Before dealing: agree on the rules
At a physical table, identify the variant, hand card where relevant, scoring rules and any house conventions. In Light Mahjong, choose the mode in the lobby. Do not carry American jokers into Riichi or use a Hong Kong chow claim in an American game.
Table mahjong is normally played by four people. You can use computer players for practice here. The wall is the supply of tiles, the rack holds your private tiles, and discards and exposed groups are public information.
Dealing and ordinary turns
- Receive your tiles. Think of a normal hand as 13 tiles between turns and a 14th tile to consider on your turn, before allowing for declared kongs in Hong Kong or Riichi. The dealer has the opening extra tile.
- Complete any opening procedure. American play includes the Charleston. Hong Kong and Riichi do not use that pass.
- Draw, or make a permitted claim. Study what changed and whether your hand can win.
- Discard if you are not winning. Choose a tile, then watch whether another player claims it.
Do not count flowers exposed as Hong Kong bonuses as ordinary tiles in your hand. Kongs also affect physical tile counts. The game handles these special draws; learn the basic turn first.
What can I take from a discard?
In Hong Kong and Riichi, a pung or kong uses matching tiles; a chow uses consecutive numbers in one suit and has a seating restriction. A claim exposes that set and usually leads to your discard. Declared kongs also involve a replacement draw. You cannot simply collect any useful discarded tile.
In our American game, a normal exposure completes a matching group of at least three tiles compatible with an exposed line on the card. You cannot call a discard merely to build a pair. A discard that completes the entire legal winning hand is a different case and can complete its final single or pair.
Leave your options open when a call does not clearly help. An exposed group cannot be freely rearranged later, and a concealed American line cannot accept an ordinary exposure.
What makes a win legal?
- American: your entire 14-tile hand must match a permitted line on the selected card, including its suit, group, joker and concealment requirements.
- Hong Kong here: a complete allowed shape must score at least three fan. Our flower bonuses count toward that minimum; another table may score differently.
- Riichi: you need a valid shape and at least one yaku. Dora alone is insufficient. Furiten can forbid a win from a discard even when the shape is ready.
If no one wins before the available wall runs out, the hand ends in a draw under that mode’s rules. Finishing a hand and winning the overall match are different: a match can compare points across multiple hands.
Three American rules worth remembering
- Never pass a joker in the Charleston or courtesy pass.
- Never use a joker as a single or part of a pair.
- On your eligible turn, a matching natural tile can replace a joker in an exposed group; you take that joker into your hand.
These mechanics appear in our original-card lessons. For a table using an NMJL annual card, consult that current card and its official rules for the exact hands and procedures.
A good first session
Play slowly enough to name why each move is legal. First practice a pass, then a call, then a joker exchange. When you return to a whole hand, choose one target and check it before every exposure. Winning can come later; understanding your next decision is progress you can repeat.
A QUICK CHECK
In our American game, you have one 6 dots. Another player discards a 6 dots. It would make a pair but would not finish your whole hand. Can you call it?
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.