A little know-how goes a long way
Friendly explanations, real tile examples and practical next steps. Start at the top if you are new, or jump to what you need.
New to the game? These three take you from the box to your first hand.
Learn American mahjong step by step: the 152 tiles, reading the card, the Charleston, calling discards, joker rules, and how winning and payouts work. Interactive lessons included.
Read the guideLearn the American mahjong tile families: bams, dots, craks, winds, dragons, flowers, and jokers, with illustrated examples and a beginner-friendly reference.
Read the guideEvery American mahjong card works the same way: sections of related hands, notation for ranks and suits, and markings for value and whether you may call discards. Learn to read one line at a time.
Read the guideThe whole rulebook, then the two parts that trip up every new table.
The standard rules of American mahjong stated precisely: the deal, the Charleston, the claim window, jokers, dead hands, and payouts, with honest notes on how some tables play it differently.
Read the guideUnderstand the Charleston passing order, the optional second round, blind passes, and the courtesy pass, with a simple visual guide for American mahjong beginners.
Read the guideLearn when American mahjong jokers are allowed, why they cannot fill singles or pairs, how joker exchanges work, and the mistakes beginners can avoid.
Read the guideStrategy for your next hand and a plan for your first game night.
Charleston strategy, choosing a hand, when to switch, joker economy, defense, and table money. The strategy experienced players teach, in one place.
Read the guideWhat you need to host American mahjong: the set, racks, seating, timing, and how to fold in a brand-new player without stalling the table.
Read the guideThe card the league prints each year, and how American mahjong compares.
The National Mah Jongg League card is the official list of winning hands, reissued every spring. What’s on it, when the new card ships, where to buy one, and how to learn to read it.
Read the guideThe three big mahjong families compared: American (152 tiles, jokers, the card, the Charleston), Chinese and Hong Kong style (chows, no card), and Japanese riichi (yaku, dora, the riichi bet).
Read the guideMahjong solitaire is a single-player tile-matching computer puzzle. American mahjong is a four-player game with racks, jokers, and a card of winning hands. Here’s how to tell which one you want.
Read the guideThe rest of the reading room.