Beginner's Guide
Your First Game
01
The Basics
American Mahjong is a game for four players using 152 tiles — including 8 special Joker tiles. The goal: build a complete hand of 14 tiles that matches one of the patterns on the official NMJL (National Mah Jongg League) card. Think of it as a more social, more tactile version of rummy — but with far more depth, beauty, and strategy.
02
The Tiles
An American set contains three suits — Bamboo (Bams), Characters (Cracks), and Dots — numbered 1 through 9 with four copies of each (108 suit tiles). Add in four Wind tiles (East, South, West, North × 4 = 16), three Dragon tiles (Red, Green, and Soap/White × 4 = 12), eight Flower tiles, and eight Joker tiles. That's 152 tiles total. Jokers are wild and can substitute for any tile in a group of three or more.
03
Setting Up
Each player builds a wall of tiles face-down, two tiles high. These walls form a square in the center of the table. The dealer (East) breaks the wall and distributes tiles — 13 to each player (14 to East). Then comes the Charleston: three rounds of passing tiles with other players (3 right, 3 across, 3 left) to improve your hand before play begins. There's an optional courtesy pass across after.
04
How to Play
On your turn, draw a tile from the wall, then discard one you don't need face-up. You're trying to match one of the hands on the NMJL card — each hand specifies an exact combination of tiles. There are no Chows (sequential runs) in American Mahjong. When someone discards a tile you need for an exposed group, you can call it. Jokers are wild for any group of 3 or more tiles, and you can swap a matching natural tile for an exposed Joker.
05
Winning
When you complete a hand matching a pattern on the NMJL card, declare "Mahjong!" and reveal your tiles. Each hand on the card has a point value — higher values go to rarer, more difficult combinations. Hand categories include 2468, Quints, Consecutive Runs, 13579, Winds-Dragons, 369, Singles & Pairs, and Special Hands. A new official card is published every year by the NMJL.
06
Your First Night
Don't worry about memorizing the entire NMJL card. Start by picking 2-3 hand patterns to aim for and learn to recognize the three suits. Play a few open-hand rounds where everyone can see each other's tiles. Keep the card propped up in front of you — everyone does, even experienced players. The strategy comes naturally. The joy comes immediately.