The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Playing Mahjong

Everything you need to know to set up, understand,
and play your very first game—no experience required

So you’ve heard about mahjong. Maybe you’ve seen those beautiful tiles at a friend’s house, watched players shuffling them with that satisfying clacking sound, or stumbled across a game night and been intrigued by the mysterious symbols. Perhaps you’ve even wondered if it’s impossibly complicated or reserved for experienced players only.

Here’s the truth: mahjong is absolutely learnable, genuinely fun, and more accessible than you think. Yes, it has depth and strategy that can keep you engaged for years, but getting started? That’s surprisingly straightforward.

This beginner’s guide to mahjong will walk you through everything you need for your first game. We’re talking zero-to-playing in one article. No confusing jargon, no assumptions about what you already know, and no skipping the basics. By the end, you’ll understand what those tiles mean, how to set up a game, and exactly what happens from the first shuffle to declaring victory.

Ready? Let’s shuffle in.

What Exactly Is Mahjong?

Before we dive into tiles and rules, let’s establish what mahjong actually is—because if you’re coming in completely fresh, the game can look bewilderingly complex at first glance.

Mahjong is a tile-based game that originated in China during the Qing Dynasty (most historians place it in the mid-to-late 1800s). Think of it as a combination of rummy and poker, but played with tiles instead of cards. The goal is simple: build a winning hand by collecting sets of matching or sequential tiles.

Here’s what makes mahjong special:

• It’s social: Traditionally played with four players seated around a square table
• It’s strategic: You’re constantly making decisions about which tiles to keep and which to discard
• It’s dynamic: Unlike solitaire versions, you can claim tiles other players discard to complete your sets
• It’s satisfying: There’s something deeply gratifying about the physical tiles, the sound they make, and the tactile experience of building your hand

One important thing to know upfront: mahjong has evolved into several regional variations. The three main styles you’ll encounter are:

• Classical Chinese (including Hong Kong, Singapore, and mainland variations)
• Japanese riichi
• American

They share the same fundamental DNA but differ in specific rules, scoring, and sometimes even which tiles are used. Don’t worry—we’ll cover the core concepts that apply across all styles, with notes on key differences. Think of it like learning to drive: once you understand the basics, switching between automatic and manual transmission is much easier than learning from scratch.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Mahjong to Avoid

What You Need to Get Started

Let’s talk equipment. The good news? You don’t need much to play mahjong, and what you do need is straightforward.

The essential mahjong set

A standard mahjong set contains 144 tiles. Here’s what’s in the box:

• 136 main tiles: These are the tiles you’ll use in every game
• 8 bonus tiles: Flowers and seasons (used in some styles, not others)
• Dice: Usually two or three dice for determining starting positions
• Wind indicator: A marker showing the current round (though you can improvise this)

Some sets also include:

• Counting sticks (for scoring)
• A rack to hold your tiles
• A carrying case

For your first game, you really only need the tiles and dice. Everything else is nice-to-have but not essential.

What you need to know about tile quality

When you’re shopping for your first set, you’ll see options ranging from $30 to several hundred dollars. Here’s what matters for beginners:

• Weight and feel: Heavier tiles feel more substantial and make that satisfying clacking sound
• Size: Standard tiles are easier to handle than miniature versions
• Clear symbols: Make sure you can easily distinguish the different tile types
• Complete set: Verify you’re getting all 144 tiles (some decorative sets are incomplete)

For learning purposes, a mid-range set ($50-80) works perfectly well. Save the heirloom ivory replicas for when you’re hooked on the game.

The playing space and people

What you’ll need

• A square or rectangular table (kitchen tables work great)
• Enough space for four players to sit comfortably
• Room in the center for the tile wall (we’ll explain this shortly)
• Optional: A tablecloth or mat to reduce noise and prevent tiles from sliding

That’s it. No special mahjong table required, though they’re lovely if you become a serious player.

Other players

Mahjong is traditionally a four-player game. While three-player variations exist, we strongly recommend learning with four people. The game balance and dynamics work best with a full table, and you’ll get a more authentic experience of how mahjong actually flows.

Ideally, find three other beginners to learn alongside you. There’s something wonderfully egalitarian about everyone being equally confused at first. Plus, you can pause and figure things out together without feeling like you’re slowing down experienced players.

Understanding the Tiles: Your Mahjong Alphabet

Before you can play, you need to read. And in mahjong, that means understanding what all those symbols on the tiles actually mean. This is probably the biggest hurdle for absolute beginners—the tiles can look like hieroglyphics at first.

But here’s the secret: there are only a few tile categories, and once you learn them, everything clicks into place.

The three suits: Your numbered tiles

Mahjong has three suits, each containing tiles numbered 1 through 9. Each number appears four times in the set (just like four aces in a deck of cards). The three suits are:

Bamboos (also called sticks or bams)

These tiles show bamboo sticks. The 1 of bamboos usually depicts a bird (often a peacock or sparrow) instead of a single stick—this is traditional, not an error in your set. Numbers 2-9 show the corresponding number of bamboo stalks.

• Easy to identify: Look for the green/blue bamboo stick designs
• Think of them like clubs in a card deck
• Total in set: 36 tiles (4 each of numbers 1-9)

Characters (also called wan or cracks)

These tiles show Chinese characters. The character represents the number, with another character above or below it (万, meaning “ten thousand”). You don’t need to read Chinese—just learn to recognize the visual patterns.

• Easy to identify: Look for prominent Chinese characters, often in red and black
• Think of them like spades in a card deck
• Total in set: 36 tiles (4 each of numbers 1-9)

Dots (also called circles or pins)

These are the easiest suits for beginners. The tiles literally show dots—the 1 has one dot, the 5 has five dots, and so on. They’re usually colored (often red, green, and blue) and arranged in patterns.

• Easy to identify: Count the circles
• Think of them like diamonds in a card deck
• Total in set: 36 tiles (4 each of numbers 1-9)

Key concept: Just like in rummy, you’ll form sequences using these numbered tiles (like 3-4-5 of bamboos) or collect matching sets of the same tile (like three 7 of characters). The suits are separate—you can’t mix a 3 of bamboos with a 4 of dots to make a sequence.

Honor tiles: The special ones

In addition to the three suits, mahjong includes honor tiles. These don’t have numbers and can’t form sequences—only matching sets.

Dragons (three types)

There are three different dragon tiles, each appearing four times in the set:

• Red dragon: Shows a red character (中, meaning “center”)
• Green dragon: Shows a green character (發, meaning “prosperity”)
• White dragon: Either completely blank or with a blue border/frame (representing purity)

Total dragon tiles: 12 (4 of each type)

Winds (four types)

There are four wind tiles, each appearing four times:

• East wind (東)
• South wind (南)
• West wind (西)
• North wind (北)

Don’t worry about memorizing the Chinese characters right away. Most sets have small English letters (E, S, W, N) in the corners or distinguishing visual features. You’ll learn to recognize them quickly through play.

Total wind tiles: 16 (4 of each direction)

Important: Winds have special significance in mahjong because they determine seating positions and can affect scoring, but for now, just think of them as special tiles you can collect in sets of three or four.

Bonus tiles: The optional extras

Most sets include eight bonus tiles:

• Four flower tiles: Usually depicted as plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum
• Four season tiles: Spring, summer, autumn, and winter

Here’s what you need to know: these are used in some variations (particularly Chinese classical styles) but not others (Japanese riichi doesn’t use them at all, American mahjong uses them differently). They’re set aside immediately when drawn and replaced with a new tile from the wall.

For your first game, you can honestly ignore these completely. We’ll mention them when relevant, but they’re not core to understanding how to play mahjong.

How to read mahjong tiles: A quick reference

When you’re sitting at the table, here’s your cheat sheet for identifying tiles quickly:

1. Look for bamboo sticks? It’s a bamboo suit tile
2. See colored dots/circles? It’s a dots suit tile
3. See Chinese characters? It’s either a character suit tile (if it shows a number) or an honor tile (if it’s a single prominent character)
4. Completely blank or just a border? White dragon
5. See a red character? Red dragon
6. See a green character? Green dragon
7. See E, S, W, or N in the corner? Wind tile
8. See flowers or seasons depicted? Bonus tile

Within a few rounds of play, you’ll stop consciously thinking about this. Tile recognition becomes automatic remarkably quickly—kind of like how you learned to instantly recognize playing cards without counting the symbols.

The Goal of Mahjong: What Are You Actually Trying to Do?

Now that you can identify the tiles, let’s talk about the objective. What are you actually trying to achieve in a game of mahjong?

The goal is elegantly simple: be the first player to complete a winning hand.

A standard winning hand consists of:

• Four sets (each set is three or four tiles)
• One pair (two identical tiles)

That’s it. Four sets plus one pair equals 14 tiles total (the standard hand size you’ll be working with).

What counts as a “set”?

In mahjong, there are two types of sets you can form:

Pung (also called pong or triplet)

Three identical tiles. For example:

• Three 7 of bamboos
• Three green dragons
• Three east winds

This is the equivalent of “three of a kind” in poker.

Kong (also called kan or quad)

Four identical tiles. For example:

• Four 2 of dots
• Four west winds
• Four red dragons

Kongs are rarer and handled specially (you declare them and draw a replacement tile), but for now, just know they’re like super-powered pungs.

Chow (also called chi or sequence)

Three consecutive tiles in the same suit. For example:

• 3-4-5 of characters
• 7-8-9 of bamboos
• 1-2-3 of dots

This is like a run or straight in rummy. Critical rule: Sequences must be in the same suit (you can’t mix suits) and honor tiles cannot form sequences (there’s no such thing as a “red dragon, green dragon, white dragon” sequence).

What counts as a “pair“

A pair is simply two identical tiles. Any tile can form a pair:

• Two 5 of dots
• Two south winds
• Two white dragons

You need exactly one pair in your winning hand. Not two pairs, not zero pairs—exactly one.

Putting it together: Example winning hands

Let’s look at what actual winning hands might look like. Remember: four sets + one pair.

Example 1: Mixed hand with sequences and triplets

• Set 1: 2-3-4 of bamboos (sequence)
• Set 2: Three 7 of characters (triplet)
• Set 3: 5-6-7 of dots (sequence)
• Set 4: Three green dragons (triplet)
• Pair: Two east winds

Example 2: All triplets hand

• Set 1: Three 1 of bamboos (triplet)
• Set 2: Three 9 of characters (triplet)
• Set 3: Three red dragons (triplet)
• Set 4: Three west winds (triplet)
• Pair: Two 5 of dots

Example 3: All sequences hand (also called “all chows”)

• Set 1: 1-2-3 of bamboos (sequence)
• Set 2: 3-4-5 of bamboos (sequence)
• Set 3: 6-7-8 of dots (sequence)
• Set 4: 2-3-4 of characters (sequence)
• Pair: Two 9 of dots

Special winning hands worth knowing

While the standard “four sets + pair” formula covers most wins, certain special patterns are particularly notable:

Seven pairs

Instead of making four sets and a pair, you collect seven different pairs. This is exactly what it sounds like: fourteen tiles forming seven pairs of two.

Example:

• Two 2 of bamboos
• Two 5 of characters
• Two 8 of dots
• Two red dragons
• Two east winds
• Two 4 of bamboos
• Two 7 of dots

This hand is allowed in most styles but not all. It’s a good beginner-friendly pattern because it’s easy to understand.

All honors hand

A hand made entirely from dragons and winds (no suited tiles at all). This is difficult to achieve but impressive when it happens.

All one suit hand

A hand made entirely from one suit—all bamboos, all characters, or all dots. No honors, no mixing suits. This is called a “flush” in some variations.

Thirteen orphans

An advanced special hand that collects one of each terminal (1s and 9s) and one of each honor tile, plus one pair. Don’t worry about this one for your first games—it’s rare and complex.

These special hands often score higher than standard hands, but the exact rules vary by style. For now, focus on understanding the basic “four sets + pair” formula. The fancy stuff can wait.

Mahjong Tiles: Your Complete Guide to Reading Your Hand

Setting Up Your First Game: The Wall and the Deal

Alright, you’ve got your tiles, you understand what they mean, and you know what you’re trying to build. Now let’s actually set up a game.

This is where mahjong gets theatrical. The setup process—building the wall, breaking it, dealing tiles—is ritualistic and part of the game’s appeal. Don’t rush it. The ceremony matters.

Step 1: Determine seating positions and winds

Mahjong players sit according to the four wind directions: East, South, West, North. The player sitting in the East position is the dealer for the first round.

To randomly assign positions:

1. Take one of each wind tile (East, South, West, North)
2. One player mixes them face down
3. Each player draws one tile
4. Players sit according to their drawn wind, with East facing a predetermined direction (decide this arbitrarily—it doesn’t matter which wall of the room is “East”)
5. The other players sit in counter-clockwise order: East, South, West, North

Important: In mahjong, play proceeds counter-clockwise around the table. This is the opposite of most Western card games, so it trips up beginners. Remember: counter-clockwise.

Step 2: Shuffle the tiles (the fun part)

Place all 144 tiles face down on the table. All four players use both hands to mix and shuffle the tiles, creating that distinctive mahjong sound. This is called “washing” the tiles.

Shuffle thoroughly for 30-60 seconds. This isn’t just functional—it’s part of the sensory experience of mahjong. Enjoy the clacking sounds.

If you’re not using the flower and season tiles in your variation, set those eight tiles aside now before building the wall.

Step 3: Build the wall

This is where mahjong becomes visually distinctive. Each player builds a “wall” of tiles in front of themselves:

1. Each player takes 34 tiles from the shuffled pile (or 36 if not using flowers/seasons)
2. Stack the tiles into two rows of 17 tiles each, placing one row on top of the other
3. Each stack should be two tiles high, 17 tiles long
4. Push your wall forward so it connects with the players on either side of you

When all four players have built their walls and pushed them together, you’ll have a square formation in the center of the table. This is “the wall”—the pile from which all tiles will be drawn during play.

It looks impressive. Take a moment to admire it.

Step 4: Break the wall

Now you need to determine where the dealing begins. The East player (dealer) rolls the dice:

1. The East player rolls two dice (in some variations, three)
2. Add the dice together. The total determines which player’s wall to break
3. Count counter-clockwise starting with East as 1: East (1, 5, 9), South (2, 6, 10), West (3, 7, 11), North (4, 8, 12)
4. The player whose wall is indicated rolls the dice again
5. That player counts from the right end of their wall based on the dice total, then separates the wall at that point

This creates the “break” in the wall. Tiles are now dealt from this break point, proceeding counter-clockwise around the wall.

Yes, this seems elaborate for what’s essentially “pick a random starting point.” But it’s traditional, it’s fair, and honestly, it adds to the ceremony.

Step 5: Deal the tiles

Starting from the break, the dealer (East) deals tiles to all players:

1. Each player receives 13 tiles, dealt in groups of four
2. Dealing proceeds counter-clockwise (East, South, West, North, then back to East)
3. Take four tiles at a time from the wall: two stacks of two tiles
4. After everyone has 12 tiles, deal one more tile to each player (giving everyone 13)
5. The dealer takes one additional tile, giving them 14 tiles total

Why does the dealer start with 14? Because the dealer makes the first discard. After that, the dealer will also have 13 tiles, just like everyone else.

Step 6: Arrange your hand

Once you’ve received your tiles:

1. Stand them up in front of you, facing toward you (other players shouldn’t see your tiles)
2. Organize them however makes sense to you—most players group by suit and put honors together
3. Look for patterns: Do you already have any pairs? Any two tiles that could become a sequence if you drew the right tile?

You’re now ready to play.

How to Play: Turn Structure and Game Flow

This is where everything comes together. You’ve got your tiles, you know what you’re trying to build, and the game is set up. Now let’s walk through how an actual game unfolds, turn by turn.

The basic turn sequence

A mahjong turn is beautifully simple. On your turn, you do two things:

1. Draw a tile from the wall (or claim a discard—we’ll cover this next)
2. Discard a tile from your hand

That’s it. Draw one, discard one. Your hand always returns to 13 tiles after your discard (unless you’re the dealer making the very first discard, in which case you’re going from 14 to 13).

Play proceeds counter-clockwise: East → South → West → North → East, and so on.

What are you doing during your turn?

Every time you draw a new tile, you’re asking yourself: Does this tile help me build toward a winning hand?

• If yes: Keep it and discard a less useful tile
• If no: Discard the new tile or discard something else that’s not helping

You’re constantly refining your hand, edging closer to completing those four sets and a pair.

Example decision-making

Let’s say your current hand includes:

• 2-3 of bamboos (could become a sequence if you draw a 1 or 4 of bamboos)
• 7-7 of characters (already a pair)
• 8-9 of dots (could become a sequence if you draw a 7 of dots)
• A random east wind tile that doesn’t connect to anything

You draw a 4 of bamboos. Great! Now you have 2-3-4 of bamboos—a complete sequence (one of your four needed sets). The east wind is looking increasingly useless, so you discard it.

That’s the rhythm of mahjong: draw, evaluate, discard, repeat.

Making your discard

When you discard a tile:

1. Place it face-up in the center of the table (inside the wall square)
2. Announce the tile clearly (e.g., “six of dots”)
3. Arrange your discards in neat rows so everyone can see what’s been thrown

Why does this matter? Because other players can claim your discards under certain circumstances (more on this in a moment). The discard pool is public information—everyone can see what tiles are out of play.

Claiming discards: Chow, pung, and kong

Here’s where mahjong gets interactive. You’re not just drawing from the wall—you can also claim tiles that other players discard. This is one of the key mechanics that makes mahjong dynamic and social.

There are three ways to claim a discard:

Chow (calling for a sequence)

When you can do this: The player immediately before you (to your right, since play is counter-clockwise) discards a tile that would complete a sequence in your hand.

What you do: Say “chow” (or “chi”), reveal the two tiles from your hand that form the sequence, and place all three tiles face-up in front of you. Then discard a tile from your hand as usual.

Important restrictions

• You can only chow from the player directly before you (not from across the table)
• The completed sequence is exposed—everyone can see it
• In some variations (particularly Japanese riichi), calling chow restricts what hands you can win with

Pung (calling for a triplet)

When you can do this: Any player discards a tile, and you have two matching tiles in your hand (forming a triplet with the discard).

What you do: Say “pung” (or “pon”), reveal your matching pair, and place all three tiles face-up in front of you. Then discard a tile from your hand.

Important distinctions

• Pung takes priority over chow (if two players want the same discard, pung wins)
• You can pung from any player, not just the person before you
• The triplet becomes exposed (everyone sees it)

Kong (calling for a quad)

When you can do this: You have three matching tiles, and someone discards the fourth, OR you draw the fourth tile naturally and want to declare the kong.

What you do: Say “kong” (or “kan”), reveal all four tiles, and place them face-up. Because a kong uses four tiles instead of three, you draw a replacement tile from the end of the wall (called the “dead wall”), then discard normally.

Note: Kongs are less common in beginner games, and the exact rules for declaring them vary by style. For your first few games, don’t worry too much about kongs—focus on pungs and chows.

The strategic tension: Concealed vs. exposed sets

Here’s an important concept: When you claim a discard to complete a set, that set becomes exposed (face-up, visible to everyone). Sets you complete by drawing from the wall remain concealed (hidden in your hand).

Why does this matter?

• Concealed hands generally score higher in most variations
• Exposed sets reveal your strategy to opponents
• Exposed sets can limit which winning hands you’re eligible for (especially in Japanese riichi)
• BUT: Exposed sets get you closer to winning faster

This creates one of mahjong’s fundamental strategic tensions: speed versus score. Do you call that discard and expose your hand for a quick win, or stay concealed and hope for a higher-scoring victory?

For now, as a beginner, err on the side of calling discards. Winning your first few games is more important than optimizing scores. You’ll develop the instinct for when to stay concealed as you gain experience.

Declaring “ready” (tenpai / riichi / calling)

When you’re one tile away from winning—when you need just one more tile to complete your hand—you’re in what’s called “ready” position (tenpai in Japanese, ting in Chinese).

In some variations (particularly Japanese riichi), you can formally declare that you’re ready by saying “riichi,” placing a 1000-point stick on the table, and discarding a tile sideways. This is a bet that you’ll win—if you do, you score bonus points. If someone else wins, you lose your bet.

In other variations, you don’t declare readiness at all—you just wait silently for your winning tile.

The key point: Once you’re in a ready position, you cannot change which tile you’re waiting for (in most variations). You’re committed to your winning configuration.

Winning the hand: “Mahjong!”

When you complete your winning hand (four sets + pair), you declare victory by saying “mahjong” (or “hu” in Chinese, “ron” if claiming a discard in Japanese, “tsumo” if self-drawn in Japanese).

You can win in two ways:

1. Self-draw (tsumo): You draw the winning tile yourself from the wall
2. Claiming a discard (ron): Another player discards your winning tile and you claim it

When you win:

1. Reveal your entire hand, showing the four sets and pair
2. Other players verify it’s a legal winning hand
3. Calculate the score (in actual games—skip this for your first learning games)
4. The hand ends, and a new round begins

Dead wall and end of round

The wall doesn’t extend forever. The last 14 tiles (seven stacks) are reserved as the “dead wall”—they’re not drawn during regular play (they’re only used for replacement tiles when someone declares a kong).

If players draw through the entire wall without anyone winning, the hand is declared a draw. Tiles are reshuffled, and a new hand begins. The dealer stays the same if nobody wins (in most variations).

Key Rules Across Styles: What’s Universal and What Differs

Now that you understand the core gameplay, let’s clarify how the three main styles differ. Remember: they all share the same foundation (build four sets + pair), but they diverge in specific mechanics.

Classical Chinese (Hong Kong, Singapore, mainland variations)

Key characteristics

• Uses all 144 tiles, including flowers and seasons
• Emphasizes flexibility—many different winning hand patterns are allowed
• Scoring is often based on “faan” (doubles), with a base score that multiplies
• Calling discards is common and doesn’t heavily penalize your hand
• Bonus tiles (flowers/seasons) are set aside when drawn and replaced immediately

Beginner-friendly aspects: The rules are relatively forgiving. You can call discards freely, there are many valid winning patterns, and the social aspect is emphasized over rigid restrictions.

Potential confusion points: Scoring can get complex with all the different patterns. For learning purposes, ignore scoring and just practice completing valid hands.

Japanese riichi

Key characteristics

• Uses only 136 tiles (no flowers or seasons)
• Formal “riichi” declaration when in ready position (costs 1000 points, earns bonus if you win)
• Calling discards restricts you to certain hand patterns (no “riichi” allowed if you’ve exposed sets)
• Emphasizes concealed hands—keeping your tiles hidden scores higher
• Must have at least one “yaku” (special pattern) to win, not just any four sets + pair
• Dora tiles (bonus tiles that increase scoring) are revealed at the start

Beginner-friendly aspects: The rules are clearly defined and consistent. There’s less regional variation than in Chinese styles. The yaku system gives you clear patterns to aim for.

Potential confusion points: The yaku requirement means you can’t just win with any random hand—you need specific patterns. This adds a learning curve but also adds strategic depth.

American mahjong

Key characteristics

• Uses all 144 tiles, plus often includes jokers (blank tiles that can substitute for any tile)
• Winning hands are determined by an official card published annually by the National Mah Jongg League
• You must match one of the specific patterns on the card—no generic “four sets + pair”
• The card shows dozens of different hand patterns, organized by categories (e.g., “2023 Hands,” “Consecutive Run,” “369,” etc.)
• At the start of each hand, players simultaneously pass tiles (called “Charleston”)
• No flowers or seasons as bonus tiles—they’re regular tiles

Beginner-friendly aspects: The card makes it very clear what you’re trying to build. There’s no ambiguity about valid hands—if it’s on the card, it’s valid.

Potential confusion points: You need to buy/obtain the official card (it changes yearly). The patterns can be complex, with specific tile requirements. The Charleston tile-passing mechanic is unique to American mahjong and can be confusing at first.

Which style should you learn first?

Honest answer: Learn the style that the people around you play.

Mahjong is a social game. If your friends play Hong Kong-style, learn that. If there’s a Japanese riichi club in your city, learn riichi. If your grandmother plays American mahjong, that’s your entry point.

That said, if you’re learning in a vacuum:

• Classical Chinese (Hong Kong style) is probably the most beginner-friendly for learning core concepts. It’s flexible, forgiving, and emphasizes the social aspects.
• Japanese riichi is excellent if you like structured, strategic gameplay and don’t mind a steeper learning curve.
• American mahjong is best if you’re in the US and want to play socially with American players, but it’s quite different from the Asian styles.

The good news: Once you learn one style, picking up others is much easier. The tiles are the same, the core goal is the same—only the details change.

Which Mahjong Style Should You Learn First? Regional Variants Compared

Playing Your First Practice Game: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Enough theory. Let’s walk through what your actual first game will look like, from setup to finish.

Before you start: Simplify for learning

For your very first game, we recommend these simplifications:

• Skip scoring entirely. Just play to complete a hand. Don’t worry about points yet.
• Remove flowers and seasons. Use only the 136 main tiles, even if you’re planning to eventually play a style that uses them.
• Allow any four sets + pair to win. Don’t worry about special patterns or yaku requirements yet.
• Play slowly. Pause to discuss decisions, ask questions, and figure things out together.
• Keep the rulebook handy. You will forget things. That’s normal.

Think of this first game as a practice run, not a “real” game. The goal is to internalize the turn structure and start recognizing patterns.

Round 1: Setup

1. Four players sit at the table
2. Draw wind tiles to determine positions (let’s say you draw South)
3. The East player is the dealer
4. Shuffle all tiles face-down in the center
5. Each player builds a wall (17 tiles long, two tiles high)
6. Push walls together to form a square
7. East rolls dice to determine where to break the wall
8. Deal 13 tiles to each player, 14 to the dealer (East)
9. Everyone organizes their hand

Time elapsed: about 5-10 minutes for your first setup. It gets faster with practice.

Round 1: Opening turns

East’s first turn

• East examines their 14 tiles
• East discards one tile (bringing their hand to 13)
• East announces the discard clearly: “Six of bamboos”
• East places it face-up in the center

Can anyone claim that discard?

• South (you) checks: Do I have 4-5 or 7-8 of bamboos? (No)
• South checks: Do I have two 6 of bamboos? (No)
• West and North check similarly
• Nobody can use it, so play continues

South’s first turn (your turn)

• You draw one tile from the wall (continuing from where East drew)
• You examine the new tile: It’s a 2 of dots
• You already have 1-3 of dots in your hand—great! But the 2 doesn’t help you unless you get a 4 to make 2-3-4
• You decide to keep it and discard a random east wind tile you drew earlier
• You announce, “East wind” and place it in the discard pile

West’s turn

• West draws a tile
• West discards
• Play continues

This rhythm repeats: Draw, discard, move to the next player. Counter-clockwise.

Middle game: Calling a discard

Several turns later, you’ve managed to collect 7-8 of characters. You’re hoping to draw a 6 or 9 to complete a sequence.

West discards a 9 of characters.

This is your moment! You can call “chow” because:

• West is the player immediately before you
• The 9 of characters completes your 7-8-9 sequence

What you do

1. Say “chow” clearly
2. Take the 9 of characters from the discard pile
3. Reveal your 7-8 of characters from your hand
4. Place all three tiles (7-8-9) face-up in front of you
5. Discard a tile from your remaining concealed tiles

Congratulations—you’ve just completed your first set! Now you need three more sets and a pair to win.

Late game: Getting close to winning

After more turns, your hand looks like this:

• 7-8-9 of characters (exposed set, already on the table)
• Three 5 of bamboos (concealed triplet in your hand)
• 1-2-3 of dots (concealed sequence in your hand)
• Two red dragons (a pair)
• Plus four random tiles that don’t help

You’re close! You need one more set (three or four matching tiles, or a sequence). You have four tiles that could potentially form sets if you draw the right tiles.

You draw a green dragon. You already have one green dragon in those random tiles. If you can draw a third green dragon, you’d have another set and be ready to win.

You discard a useless tile and wait.

Winning the hand

Two turns later, North discards a green dragon.

Perfect! You have two green dragons concealed. You can call “pung” to complete your fourth set.

1. You say “pung!”
2. You take the green dragon from North’s discard
3. You reveal your two green dragons
4. You place all three green dragons face-up
5. You DON’T discard because you now have a winning hand

You reveal your entire hand:

• Set 1: 7-8-9 of characters (sequence)
• Set 2: Three 5 of bamboos (triplet)
• Set 3: 1-2-3 of dots (sequence)
• Set 4: Three green dragons (triplet)
• Pair: Two red dragons

Four sets + one pair = winning hand!

You announce “Mahjong!” (or “Hu!” or “Ron!” depending on style)

Everyone stops. The other players verify your hand is legal (it is). You’ve won your first game of mahjong.

After the win: What happens next

In a real game, you’d calculate scores now. For your learning game, skip that. Just acknowledge the win and set up for the next hand.

Key rules for subsequent hands:

• If the dealer (East) wins, they remain the dealer for the next hand
• If anyone else wins, the dealer position rotates counter-clockwise (East becomes North, South becomes East, etc.)
• After four hands (one complete rotation), you’ve completed one “round”
• A full game is typically four rounds (East, South, West, North rounds)

But for your first session? Play a few hands until everyone understands the flow. Don’t worry about completing a full game.

Common Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Every new mahjong player makes similar mistakes. Here are the big ones to watch out for:

Mistake 1: Forgetting to draw before discarding

It’s easy to discard a tile without drawing first, especially when you’re focused on your hand strategy. Remember: draw first, always. The only exception is when you claim a discard—then you skip your draw and immediately discard.

Fix: Make it a ritual. Physically reach for the wall, draw a tile, add it to your hand, then decide what to discard.

Mistake 2: Mixing sequences across suits

You cannot make a sequence using different suits. 8 bamboos, 9 characters, 1 dots is not a valid sequence. Sequences must be same-suit: 8-9-1 doesn’t work anyway, but even 7-8-9 only works if all three tiles are the same suit.

Fix: When arranging your hand, group by suit. Keep bamboos together, characters together, dots together. This makes illegal sequences impossible to accidentally attempt.

Mistake 3: Trying to make sequences with honor tiles

Honor tiles (dragons and winds) cannot form sequences. Ever. They can only form pungs (three matching) or kongs (four matching) or pairs (two matching).

There is no such thing as “red dragon, green dragon, white dragon” as a sequence. There is no “East, South, West” sequence.

Fix: Think of honors as special tiles that only work as matches, never as runs.

Mistake 4: Forgetting you can claim discards

Beginners often get tunnel vision, focusing only on drawing from the wall. But claiming discards is a crucial part of the game—it’s often your fastest path to completing sets.

Fix: Every time someone discards, quickly scan your hand. Could this tile complete a set for you? Get into the habit of checking.

Mistake 5: Calling discards you don’t need

The opposite problem: calling every possible discard, even when it doesn’t significantly help your hand. Remember, calling a discard exposes that set (making it visible) and can limit your options.

Fix: Before calling, ask yourself: “Does this actually bring me significantly closer to winning?” If you’re not sure, it’s often better to wait.

Mistake 6: Not paying attention to other players’ discard

The discard pool tells you what tiles are out of play. If you’re waiting for a 7 of bamboos to complete a sequence, but all four 7 of bamboos are already in the discard pile, you’re waiting for a tile that will never come.

Fix: Glance at the discard pile periodically. Are the tiles you need still available? This becomes more important as you get experienced, but start building the habit early.

Mistake 7: Trying to change strategy mid-hand

You start building toward an all-sequences hand, then halfway through decide to switch to all-triplets because you drew some matching tiles. This usually results in a confused hand that doesn’t complete either strategy.

Fix: Commit to a direction based on your starting tiles. Flexibility is good, but constantly changing plans wastes turns.

Mistake 8: Exposing your hand too early

Calling discards early in the hand reveals your strategy to opponents. They can then avoid discarding tiles you need.

Fix: As you gain experience, try to keep your hand concealed as long as possible, calling only when it significantly accelerates your win. But for now, err on the side of calling—winning is more important than optimizing

Mahjong Winning Hands Explained: Combinations, Patterns & What Beats What

Next Steps…

You’ve absorbed a lot of information. Here’s your action plan:

Immediate next steps (this week)

1. Acquire a mahjong set if you don’t have one. Budget $50-80 for a quality beginner set.
2. Recruit three friends who are interested in learning. Emphasize that no experience is required.
3. Schedule your first game session. Block out 2-3 hours. This accounts for setup, slow play, and questions.
4. Print a quick reference guide or bookmark one on your phone. You’ll need it.
5. Decide which style you’re learning. Based on geography, available players, or personal preference.

First game session

1. Set up the table and tiles
2. Review this guide together (literally have it open on a laptop or printed)
3. Play one practice hand, pausing frequently to verify you’re following the rules
4. Once everyone understands the turn flow, play 2-3 complete hands
5. Ignore scoring—just practice completing valid winning hands
6. End the session when people are tired, not frustrated

Games 2-5

1. Continue playing without scoring
2. Focus on speeding up turns
3. Start recognizing tiles automatically
4. Experiment with calling discards
5. Try to complete different types of hands (all triplets, all sequences, mixed)

Games 6-10

1. Introduce basic scoring (pick a simple system for your chosen style)
2. Start thinking strategically about which tiles to keep vs. discard
3. Pay attention to other players’ exposed sets and discards
4. Try playing different wind positions (dealer vs. non-dealer)

Games 11-20

1. Explore style-specific rules in depth
2. Learn about special hands and patterns
3. Start developing your personal playing style
4. Consider joining a club or playing with experienced players
5. Teach mahjong to new players (teaching reinforces your own understanding)

Long-term progression

After 20+ games, you’re no longer a beginner. You understand the fundamentals and can play competently. At this point:

• Study intermediate strategy guides
• Learn about tile efficiency and hand-reading
• Explore different regional variations
• Consider competitive play if that interests you
• Most importantly: keep playing regularly

Final Thoughts…

Learning mahjong is less like learning chess (master the rules, then begin the real game) and more like learning a language (start with basics, gradually gain fluency through immersion).

Your first games will feel clumsy. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll need to look things up. You’ll probably lose to players who’ve been playing for years (if you jump into a club right away). That’s all part of the process.

But here’s what happens when you stick with it:

After 5 games: You stop thinking about the rules and start thinking about the tiles.

After 10 games: You recognize patterns automatically and start developing preferences (you favor sequences over triplets, or vice versa).

After 20 games: You’re teaching new players and correcting their mistakes.

After 50 games: You’re starting to read the table—anticipating what opponents might be building, avoiding dangerous discards, timing your calls strategically.

After 100 games: Mahjong has become muscle memory. You’re playing intuitively, not mechanically.

But even at 100 games, you’re still learning. That’s part of mahjong’s appeal—there’s always depth to explore, always new situations to navigate, always room to improve.

The game you’re about to play has survived for over a century and spread across continents because it strikes a perfect balance: simple enough to learn in an afternoon, complex enough to study for a lifetime, social enough to bring people together, and satisfying enough to keep them coming back.

Welcome to mahjong. Your first shuffle awaits.