1. Choose the game you want to learn
If friends invited you to play, ask which rules and card they use. That answer matters more than memorizing every tile. American, Hong Kong and Japanese Riichi share many tile faces, but a hand that wins in one may be illegal in another.
- American: arrange 14 tiles into a permitted pattern on the table’s hand card. The Charleston and jokers are part of the game.
- Hong Kong: build sets and a pair while meeting the table’s scoring minimum. Light Mahjong requires at least three fan.
- Riichi: build a valid shape with at least one yaku, a qualifying scoring pattern.
- Solitaire: remove matching free tiles from a layout. There are no opponents, draws or discards.
2. Learn three suits, then the honors
The numbered suits are dots, bamboo and characters, each running from 1 to 9. Winds are East, South, West and North; dragons are red, green and white. The same number in two different suits is not the same tile. Start by sorting your rack by suit and number, then put winds and dragons together.
You do not need to read Chinese to start. Use the tile names in the game and the tile guide until the pictures feel familiar.
3. Follow the rhythm: draw, decide, discard
In an ordinary turn, take a tile from the wall, compare it with your plan and discard one you can spare. A player can sometimes claim the latest discard instead of drawing; the rules determine which claims are allowed. Exposed tiles remain part of that player’s hand.
In American play, the dealer starts with 14 tiles and the others with 13. The Charleston comes before ordinary play: pass tiles you do not need while keeping useful groups together. Jokers cannot be passed. Our first lesson lets you practice one pass before handling a whole game.
4. Make a small, specific plan
For Hong Kong or Riichi, 2–3–4 dots is a sequence and three red dragons are a triplet. A common hand has four such sets and a pair; special hands and declared kongs need separate treatment. Shape alone does not guarantee a win: you still need enough fan in Hong Kong or a yaku in Riichi.
For American practice, choose a line from our original card. For example, Even fire asks for a flower pair and pungs of 2, 4, 6 and 8 in one suit. Its 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 tiles total 14. That is a Light Mahjong recipe, not a line from an NMJL card.
5. Practice one decision before a full hand
Your first goal is to explain a move: “These tiles help my chosen hand, and this one does not.” Try the Charleston lesson, then learn to call a discard and exchange a joker. Each example shows a real table decision with feedback, and the lessons need no account.
Beginner questions
Can I learn without three other people?
Yes. Start with a short lesson, then choose computer players for table practice. If you want a solo matching puzzle instead, choose solitaire in the lobby.
Do I need to memorize every scoring rule?
No. Learn one variant and one workable plan first. Keep its card or scoring reference nearby, and check why a hand qualifies before calling a win.
A SMALL VISUAL DEMONSTRATION
Watch one turn take shape
Read the demonstration transcript
This Hong Kong-style diagram shows part of a 13-tile hand. Draw the 4 dots; you briefly hold 14 tiles. The 2, 3 and 4 dots connect into a chow. Discard the 9 dots; your hand returns to 13 tiles. Keep building toward a legal hand. The usual shape is four sets and a pair, but Light Mahjong also requires at least three fan. Special hands, calls, kongs and flower replacements are beyond this short example.
Original illustrated demonstration, with captions. Not a recording of a live match.
A QUICK CHECK
A friend says, “Come play mahjong.” What is the most useful first question?
Choose an answer. You can try again.
Rules & further reading
These guides distinguish our game’s rules from the rules used at other tables. Check your group’s agreed rulebook before a real match.