Learn American Mahjong

American mahjong is a four-player tile game built around drawing, discarding, exchanging tiles, and completing a hand listed on an annual rules card.

What You Need

• An American mahjong tile set with jokers and spare blanks
• Four racks, often paired with pushers
• The current annual hand-and-rules card used by your group
• Four players and a comfortable table

Retail sets often contain more tiles than are used in a single game. Depending on the brand, a complete package may include approximately 160–166 pieces so that extra jokers, blanks, and replacements are available.

How a Game Flows

1. Build the walls: Players place tiles face down and arrange them into walls.
2. Pass tiles: The Charleston exchange helps players shape an early direction.
3. Draw and discard: Players improve their hands one tile at a time.
4. Call when allowed: A discard may be claimed when the rules and chosen hand allow it.
5. Declare mahjong: The first player to complete a valid hand wins.

Start With a Teacher

The fastest way to learn is a beginner lesson or a patient table of experienced players. Use this page as orientation—not as a replacement for your group’s current official rules card.

Next Reading

Compare melamine and acrylic tiles, then follow the TileParlor Journal for beginner explainers and hosting guides.