How to play American mahjong
New to the table? You can absolutely learn this. Here's what American (NMJL) mahjong is, exactly what you need, how to read the card, and your very first hand — in plain English.
No experience needed · You don't have to memorize anythingWhich one is you?
I just got a set
A beautiful set landed on your table — now what? Start with what's in the box and what you still need.
What I need →I want to actually learn
Curious if you can pick it up? The card looks scary — we'll decode it with real tiles, step by step.
Read the card →I'm teaching my table
Got three friends ready? Grab the printable quick-start and the easiest hands to begin with.
First hands →What is American mahjong?
It's the version standardized in the U.S. and played with the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card — an annual card listing the legal hands for the year. Four players race to be first to build a complete hand from the card, using tiles, jokers, and a tile-passing round called the Charleston.
American (NMJL)
What we make. What this page teaches.
- Uses the yearly NMJL card of set hands
- 160 tiles, including 10 jokers
- The Charleston (passing) + calling
Chinese mahjong
The ancestor — many regional styles.
- No card; you build your own patterns
- 144 tiles, usually no jokers
- Different scoring & flow
"Mahjong" the app
Not the same game at all.
- A solitaire tile-matching puzzle
- One player, no real tiles
- Shares the artwork, not the rules
Meet the tiles — tap any one
The Dots (筒)Suit tiles 1–9. Count the circles. One of three number suits.
A game worth honoring
Mahjong was born in China and carries centuries of history. When it arrived in the U.S. in the 1920s, a group of Jewish-American women created the National Mah Jongg League to standardize the American game — the version with jokers and the yearly card. We make American sets with deep respect for both of those roots, and for everyone keeping the game alive today.
Born in China
The game takes shape, spreading across regions in countless styles.
Arrives in America
Mahjong becomes a craze; American households make it their own.
The League
Jewish-American women found the NMJL and standardize the American game + its annual card.
A new wave
A fresh generation is pulling up a chair — for connection, ritual, and fun.
What you need to start
Good news: it's a short list — and we're upfront about the one thing that isn't in the box.
A set
160 American tiles including 10 jokers, plus racks to hold your tiles. Every Opus set qualifies for NMJL play.
The current-year NMJL card
American play needs the League's card of legal hands. It's released each spring (around April), changes every year, and is sold by the National Mah Jongg League — not included with any set. Buy it from the League directly; skip the random resellers.
Three or four players
American mahjong shines with four; three works too. Half the fun is teaching a table together — that's what the quick-start below is for.
How to read the card
Beginners stare at the card and freeze. So we built it on our own tiles. Tap a hand on the card and watch it turn into real tiles — and learn the one rule the colors are actually telling you.
FF · 2-2-2-2 4-4-4-4 6-6-6-6
Two flowers, then four 2s, four 4s, four 6s — all in the same suit.
FF · 2-0-2-6 · 2-0-2-6
Spell the year with tiles — and meet the Soap: the white dragon doubles as a zero.
FF · 1-1-1-1 2-2-2-2 · 3-3
Two flowers, a kong of 1s and 2s in one suit, and a pair of 3s in a second suit.
How a round actually goes
Five beats. You'll have the rhythm by your second game.
Set up & deal
Everyone builds a wall of tiles, then each player is dealt 13. You'll sort them on your rack and find your starting plan on the card.
The Charleston
A signature ritual: players pass tiles around the table to swap away what they don't need. It feels odd at first, then becomes the best part.
Pick, discard & call
On your turn you draw a tile and discard one. When someone discards a tile you need, you can "call" it to complete a group — that's where the speed comes from.
Jokers
Your 10 jokers are wild. They can stand in for any tile inside a group of three or more — but never for a single or a pair. You can even swap a joker off the table once it's exposed.
Declare Mahjong!
The moment your 14 tiles match a hand on the card, you call "Mahjong" — and you've won the round. Look up its value on the card, and deal again.
Start with the easy hands
Don't try to learn the whole card at once. Most teachers point beginners at the same friendly group of hands first — pick one and build toward it.
Scoring, simply
- Every hand has a point value printed right on the card (often 25–75). Win that hand, you score those points.
- Concealed (C) hands and jokerless wins are usually worth more — the harder the build, the bigger the reward.
- Many groups settle up with a few coins or chips for fun — friendly stakes, not a casino.
- The card does the math for you. Beginners can ignore the deep scoring rules for the first few games.
A little etiquette
- Keep your tiles on your rack, facing you — peeking is poor form.
- Discard tiles face-up into the centre and say the tile's name clearly.
- Give newer players a beat to call before the next person draws — no rushing.
- The Charleston is part of the game — play it through; it's where the strategy starts.
The one-page quick-start
Print it, screenshot it, or text it to your group. Everything a first-timer needs, on a single page.
Opus Mahjong — Your First Game
American (NMJL) mahjong · a beginner's one-pagerIn the box
- 160 tiles, incl. 10 jokers
- Racks for your tiles
- Your chosen colorway
You still need
- The current-year NMJL card (buy from the League — not included)
- 3–4 players
The 4 things that make it "American"
- The yearly card of legal hands
- 10 jokers (wild in groups of 3+)
- The Charleston (passing tiles)
- "Calling" discards to build faster
Read the card in 1 line
- Colours = how many suits (not which)
- C = concealed · X = exposed · F = flower
- Soap (white dragon) = 0
Beginner FAQ
Is American mahjong hard to learn?
It has a reputation for being tricky, but most people are playing along by their second or third game. The card looks intimidating, yet it's really just a menu of hands to match — and it does the remembering for you. Start with the easy hands above and you'll be fine.
Do I need the NMJL card — and can I get it free?
Yes, American play uses the current-year card, and it's not included with any set. There's no legitimate free version — buy it directly from the National Mah Jongg League (it's inexpensive and releases each spring). Be wary of unofficial resellers.
How is American mahjong different from Chinese?
American mahjong uses jokers, the Charleston (a tile-passing round), and the annual NMJL card of set hands. The tiles look similar to Chinese mahjong, but the rules, hands, and scoring are different.
How many players do I need?
Four is ideal; three works too. It's a social game built for a table — gathering your group is half the fun.
What is the Charleston?
A round at the start where players pass three tiles right, across, and left (then back the other way) to swap away tiles they don't want. It's unique to American mahjong and a big part of the strategy.
How do the jokers work?
Your set has 10 jokers. They're wild inside any group of three or more tiles, but can't be used for a single tile or a pair. Once a joker is exposed on the table, another player can swap a real tile for it.
What's the easiest hand to start with?
Even numbers (2468) and "like numbers" (kongs of the same number) are the friendliest first targets. Pick one line on the card and build toward it.
Can a total beginner learn from this page?
That's exactly who we wrote it for. Work top to bottom, try the card decoder, print the quick-start, and play a practice round with the easy hands. Local clubs, libraries, and teachers are great next steps too.
Do I need a special table or racks?
No special table — any table works. You do want racks (to hold your tiles), and every Opus set includes them.
Which Opus set should a beginner buy?
Any of our American sets works for NMJL play — pick the colorway you love, or the floating line if you want to play poolside. They all have the same 160 tiles and 10 jokers.
A set that's easy to learn on
Our raised-relief tiles have clear suits, bold jokers, and readable faces across the table — the little things that make learning easier. Every set is American-ready: 160 tiles, 10 jokers, racks included.