How to play American mahjong: the basics in five minutes

American mahjong is a rummy-style tile game for four players. Each player races to assemble one of the hands printed on that year's NMJL card, drawing and discarding tiles while using jokers as wildcards. Here is the skeleton of the game — enough to follow your first session.

What you need on the table

A complete 166-tile American set — dots, bams, craks, winds, dragons, flowers and eight jokers — plus four racks with pushers, two dice, a wind indicator and the current NMJL card. A quiet mat makes the game far more pleasant on hard tables.

The goal

The NMJL card lists every legal hand for the year, grouped by category (like consecutives, hands with pair terms, and hands of matching suits). A hand is a fixed pattern of runs, sets and pairs. You win — call "mahjong" — by being first to assemble one complete hand from your tiles and claimed discards.

The Charleston

Before play starts, tiles are passed in a signature sequence called the Charleston: three tiles to the right, three across, three to the left — then a second round optionally with a "blind pass". This is unique to American mahjong and it shapes your opening hand: never count on tiles you are about to pass away.

Jokers

The eight jokers substitute for any tile in a pung or kong (sets of three or four identical tiles) — but never for a single tile or a pair. Jokers can be exchanged out of exposed sets, which makes them the most contested tiles on the table.

The turn

1. Draw a tile from the wall (or claim the most recent discard, or claim a joker from an exposed set).
2. Discard one tile face-up to the wall.
3. Call — any player may claim the newest discard for an exposed pung, kong or to complete mahjong; otherwise the next player draws.

Where to go from here

Mechanics take one session; the card takes a few. If you are equipping a table, the beginner's buying guide covers what to purchase, and our video walkthroughs show exactly what a complete kit contains. Clubs can order sets in small quantities direct from stock.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is American mahjong different from Chinese mahjong?

American mahjong uses 166 tiles including jokers, is played with a yearly NMJL hand card, features the Charleston passing sequence, and every player picks and discards in strict order. Chinese mahjong uses 144 tiles, no jokers, and regional scoring instead of a printed hand card.

Do I need the NMJL card to play?

Yes for American mahjong — the card defines every legal hand for the year, and the League issues a new card each April. The card is sold separately from any set.

How long does it take to learn American mahjong?

Most new players are comfortable after two or three supervised sessions. The turn mechanics take minutes; learning to read the card and plan hands is what develops over the first few months.

How many tiles does each player start with?

After the Charleston passes, each of the four players builds a wall of 19 stacks (38 tiles) from their 152 playing tiles, and draws from the wall over the course of the hand — jokers and flowers account for the rest of the 166-tile set.