How to Play American Mahjong - Complete Guide & Rules

What is American Mahjong?

American Mahjong, also known as Mah Jongg, is a variant of the traditional Chinese game that was adapted for Western players. It features unique rules, jokers, and an annual card published by the National Mah Jongg League that defines the winning hands for each year.

                            Key Features of American Mahjong:
                            Uses jokers (8 joker tiles)
Annual card with changing hands
Charleston (tile passing) phase
Different scoring system
152 tiles total (vs 144 in Chinese)

                        

Game Setup

Tiles Needed

American Mahjong uses 152 tiles:

Dots (Circles): 1-9, four of each (36 tiles)
Bams (Bamboos): 1-9, four of each (36 tiles)
Craks (Characters): 1-9, four of each (36 tiles)
Winds: East, South, West, North, four of each (16 tiles)
Dragons: Red, Green, White, four of each (12 tiles)
Flowers: Four different flowers (4 tiles)
Seasons: Four different seasons (4 tiles)
Jokers: Eight joker tiles (8 tiles)

Initial Deal

Each player receives 13 tiles to start. The dealer gets an extra tile (14 total) and begins play.

The Charleston

Before regular play begins, players participate in the "Charleston" - a tile-passing ritual unique to American Mahjong:

First Charleston: Pass 3 tiles right, then 3 tiles across, then 3 tiles left
Optional Second Charleston: Players can agree to do another round
Courtesy Pass: Optional 1-3 tile exchange with the player across

Basic Gameplay

Turn Sequence

Draw: Take a tile from the wall or claim a discarded tile
Evaluate: Check if you can make any exposures or win
Discard: Place one tile face-up in the center

Exposures

Players can claim discarded tiles to make exposures:

Pung: Three identical tiles
Kong: Four identical tiles
Quint: Five identical tiles (rare, specific hands only)

Jokers

Jokers are wild tiles that can substitute for any tile except:

Single tiles (pairs)
Flowers and seasons (in most hands)

💡 Joker Strategy Tip

Save jokers for harder-to-get tiles. Don't use them for common tiles you can easily draw from the wall.

Winning

To win in American Mahjong, you must:

Complete a hand exactly as shown on the current year's card
Have 14 tiles total
Declare "Mahjong!" when you win

Hand Categories

The National Mah Jongg League card typically includes:

2024: Hands worth 25 points
Consecutive Run: Hands worth 30 points
13579: Hands worth 35 points
Winds-Dragons: Hands worth 40+ points

Scoring

American Mahjong uses a point-based scoring system:

Each hand on the card has a designated point value
Winner collects points from all other players
Exposed hands typically worth double the concealed value
Special bonuses for certain achievements

Strategy Tips

🎯 Focus on One Hand

Pick a hand from the card early and stick with it. Don't try to keep multiple options open too long.

👀 Watch Discards

Pay attention to what others discard to understand what they're not collecting.

🃏 Joker Management

Use jokers wisely - save them for tiles that are harder to obtain naturally.

🔄 Charleston Strategy

Pass tiles you definitely don't need, but be careful not to help opponents.