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Mahjong is a tile game for four players that began in China in the 1800s. Each player draws and discards tiles, trying to be first to complete a winning hand, usually four sets and a pair. Online, the word often means Mahjong Solitaire, a single-player matching game with the same tiles. This guide covers both, and points you to the right place to go next.
What is mahjong?
Picture a card game like rummy, played with small, satisfying tiles instead of cards. Four people sit around a square table. The tiles are mixed face down and stacked into a wall. Each player takes a starting hand, and then the turns begin: draw a tile, decide what you want to keep, and throw one away. Everyone is working toward the same thing, a complete hand, and the first to finish wins that round.
What makes the game so lasting is the mix of luck and judgment. You cannot control what you draw, but you do control what you keep, what you give up, and which of your neighbors' discards you claim. A good player reads the table and adjusts. A new player can still win on a lucky hand, and that helps keep the game friendly for groups with mixed experience.
Mahjong is also a social game. In many communities, the regular game is the point: a weekly table, the same friends, a long conversation, and the sound of tiles being mixed. That is why it has lasted for so long, and it is why so many people want to learn it now.
Three things people mean by mahjong
The word is used for several different games, and that causes a lot of confusion. Before you learn anything, work out which one you want.
Four-player mahjong
This is the original game. It comes in many regional styles, and the rules change from one to the next. The three you are most likely to meet in English are American, Hong Kong, and Riichi. Our guide to mahjong variants compares them and helps you choose.
Mahjong Solitaire
This is a single-player puzzle that uses mahjong tiles. You clear a stacked board by matching pairs. It began as a computer game in 1981, and most games online labeled "mahjong" are this one. The game at the top of this page is Mahjong Solitaire.
Mahjong with friends online
Some apps let you play the four-player game against others or against computer players. Riichi has an especially active online scene. We do not run live multiplayer here. We focus on a free single-player game, and on teaching you the four-player game so that you can sit down anywhere.
The tiles look unfamiliar at first, but there are only a few groups. Once you know them, you can read almost any set. Our mahjong tiles guide goes through each one, and the Tile Trainer helps you learn the names.
Three suits
Three suits run from 1 to 9, with four copies of each tile. That makes 108 tiles.
Bamboo: American players say Bams, and Riichi players say souzu. The One usually shows a bird.
Characters: American players say Craks, and Riichi players say manzu. The top character is the number.
Dots: Riichi players say pinzu. Just count the circles.
Honor tiles
The honors have no numbers, so they cannot form runs. There are four winds and three dragons, with four copies of each. That makes 28 tiles. Winds also name the seats at the table, and dragons are often worth extra.
East, South, West, and North, then the Red, Green, and White Dragons.
Bonus tiles and jokers
Some styles add more. Flowers and seasons are eight picture tiles, used differently from style to style. Jokers are wild tiles, used only in American mahjong.
Four flowers, four seasons, and a joker.
How many tiles?
Style
Tiles
What it adds to the core 136
American
152
8 flowers and 8 jokers
Hong Kong
144
8 flowers and seasons
Riichi
136
Nothing, though some rule sets use red fives in place of regular fives
Mahjong Solitaire
144
Any flower matches any flower, and any season any season
Names change between styles, too. Our table of tile names by variant puts them side by side, and our page on Chinese characters explains what the tiles say.
How a game works
Here is the shape of a four-player game. The details differ by style, and how to play mahjong goes through them more slowly.
Mix the tiles. Everyone turns the tiles face down and stirs them together. People often call this washing the tiles.
Build the wall. Each player stacks a row two tiles high. The four rows form a square.
Choose East. Dice decide who sits as East, the dealer.
Break the wall. Dice decide where to open it.
Deal. East takes 14 tiles, and the other three take 13.
Take turns. East discards first. Then each player draws one tile and discards one tile, going counterclockwise.
Claim discards. You may be able to take a tile someone else threw, if it finishes a set.
Finish. The first player to complete a valid hand wins. If the wall runs out first, nobody wins, and you deal again.
A hand can take anywhere from a few minutes to around twenty minutes. A group might play for a few hours, so a session is really many short games. Because you start fresh each hand, a bad one does not ruin your evening.
Sets you will build
A pair: two identical tiles.
A pung: three identical tiles.
A kong: four identical tiles.
A chow: three numbers in a row, in one suit. American mahjong does not use these.
Take a few rounds of Spot the Meld, and these shapes will start to jump out at you.
A sample hand, turn by turn
Rules make more sense when you can watch them happen. Here is a short, made-up hand in Hong Kong style, following one player. You are sitting in the West seat, and your table asks for 3 faan to win. Each step shows what you hold and why you make your choice.
Your starting tiles
Thirteen tiles. You already have a run in Characters, a pair of Dots, a pair of Red Dragons, and a run started in Bamboo.
Before you do anything, look for what is already working. The 4, 5, and 6 of Characters are a complete run. The two Red Dragons are a good pair, because a set of dragons is worth a faan. The lonely tiles are the South wind, the One of Characters, and the Nine of Bamboo.
Turn one
You draw the Eight of Dots. It sits right next to your pair of Sevens, so you keep it. You need to throw something, and you choose the South wind. It is not your seat, it does not connect to anything, and you hold only one.
Your hand after turn one. You still have thirteen tiles.
Turn two
You draw the One of Bamboo, and that finishes a run: 1, 2, and 3. Now you throw the One of Characters, which has no neighbors in your hand.
Two runs are now complete.
Turn three
Before your turn comes, another player discards a Red Dragon. You call "pung," take it, and lay all three dragons face up. That gives you a faan, and another set. The cost is that everyone can now see your dragons. You must still discard, so you let go of the Nine of Bamboo.
Three sets are complete. The dragons are on the table.
Turn four
You draw a second Eight of Dots. Now you throw the East wind, and you are waiting. You hold two pairs, so either pair can grow into a set, and the other becomes your pair. This shape is called a double pung wait. It wins on a Seven or an Eight of Dots.
You need one more tile. Count it: three, three, two, two, and three make thirteen.
Turn five
You draw the third Eight of Dots, and you say so. Show your hand and count it up. A pung of dragons is 1 faan. Drawing the winning tile yourself is 1 faan. Your group gives 1 faan for having no flowers, and you have none. That makes 3 faan, which is just enough.
The finished hand: four sets and a pair.
Notice what the hand did not need. You never held anything rare, and you did not need any special pattern. You simply kept tiles that connected and threw those that did not. Most winning hands look like this. The real skill is in deciding what to give up, and our Daily Discard Puzzle gives you a small version of that decision each day.
What a winning hand looks like
In Hong Kong and Riichi mahjong, the usual winning hand is four sets and a pair. That is 14 tiles.
Four sets and a pair.
From there, the patterns you can build are what give the game its depth. A hand of all runs is common and quick. A hand of all pungs is slower and usually worth more. A hand using just one suit is worth a lot, but others may spot it from your discards. A few special hands break the pattern, such as seven pairs in Riichi.
American mahjong works differently, and it is the biggest difference between the styles. Your hand must match one of the hands listed on a card that the National Mah Jongg League publishes each year. You look at your tiles, choose a likely hand from the card, and work toward it. Our guide to mahjong hands shows the common types in each style, using original examples.
American mahjong
American mahjong is the style many US social groups play. It uses 152 tiles, and three things set it apart.
The card. The League's annual card lists every winning hand for the year. You need your own copy, which you buy from the League. We are not affiliated with the League, and we never reproduce or describe its hands. Our guide explains what the card is and how to approach reading one.
The Charleston. Before play, everyone passes tiles. You pass three tiles to your right, three across, and three to your left. If all four players agree, you do a second round in reverse: left, across, right. Then the players across from each other may trade up to three more, in a courtesy pass. You can read how it works, or try the Charleston Trainer against bots.
Jokers. Eight jokers can stand in for any tile in a set of three or more. They cannot fill a pair or a single tile, and you cannot pass them in the Charleston. If someone has exposed a joker and you hold the real tile, you can swap for it on your turn. How jokers work has examples.
A kong with a joker. The joker counts as the fourth Five Crak.
Hong Kong mahjong is one of the most widely played styles, and many families have their own version. You have no card to study: any four sets and a pair is the right shape. It uses 144 tiles.
When you draw a flower or season, you set it aside and draw a replacement. These tiles can add to your score. Flowers and seasons explains how each one matches a seat at the table.
You can claim a discard from any player to complete a pung or kong. For a chow, only the player on your left can give you the tile. And there is a catch: most tables require your hand to reach a minimum score, often 3 faan. A perfect shape with too little value cannot win, so you need to plan for value from the start. The basic rules take you through a first game, and melds and winning hands shows what to build.
Riichi mahjong
Riichi mahjong is the main Japanese style. It has 136 tiles and no flowers or jokers, and many players find it the deepest of the three. It has a few signature rules.
You need a yaku. A yaku is a scoring pattern, and your hand must have at least one to win. A complete shape with no pattern is not enough. Start with the handful in our beginner yaku list.
You can declare riichi. When your closed hand is one tile from winning, you can bet 1,000 points and declare it. That gives you a yaku and possible bonuses, but your hand is locked from then on.
Furiten. If any of your winning tiles is in your own discards, you cannot win on another player's discard. Furiten surprises almost every new player, and it also makes defense possible.
Dora. A face-up indicator tile tells you which tile is a bonus this hand. Dora and red fives shows how to read it.
The most useful skill to build early is seeing every tile that wins your hand. Our lesson on reading waits covers the shapes, and the Riichi Waits Trainer lets you practice at three levels. For more on how it differs from other styles, see Riichi compared with other styles.
Styles around the world
The three styles above are only part of the picture. Mahjong spread across Asia and beyond, and many places made it their own. If someone invites you to play and the rules seem unfamiliar, they may be playing one of these.
Mainland Chinese Official. A competition style, with a long list of scoring patterns and a high minimum to win. Many tournaments use it.
Taiwanese mahjong. Hands are longer, at 16 tiles, and the game has its own scoring.
Sichuan mahjong. A fast style from southwestern China that uses a smaller set, with no honor tiles.
Singaporean and Malaysian mahjong. These add extra tiles, including animal tiles, and they have their own bonuses.
Filipino mahjong. Another regional style, with its own hand size and rules.
Family games often mix these together. A grandparent's rules might not match any book, and that is part of the charm. If you are learning from family, ask them to show you how they play, and write down what makes their game different. It is a good way to keep that history alive. Our rules comparison covers the three main styles side by side, so that you can see what tends to change.
Whichever style you meet, what you already know will help. The tiles are nearly the same, and the rhythm of drawing and discarding carries over. You will mostly need to learn what counts as a win, and how the score works.
How scoring works
Each style counts in its own way, and that often feels harder than it is. Mahjong scoring compares them, with worked examples. Here is the short version:
Style
How a hand is valued
Minimum to win
American
A value printed beside the hand on the card
Any hand on the card
Hong Kong
Faan: one or more for each feature of the hand
Often 3 faan
Riichi
Han and fu, looked up in a table
One yaku
You do not need to master this before you play. Experienced players at your table can count for you while you learn. When you are ready, the Scoring Quiz walks through real hands, one step at a time. We teach scoring this way, through examples and quizzes, since working through a hand yourself is what makes you better at it. Faan scoring has a common table to start from.
Mahjong Solitaire
The game at the top of this page is Mahjong Solitaire, and it takes about a minute to learn. Find two matching tiles that are both free, then remove them. Clear every tile to win.
A tile is free when two things are true: nothing rests on it, and its left or right side is open. So tiles in the middle of a row are blocked until their neighbors go, and tiles under a stack are blocked until the stack is cleared. Most tiles match only an identical tile. The exceptions are flowers and seasons: any flower matches any flower, and any season matches any season.
These are both matches.
Every deal on this site is built from a known way to clear the board, so you can always win when you start. You may still get stuck by matching in a different order. If you do, you have a few options: undo, shuffle, or start again.
Tips that help right away
Clear the tops of tall stacks first, since they trap the most tiles.
Take long rows from their ends.
If all four copies of a tile are free, take them.
Before matching, look at what each move will open up.
Many people find mahjong hard to learn, and there are good reasons for that. You are learning new tiles, new words, and a new kind of decision, all at the same time. It gets much easier if you take these one by one.
Choose one style. Ask your friends what they play. If nobody is waiting for you, take the placement quiz in our beginner path.
Learn the tiles. A few minutes a day in the Tile Trainer goes a long way.
Add scoring last. You will pick up most of it from playing.
Some people learn best with a teacher. Our page on beginner mahjong classes explains where to look and what to ask. We cannot promise a fixed learning time, since it varies from person to person, but regular short sessions tend to work better than long, rare ones.
Good habits for new players
A few habits will help you in any style. Mahjong strategy goes further, by style and skill level.
Keep your hand sorted. Group your tiles the same way each time. You will notice more with less effort.
Stay flexible. Early in a hand, keep more than one route open. Your plans will change as tiles come.
Count what is left. Before you commit to a tile, check how many copies are already on the table. If three are gone, your plan may not work.
The first pair waits on 2 or 5. The second waits only on 5. More ways to finish usually means a better hand.
Watch the discards. They tell you what is gone, and what others probably do not need. The Daily Discard Puzzle gives you one small decision to think about each day.
Do not call everything. Claiming a discard speeds up your hand, but it shows the table what you are doing and limits your choices.
Judge your choices, not your results. Chance decides many hands. A good decision can still lose, and a poor one can still win.
Sets and gear
You do not need any equipment for the games on this site. For a real table, you need a set that fits your style. Our guide on how to choose a mahjong set explains what to check, and it stays neutral: we do not sell anything, and we do not rank brands.
Check the tile count first. American players need 152 tiles with 8 jokers. American and Chinese sets explains the differences.
Check that you can read the faces. Corner numbers help beginners, and very decorative art can be harder to read.
Consider racks. American players usually use them. Racks and pushers explains why.
Use a square table. A square card table works fine, and a soft cover makes the game quieter.
If you have inherited a set, start by counting the tiles. Identifying an inherited set will help you work out what you have, and caring for your tiles explains how to look after it. Do not clean old tiles until you know what they are made of.
Playing with people
Finding a game
Try libraries, community and senior centers, Jewish community centers, Chinese cultural associations, and game cafes. Local event sites and social groups often list new clubs. Our clubs page lists verified groups as we confirm them, and how to find a group has more ideas. Always ask which style a group plays, and whether beginners are welcome.
Hosting your own
You need four people, a set, and a table. Mahj Night has everything you need, and how to host your first mahj night includes a simple evening plan. The Table Companion runs on your phone during a game, with a dice roller, dealer tracker, setup steps, and quick lookup. If it goes well, starting a club is often just a matter of picking a regular time.
Being a good guest
Tell the group you are new. Name your discards clearly, if that is their habit. Do not coach others unless they ask. Bring your own card to an American game. What to bring has a short list.
A short history
Mahjong appeared in China during the Qing dynasty, around the middle of the 1800s, likely growing out of older card and domino-style games. Where it came from is not fully settled, and the popular story crediting Confucius is a legend with no evidence behind it. The name is linked to an old word for sparrows, which is why many sets show a bird on the One of Bamboo. What the word means tells that story.
Joseph Park Babcock published an English rule book in 1920, and a mahjong craze swept America. In China, Chinese American communities, and beyond, the game had its own life. In 1937, the National Mah Jongg League was founded in New York, and it standardized American rules around a yearly card. The game became a central part of life for many Jewish American women in the following decades. Mahjong in America covers that century, including the Chinese American communities whose role is often left out.
In China, the game was restricted at several points. A ban on gambling after 1949 reduced play, and the game itself was banned during the Cultural Revolution. When mahjong was banned has more. Today it is a beloved pastime across Chinese-speaking communities and much of Asia.
Interest in the United States has risen sharply again in recent years. Press reports call this a third American wave, and they point to a wish for screen-free social time. Why mahjong is popular now explains what those reports say, and how much weight to give them. You can also read our full history of mahjong.
Words to know
Mahjong has its own vocabulary. You do not need all of it, but these words will come up in almost any lesson or game. Our glossary of mahjong terms has many more, and you can search it.
Word
What it means
Wall
The rows of face-down tiles that you draw from
East
The dealer's seat. East starts with 14 tiles and discards first
Discard
The tile you throw away at the end of your turn
Calling
Claiming another player's discard to finish a set
Exposure
A called set that you show to the table
Concealed
Kept in your hand, and not shown to anyone
Pair, pung, kong
Two, three, or four identical tiles
Chow
Three numbers in a row, in one suit
Honor tiles
The winds and dragons
Wait
The tile that would finish your hand
Faan
The scoring unit in Hong Kong play
Han and fu
The scoring units in Riichi play
Yaku
A scoring pattern in Riichi play
Charleston
The tile passing that begins American play
Soap
The American name for the White Dragon
Using this site
Everything here is free, with no account. Here is what you will find, and how the parts fit together.
Games
Our free mahjong games are all Mahjong Solitaire, labeled honestly. You get 13 layouts, from gentle boards that take a few minutes to harder ones that reward planning. Every game has hints, unlimited undo, and a shuffle. Your game is saved as you play, so you can close the tab and come back. You can also choose a theme and earn new ones by playing.
Lessons
Our lessons start with what the tiles are. Each lesson names the style it applies to, shows original diagrams, lists its sources, and ends with one clear next step. Where rules differ between tables, we say so.
Trainers
A summary can tell you the rules, but it cannot watch you try them. Our practice tools give you feedback as you go:
Your games, statistics, and streaks are saved on your own device. Nothing is sent to us, and you never have to sign in. To move to another device, create a save code in the game's settings. Because everything is stored locally, clearing your browser's data will also clear your progress.
Comfort and access
The game has larger tile faces, high contrast and color-blind friendly modes, full keyboard play, and a setting to reduce motion. Our accessibility page lists all of them. You can also use the language button at the top of any page to translate the site into your own language. English stays the reference for the rules.
On paper and at the table
Free printables include cheat sheets for each style, a tile chart, and a host checklist, with no email required. If you are playing in person, keep the Table Companion open on your phone.
How we pay for it
The site is supported by advertising. Ads stay away from the board and the game controls, and you will never see an ad before you can play. Our about page says who runs the site, and our editorial policy explains how we check the rules.
Questions people ask
What is mahjong?
Mahjong is a tile game that began in China in the 1800s. Four players draw and discard tiles, and each tries to be first to build a complete winning hand. Mahjong Solitaire is a different, single-player game that uses the same tiles for matching pairs.
What are the basic rules of mahjong?
Four players each hold 13 tiles and take turns drawing one tile and discarding one tile. You can also claim a discard to finish a set. The first player to complete a valid hand wins. Most styles use four sets and a pair, and American mahjong uses hands from a yearly card.
What is the goal of mahjong?
In four-player mahjong, the goal is to be first to complete a winning hand. In most styles that means four sets and a pair. In American mahjong, you match a hand from that year’s card. In Mahjong Solitaire, the goal is to clear the board by matching free pairs.
How long does a game of mahjong take?
A single hand of four-player mahjong often takes from a few minutes to around twenty minutes, and a full session can run a few hours. A game of Mahjong Solitaire usually takes between five and fifteen minutes.
What does the word mahjong mean?
The usual Mandarin name, májiàng, is commonly linked to an older name meaning sparrows. That is why many sets show a bird on the One of Bamboo.
How do you say mahjong?
In English, most people say mah-ZHONG or mah-JONG. Both are understood at the table. American players often spell it mah jongg.
Where did mahjong come from?
Mahjong appeared in China during the Qing dynasty, in the middle of the 1800s. Its exact origin is unknown. Stories that credit Confucius are legends, with no evidence behind them.
Why is mahjong so difficult to learn?
You have to learn new tiles, sets, turns, and scoring all at once, and rules differ between styles. It gets much easier if you pick one style and learn the tiles first, then play before you feel fully ready.
Why are people suddenly obsessed with mahjong?
Press reports point to a wish for social time away from screens, along with social media, new clubs, and the appeal of a game that rewards learning. Oregon Public Broadcasting calls this the third wave of American interest in the game.
When was mahjong banned?
It was restricted at several points in China. A ban on gambling after 1949 reduced play, and the game itself was banned during the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976. It is widely played today.
Do I need to download anything?
No. The game runs in your browser with no download or sign-up. If you like, you can install it to your home screen and play offline.
Is it free to play here?
Yes. Every game, lesson, trainer, and printable on this site is free, with no sign-up. The site is paid for by advertising, and there is no real-money play.
