American Mahjong Rules & How to Play
The most popular style in the US, featuring annual card changes and joker tiles
Last updated: Jan 2, 2026
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What Is American Mahjong?
American Mahjong, also known as American Mah Jongg, is a unique variant that evolved in the United States during the 1920s. Unlike other styles, American Mahjong uses a standardized card published annually by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) that defines all valid winning hands.
The game is distinguished by its use of joker tiles, the Charleston (a tile exchange ritual at the start), and the requirement to match your hand to one of the specific patterns on the card (typically 65-75 hand lines each year). This creates a fresh strategic challenge each year as players must learn new hand combinations.
American Mahjong is particularly popular among women's groups, Jewish Community Centers (JCCs), and senior centers across the United States. It's known for its social atmosphere and the strategic depth that comes from choosing and pursuing specific hands.
Key Features
What Are the Rules of American Mahjong?
American mahjong is played with 152 tiles including 8 jokers. Four players draw and discard to build a hand matching one of the patterns on the official NMJL card. The game begins with the Charleston tile exchange, followed by turns of drawing and discarding until someone completes a valid hand.
The Tiles
A set contains 152 tiles: 3 suits (Craks, Dots, Bams) numbered 1-9 with 4 of each, Winds (N/E/S/W), Dragons (Red/Green/White), Flowers (8 tiles), and 8 Jokers.
The Charleston
Before play begins, players exchange tiles in a ritualized passing sequence. The first Charleston is mandatory: pass 3 tiles right, 3 across, 3 left. A second Charleston (left, across, right) follows but any player may stop it. Finally, an optional courtesy pass allows you to exchange 0-3 tiles with the player across if both agree.
Reading the Card
Colors on the card indicate suit relationships: tiles in the same color must be the same suit, tiles in different colors must be different suits. You choose which suits to use. Numbers are literal (except 0, which represents the White Dragon or 'Soap'); 'F' means Flower, 'D' means Dragon.
Winning
To win, your 14 tiles must exactly match one of the hands on the card. Call 'Mahjong!' when you complete your hand, either by self-draw or claiming a discard.
How Does American Mahjong Scoring Work?
American Mahjong uses a point-based system where each hand on the card has an assigned value (typically 25-75 points). Additional bonuses apply:
• **Self-drawn win**: Each opponent pays double the hand value
• **Jokerless hand**: Each opponent pays double (does not apply to Singles and Pairs hands)
• **Wall game (no winner)**: No payments are made
Hand point values generally reflect difficulty, though some categories (like Singles and Pairs) are considered undervalued relative to their difficulty. When you win by discard, the discarder pays double and the other two players pay face value.
What Are the Best American Mahjong Strategies?
- 1.Start by identifying which SECTION of the card fits your initial tiles, not a specific hand
- 2.Keep your options open through the Charleston - don't commit too early
- 3.Watch other players' discards to determine what hands they might be pursuing
- 4.Jokers are powerful but remember they cannot be used in pairs
- 5.Defense matters - avoid discarding tiles that could complete an opponent's hand
Fun Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Styles
Essential: The NMJL Card
American Mahjong requires the official NMJL card to play. Learn everything you need to know about reading the card, understanding categories, and choosing winning hands.
NMJL Card Complete GuideReady to Play American Mahjong?
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