Read at your own pace
The beginner's library.
Plain-English answers to everything new American Mahjong players wonder about, from the very first deal to settling up at the end of the night.
17guides, all free
01 Shelf
Start here
- How to Play American Mahjong The whole game in plain English, start to finish.
- How to Read the Card Colors, X and C, and what all those numbers mean.
- Charleston Rules Right, across, left — and the optional second round.
- How Jokers Work When you can use them, and when you can swap for them.
- How Many Tiles? Why an American set has 152, and what each one is.
02 Shelf
Before game night
- First Game Night Checklist What to bring, what to know, what to relax about.
- The 2026 Mahjong Card Where to get it, why it changes, and how to learn it fast.
- Mahjong Etiquette The unwritten rules every table appreciates.
- What's in an American Set All 152 tiles, racks, dice, and what you can skip.
- Store-Bought Sets How to check a Walmart, Sam's Club or online set.
- Mahjong Shopping List Set, mat, racks and card holder: what to buy and what to check.
03 Shelf
Going further
- Strategy for Beginners Simple habits that help you win more games.
- Scoring and Payouts Hand values, doubles and who pays whom.
- 2- and 3-Player Mahjong Yes, you can play with fewer than four. Here is how.
- American vs. Chinese Mahjong Where the game came from and how the styles differ.
- Mahjong vs. Solitaire Why the tile-matching game is a different thing.
- Mahjong Glossary Bam, crak, pung, kong, soap — every term explained.
Learn by doing
Then practice with the free tools.
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Practice Game Play a full game against three friendly computer players. -
Tile Quiz Learn all 152 tiles with flashcards and a 60-second quiz. -
Charleston Simulator Practice the tile-passing dance step by step. -
Hand Finder See which practice hand your tiles are closest to. -
Payout Calculator Who pays whom, and how much, after every win.