The friendliest place to learn the game
Tiles, the Charleston, jokers, the NMJL card, scoring — explained step by step, in plain English, for players sitting down at the table for the very first time.
Start here
Understand the three suits, the winds, dragons, flowers, and the eight jokers — and what a winning hand actually looks like.
The tile-passing ritual unique to American Mahjong. It feels strange at first, then becomes the most strategic part of the game.
The annual card lists every valid hand. Once you can read it, you can play. We'll show you exactly how.
All guides
No jargon dumps, no walls of text. Each guide covers one topic properly, with examples you can follow at your own table.
Cornerstone guide
Everything from the tiles in the box to the moment someone calls "Mahjong!" — the one article to read first.
Read the guide →Guide
Right, across, left — and when you're allowed a blind pass. The tile exchange that trips up every new player, untangled.
Read the guide →Guide
How points work, who pays whom, and the bonuses worth knowing — without a calculator.
Read the guide →Guide
Colors, footnotes, and hand patterns decoded — so the card stops looking like a secret code.
Read the guide →Guide
When a joker is allowed, when it isn't, and how to swap for one off the table.
Read the guide →Buyer's guide
From budget starter sets to heirloom-quality cases — what to look for and what to skip.
See our picks →Comparison
Same tiles, very different games. A side-by-side look at the rules, scoring, and what makes each version distinct.
Read the comparison →Overview
American, Chinese, Japanese Riichi, Taiwanese — a friendly map of the major variants played around the world.
Explore the variants →Free download
One-page reference with tiles, the Charleston, joker rules, and scoring — print it and keep it beside your set.
Get the PDF →Buyer's guide
A good set makes the game more enjoyable from the very first hand. Here's the short version — the full buyer's guide is on its way.
Look for a complete American set with 152 playable tiles, eight jokers, racks, pushers, dice, and a current NMJL card purchased separately.
Learn what to look for →Product recommendations should only include affiliate links after the affiliate account is approved and the disclosure is updated.
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