clear direction.
• Ask the table to announce discards slowly and consistently.
• Before calling, point to the exact grouping you will expose.
• Treat the first few games as pattern-recognition practice, not a speed test.

Ready for edge cases? Continue to the detailed American Mahjong rules reference.

Choose a set for your first table

The artwork changes the mood; the markings still need to remain easy for your group to read. These sets link directly to their product pages, or you can browse all American Mahjong sets.

Chinoiserie Floral American Mahjong Tile Set

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Ocean Escape Coastal American Mahjong Set

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Tennis Club American Mahjong Tile Set

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Beginner FAQ