American Mahjong, without the confusion.
Learn the rules, understand the card, and feel comfortable at the table.
Free, no sign-up. Rules checked against the official NMJL rulebook.
Where are you starting?
Learn to play, properly
Plain-English guides checked against the official rules, and free practice games for the parts beginners find hardest.
Teach it, or start a class
A free four-week course plan, handouts you may print for students, and the practical side of running a class, from pricing to venues.
Start here: the free 4-lesson course
About thirty minutes a lesson, each with a practice game and a quick self-check. See the course overview.
The tiles, the card, the wall and your first turns.
Start lesson 1 Lesson 2The CharlestonSort your rack, choose a hand, and pass tiles.
Start lesson 2 Lesson 3Calling and JokersCalling discards, exposures and every Joker rule.
Start lesson 3 Lesson 4Winning and scoringMahjong, dead hands, payouts and table manners.
Start lesson 4Common questions
Each answer links straight to the part of the guide that explains it.
- Can you use a Joker in a pair?No. Jokers only work in groups of three or more.
- How many tiles do you start with?13. East, the dealer, starts with 14.
- What makes a hand dead?Usually a wrong tile count, an impossible exposure or an illegal Joker.
- What does “Soap” mean?The White Dragon. On the card it also stands for zero.
- What is a blind pass?Passing incoming tiles on unseen, on the last pass of a Charleston.
- How do you exchange a Joker?On your turn, give the natural tile and take the Joker.
- Who pays when someone wins?Everyone pays the hand value; the discarder, or everyone on a self-drawn win, pays double.
Practice without the pressure
Free games that teach the real thing, with no opponents waiting and no timer.
Build a real hand on your own: a real wall, draw and discard, real Joker rules, and a practice card that tells you what is missing.
Play a hand PracticeTile TrainerThree calm games: learn every tile, pair each Dragon with its suit, and spot the same number in different suits.
Start training UnwindMahjong SolitaireThe classic matching puzzle with mahjong tiles. Every deal can be cleared, and you can never get stuck.
Play solitaireMahjongKit is an independent guide, not affiliated with the National Mah Jongg League, and never reproduces the card. More about MahjongKit.