Mahjong Rules & Basics
Rules, tiles, hands, scoring and FAQs — everything a new American mahjong player needs to understand the game.
How to Play American Mahjong: Complete Beginner’s Guide (2026)
Learn how to play American mahjong step by step — tiles, setup, the Charleston, calling tiles, jokers and winning. The only beginner guide you need.
Read guide →American Mahjong Hands: Chart, Rules & Examples for Beginners
American mahjong hands explained — how the NMJL card works, pungs/kongs/quints, concealed vs exposed hands, and the easiest hands for beginners to learn first.
Read guide →American Mahjong Rules: The Basics Every Beginner Needs
American mahjong rules in plain English — players, tiles, the deal, the Charleston, calling discards, jokers, winning and scoring basics.
Read guide →American vs Chinese Mahjong: What’s the Difference?
American vs Chinese mahjong compared — jokers, the Charleston, the annual card, scoring and equipment. Learn which version you are actually playing.
Read guide →American Mahjong Tiles: A Complete Guide to the 152-Tile Set
Every tile in an American mahjong set explained — dots, bams, craks, winds, dragons, flowers and jokers, with counts and what each tile is used for.
Read guide →American Mahjong Scoring Rules Explained Simply (With Examples)
American mahjong scoring made simple — card values, who pays, doubling for self-picks, and worked examples for your first game night.
Read guide →What Is the NMJL Card? American Mahjong Card Basics
The NMJL card explained — what the National Mah Jongg League card is, why it changes every year, how to read it and where to get the 2026 card.
Read guide →American Mahjong Terminology: 40+ Terms Beginners Must Know
The complete American mahjong glossary — Charleston, pung, kong, quint, soap, wall, dead hand and 35 more terms explained in plain English.
Read guide →American Mahjong FAQ: 20 Questions Beginners Always Ask
The 20 most common American mahjong beginner questions answered — jokers, the Charleston, calling rules, the card, scoring and etiquette.
Read guide →A Brief History of American Mahjong
How mahjong came to America — from 1920s craze to the 1937 founding of the National Mah Jongg League and today’s game-night revival.
Read guide →Mahjong Table Etiquette: 12 Unwritten Rules of the Game
American mahjong etiquette for beginners — the unwritten table rules on discards, calling, the Charleston, winning graciously and keeping the game friendly.
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