Notes for the Table
This is the condensed rulebook: every core rule of American mahjong (mah jongg) on one page, organized for quick lookup at the table. New to the game entirely? Start with our step-by-step beginner's guide, then keep this reference open during your first hands.
The Tiles
American mahjong is played with 152 tiles:
| Group | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bams, Craks, Dots (1–9) | 108 | Four of each numbered tile, three suits |
| Winds (N, E, W, S) | 16 | Four of each |
| Dragons | 12 | Red pairs with Craks, Green with Bams, White (the "Soap") with Dots; the Soap also serves as zero |
| Flowers | 8 | Interchangeable with each other |
| Jokers | 8 | See joker rules |
Boxes often count 160 tiles — the extras are spare blanks. Choosing a set? Our tile size and readability guide covers what standard dimensions mean in practice.
Setup
- Mix all tiles face down ("washing the tiles").
- Each player builds a face-down wall in front of their rack.
- One player is East. East rolls the dice; the total marks where the wall breaks for the deal.
- Deal in turns: 4 tiles at a time, 3 rounds (12 each), then East takes two more (first and third from the top); the others take one each.
- Result: East holds 14 tiles, everyone else 13.
The Charleston
The pre-game tile exchange. Pass order:
- First Charleston (mandatory): 3 tiles right → 3 across → 3 left.
- Second Charleston (optional): 3 left → 3 across → 3 right. Any player may stop it before it starts.
- Courtesy pass: exchange 0–3 tiles with the player across, by agreement.
Charleston rules: jokers may never be passed; you must pass exactly 3 tiles on every regular pass; on the final pass of either Charleston (first left / last right) you may pass blind — forwarding 1–3 unseen tiles you just received, topped up from your own hand.
Turns & Claiming Discards
- East opens by discarding a 14th tile, naming it aloud. Every discard is named.
- On your turn: draw from the wall or claim the most recent discard, then discard one tile.
- A discard may be claimed only to complete a pung (3), kong (4), quint (5), or sextet (6) — the completed group is immediately exposed face-up on your rack.
- Discards may not be claimed for a single or a pair — with one exception: any tile may be claimed if it completes your mah jongg.
- A discard is live only until the next player draws and racks a tile. After that it is dead for everyone.
- If two players call the same tile, mah jongg beats an exposure call. If two players both call mah jongg, the player next in turn order after the discarder wins the tile.
Joker Rules
- A joker stands in for any tile within a pung, kong, quint, or sextet.
- A joker may never be used as a single tile or in a pair — which means no jokers anywhere in Singles & Pairs hands, NEWS, or the year.
- Joker swap: on your turn, if you hold the actual tile a joker represents in any exposure on the table (yours included), you may exchange it for that joker.
- A discarded joker is dead and cannot be claimed by anyone.
- Jokers cannot be passed during the Charleston.
- Winning with zero jokers doubles the value of your hand (except Singles & Pairs, which are joker-free by definition).
Exposed vs. Concealed Hands
Every hand on the card is marked X (exposed) or C (concealed). Playing an X hand, you may claim discards for exposures as described above. Playing a C hand, you may claim only the tile that completes your mah jongg — everything else must be drawn from the wall. Concealed hands carry higher point values in exchange for the discipline.
Declaring Mah Jongg
- You win when your 14 tiles exactly match a hand on the current card — groups, suits, and values all in place.
- Call "mah jongg," expose your hand, and let the table verify it against the card before anyone breaks their rack.
- The card changes every year; hands are verified against the current card only.
Scoring & Payments
Each hand on the card lists its value — typically 25 points for the most accessible hands up to 75 for Singles & Pairs. Common payment conventions (agree on yours before the first hand):
- Win on a claimed discard: the discarder pays double the hand's value; the other two players pay face value.
- Win self-drawn from the wall: all three players pay double.
- A jokerless win doubles the hand's value on top of the above.
Many tables play with chips or coins and settle per hand; house traditions vary widely and that is part of the culture.
Penalties & Dead Hands
- Wrong tile count (the 13/14 rule broken) — the hand is dead; the player stops drawing and discarding for the rest of the hand.
- Incorrect mah jongg declaration with tiles exposed — the declarer's hand is dead. This is why the table verifies before racks are broken.
- An exposure that fits no possible hand on the card can be challenged; if the challenge stands, the hand is dead.
- A dead player's tiles stay racked; play continues around them.
When Nobody Wins
If the wall runs out before anyone declares mah jongg, the hand is a wall game: no winner, no payments, shuffle and redeal. The East position passes to the next player as usual.
Rules FAQ
Can a joker be used in a pair?
No. Jokers work only inside groups of three or more (pung, kong, quint, sextet). Pairs, singles, NEWS, and the year must be built from natural tiles.
Can you pass a joker in the Charleston?
Never. Jokers stay with the hand that holds them until played or discarded.
How many tiles do you need for American mahjong?
152 in play. Sets sold as 160 tiles include spare blanks, which is the standard configuration for quality sets.
Do the rules change every year?
The core rules stay stable — what changes annually is the card of winning hands. Verify wins against the current year's card.
Can three people play?
Yes, with table variants (commonly skipping the across pass in the Charleston), but the game is designed for four and best learned that way.
Ready to Put the Rules to Work?
The Averill Mahjong Set — Monet's Garden ships with everything this page assumes: 160 engraved acrylic tiles, the current Official Standard Hands and Rules card, four quick-reference cards, and an instruction booklet. For the gentler narrative version of these rules, see the beginner's guide; for setting the table, our cozy game night guide.
Ready to play? Browse our American mahjong sets — 160 engraved tiles, gift-ready, free US shipping.