How to Play Mahjong

To play mahjong, four players each take 13 tiles, then take turns drawing one tile and discarding one tile. The goal is to be first to complete a winning hand. In most styles, that hand has four sets and a pair, for 14 tiles. In American mahjong, the hand must match one printed on that year’s card. This page covers what all styles share.

What you need

You need a set of tiles, four players, a table, and two dice. The set depends on the style you play:

Meet the tiles

Most tiles belong to three suits, numbered 1 to 9. There are four copies of each tile.

The honor tiles have no numbers. They are the four winds and the three dragons.

Some styles add bonus tiles, such as flowers and seasons, and American sets add jokers. Our tile guide explains each one. The Tile Trainer helps you learn them by name.

Learn the four sets

A set is a group of tiles that works together. There are only a few kinds.

A standard winning hand in Hong Kong and Riichi play looks like this:

Set up the game

Every style follows the same basic steps, though the numbers differ.

1. Mix the tiles. Turn all the tiles face down and stir them with your hands. Players call this washing the tiles.
2. Build the wall. Each player stacks a row two tiles high in front of them. The rows form a square. An American row is 19 tiles long, a Hong Kong row is usually 18, and a Riichi row is 17.
3. Choose the dealer. Players roll dice to choose East, the dealer’s seat.
4. Break the wall. A dice roll decides where to open the wall.
5. Take your tiles. Players take tiles in turn until East has 14 and everyone else has 13.

American players then pass tiles to each other in a step called the Charleston. No other major style does this.

Take your turn

East starts by discarding one tile. After that, each turn has the same two parts:

1. Draw one tile from the wall.
2. Discard one tile, face up.

Play moves counterclockwise around the table. You always end your turn with 13 tiles, and you hold 14 only just after drawing.

Claim discards

When someone discards, another player may claim that tile to complete a set. You then show the set to the table, and your turn follows from there. You must also discard, so the count stays right.

The details change by style. In Hong Kong and Riichi play, you can take any discard for a pung or kong, but only the player on your left can give you a tile for a chow. In American play, you can call a discard for a pung, kong, or larger set, but not for a pair unless it wins the game. If two players want the same tile, a player who can win comes first.

End the hand

A hand ends in one of two ways.

• Someone wins. They complete their hand from the wall or from a discard, and they say so. The word differs by style: mah jongg, or ron and tsumo in Riichi.
• The wall runs out. If nobody wins before the tiles are gone, the hand is a draw, and you deal again.

Scoring in brief

Each style scores differently. American hands have a value printed on the card. Hong Kong hands add up faan. Riichi hands use han and fu. You do not need to master scoring to enjoy your first game, and most groups will help you count.

Common beginner mistakes

• Learning the wrong style. Rules do not carry over cleanly, so ask your friends which they play first.
• Holding the wrong number of tiles. Count to 13 after every discard. A wrong count can cost you the hand.
• Taking every discard. Claiming a tile shows your hand and reduces your choices. Take only what truly helps you.
• Looking only at your own tiles. Discards tell you what is gone, and what other players may not need.

What to do next

Choose a style, and then try the matching lessons. Our variant guide can help you choose. If you are still deciding, how the rules compare shows the differences at a glance.