What Is the Mah Jongg Card?

The mah jongg card is a list of winning hands, published each year by the National Mah Jongg League. In standard American play, your 14 tiles must exactly match one hand on the current card to win. The League changes the hands every year, so each year brings something new to learn. You buy the card directly from the League, and each player should have one.

What is on a card

Speaking generally, a card shows:

• Groups of hands, arranged in categories.
• A value next to each hand, used for scoring.
• Whether a hand may be exposed, or must be kept concealed.
• Color cues that show when tiles must be in the same suit or in different suits.
• A short set of rules printed by the League.

Why it changes each year

The League sets a new list each year. That keeps the game fresh, and it means no one can simply memorize their way to the top. Many players look forward to the new card each spring. Experienced and new players have to work out fresh hands at the same time, which is one reason beginners can catch up quickly.

How to read a card, in general terms

Here is an approach that works for any card. It teaches the method only, so keep your own card beside you as you read.

1. Learn the shorthand

Cards use a compact notation. A repeated symbol usually means a set of that tile. For example, in general terms, writing 777 would mean three sevens, and 7777 would mean four. That fragment is ours, for teaching only. It is not part of any hand.

2. Notice what the notation does not say

A number on a card usually stands for a value, not a fixed suit. Colors tell you whether groups share a suit. So the printed numbers may be fixed while the suits are up to you, and that is often where your options open up.

3. Group your search

When you look at your 13 tiles, ask a few questions:

• Which tiles do I have the most of?
• Do I have flowers, and how many?
• Do I hold many even numbers, or many odd numbers?
• Do I have any pairs that might become pungs?

Then scan the card’s categories for hands that use those tiles.

4. Keep two or three hands in mind

Do not commit yet. Through the Charleston, keep a few choices open. As the game goes on, narrow them down. Your exposures, and those of other players, will help you decide.

5. Watch for concealed hands

If a hand must be concealed, you cannot call discards for its sets, except for the tile that wins the game. That makes a big difference to how quickly you can finish.

Practicing without a card

You can get better at the shape of the game before you buy a card. Our Hand Builder uses simple hands written for this site, such as:

These practice hands teach you to build toward a target, use jokers, and decide what to discard. They do not teach you the card, and they are no substitute for it.

Common beginner mistakes

• Trying to learn every hand first. Learn a section at a time. You will meet the rest through play.
• Setting your heart on one hand. Tiles decide a lot. Being flexible wins more than loyalty.
• Sharing a card at the table. Each player should have their own, and copying a card is not fair to the League.
• Trusting “best hands” lists online. We do not publish them, since the card belongs to the League. It is more useful to learn to read the card yourself.