Is the printable American Mahjong cheat sheet really free?

Yes. The PDF is completely free to download, print, and share. No email signup required. We made it because every new player benefits from a one-page reference beside the table.

Does the cheat sheet include the NMJL card?

No. The annual NMJL card is the League's copyrighted material and must be purchased directly from them. Our cheat sheet covers everything around the card — tiles, the Charleston, joker rules, scoring conventions, and turn order — so it complements the official card, not replaces it.

What's the best way to print the cheat sheet?

Print on A4 or US Letter paper, single page, in color if possible. Many players laminate it or slide it into a clear sleeve so it survives game nights. It's designed to be readable from across the table.

Free Printable American Mahjong Cheat Sheet (PDF Download)

If you're new to American Mah Jongg, the hardest part isn't learning the rules — it's remembering them mid-game when three other players are waiting on you. Did the Charleston go right first or left? Can a joker complete a pair? Does the discarder pay double? This one-page printable cheat sheet answers all of that at a glance. Print it, set it beside your tile set, and stop scrolling on your phone between turns.

What's on it A single A4 page covering everything a new American Mahjong player forgets mid-game — the 166-tile breakdown, group types (pair/pung/kong/quint), the full Charleston sequence (R-O-L-L-O-R), joker do's and don'ts, the joker swap rule, the payout table, and the basic turn order.

Click to download (PDF, ~5 KB)

⬇ Download the Free Cheat Sheet (PDF)

No email signup. Just click and save.

What's covered

The cheat sheet is designed for the moments mid-game when you blank out. Every section is the kind of thing that takes new players a dozen rounds to internalize — laid out so you can glance and keep playing.

The tile breakdown (166 total)

Exactly how many of each tile are in a complete American set: 36 each of dots, bams, and craks; 16 winds; 12 dragons; 8 flowers; 8 jokers; plus a few blank spares. This matters more than beginners realize — knowing there are only 4 of any given number tells you exactly how many are still live.

Group types

Pair (2), pung (3), kong (4), quint (5). Drilled into your head once, never confused again.

The Charleston (R-O-L-L-O-R)

The full passing sequence in a single visual. First Charleston (mandatory) in green, second Charleston (optional, all must agree) in red. With the blind pass and courtesy pass rules noted underneath.

Joker rules — the essentials

Where jokers are allowed (pungs, kongs, quints), where they're never allowed (singles, pairs, the Charleston, jokerless hands), and how to swap your real tile for an exposed joker on an opponent's rack.

Scoring & payouts

The three most common payout conditions in one compact table: won off a discard, self-picked from the wall, and the jokerless bonus. Confirm your table's house rules, but these are the near-universal defaults.

Each turn

The fundamental loop: draw, discard, listen for calls. Five bullets that cover what every player should be doing every single turn.

How to use it

Print it. A4 or US Letter paper, single-sided, color if you have it (the color-coding helps).
Laminate or sleeve it. Tile dust and spilled tea are real. A clear sleeve will save you a reprint.
Keep it beside the table — not on your phone. Phones are a distraction; a single page is a glance.
Share copies with the other new players at your table. The PDF is free to redistribute.

About the NMJL card This cheat sheet does not include the National Mah Jongg League's annual card. That's the League's copyrighted material and must be purchased directly from them (around $15 per year, released each spring). Our cheat sheet covers everything around the card — the tiles, the Charleston, joker rules, scoring conventions — so it works as a perfect companion to the official card.

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free?

Yes. No email signup, no paywall, no watermark. Just click the button and the PDF downloads. If you find it useful, sharing it with another new player is the best thank-you.

Does it include the NMJL card?

No. The annual card is copyrighted and only sold by the NMJL directly. This cheat sheet covers the surrounding rules — tiles, Charleston, jokers, scoring, turn order — so it complements the card.

What size paper should I print on?

A4 or US Letter, single page, color if you can. The PDF is sized for A4 but will print correctly on US Letter with default printer settings.

Can I share it with my mahjong group?

Absolutely. Print as many as you want and pass them around — it's released for free to help more new players get into the game.

What if I find an error?

Please email us — we read every message and update the PDF when something needs fixing.

Want the full story? The cheat sheet is a glance reference. For the full explanations, start with American Mahjong Rules: The Complete Beginner's Guide, then explore the Charleston, joker rules, and scoring in depth.