What Is the NMJL Card? American Mahjong Card Basics
Ask any American mahjong player what you need to start and the first answer is always “the card.” Here is what the NMJL card is, why it exists, and how to use it.
The National Mah Jongg League
The National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), founded in 1937, standardized American mahjong by publishing an official list of legal winning hands. Nearly a century later, its annual card remains the rulebook for the American game — when someone says “the card,” they mean the NMJL card.
Why the Card Changes Every Year
Each spring the League releases a new card with a fresh mix of hands. The categories stay familiar (2468, Consecutive Run, Quints and so on) but the specific combinations rotate. This keeps the game fresh for lifelong players and is why serious players order a new card every year — last year’s hands are no longer legal in league play.
What Is Printed on the Card
- Year hands built from the current year’s digits (2, 0, 2, 6 for 2026).
- Category sections: 2468, Like Numbers, Addition hands, Consecutive Run, 13579, Winds–Dragons, 369, Quints, Singles & Pairs.
- Each hand’s tiles, printed in colors that indicate suits.
- A point value and an X (exposable) or C (concealed) marker per hand.
- The official rules of play on the back panel.
Where to Get the 2026 Card
Order directly from the National Mah Jongg League (nationalmahjonggleague.org) — the standard card and the large-print version both cost under $15. Every player at the table should have their own copy. Once it arrives, our guide on how to read the American mahjong card will walk you through your first hands.