How to Keep Score in American Mahjong (With Examples)
American mahjong scoring has exactly three rules, but a scoresheet keeps the evening honest. Here is how to track it, with examples you can copy at your table.
What You Are Tracking
Every hand on the card has a printed value (25–75 points). When someone wins, money or points flow to them per three rules: discarder pays double, others pay single; on a self-pick everyone pays double; jokerless wins double again at most tables. Full rule detail lives in American mahjong scoring explained.
Three Ways Tables Keep Score
- Points on paper: a running balance per player; settle or brag at the end.
- Chips or mahjong money: physical tokens exchanged after each win.
- Penny games: one point = one penny, settled in coins — the classic social stakes.
A Simple Scoresheet
| Hand # | Winner | Hand played | Value | Won by | Each player pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sue | 2468 #3 | 30 | Discard (Ann) | Ann 60, others 30 |
| 2 | Ann | Consec. Run #1 | 25 | Self-pick | Everyone 50 |
| 3 | Beth | Like Numbers #2 | 25 | Discard (Sue) | Sue 50, others 25 |
Worked Example
Four players start at zero. Sue wins hand 1 on Ann’s discard: Sue +120 (60 from Ann, 30 each from Beth and Carol), Ann −60, Beth −30, Carol −30. Running balances after one hand: Sue +120, Ann −60, Beth −30, Carol −30. Note the table always sums to zero — a built-in error check.
Make It Effortless
Print our scoring cheat sheet for the table, and keep a dedicated scorepad with your set — see the best score cards and holders.