Play American Mahjong: Free Practice Game

Reading about mahjong only gets you so far. At some point you need to play: decide what to keep, notice a discard you need, and feel the moment a hand comes together. This practice game gives you that, at your own pace, before you sit down with real people.

How a game goes

1. The deal. Everyone gets 13 tiles; East gets 14. East moves one seat each game, so you'll take turns being East.
2. The Charleston. Pass three tiles right, then across, then left. The computer players pass the tiles that help them least. You can skip it if you like.
3. Draw and discard. East discards first, then play moves to the right. On your turn, your new tile is marked new; tap a tile and press Discard.
4. Calling. When someone discards a tile you can use, you'll be asked if you want it, for Mahjong or for an exposure.
5. Mahjong. When your 14 tiles match a practice hand, press Mahjong! The payout is worked out for you, including the discarder paying double and the jokerless bonus.

The practice card for this game

Every hand the game recognizes is one of these six original practice hands. They work just like lines on a real card: colors mean suits, and the notes tell you which numbers can change.

Playing with the coach

The coach looks at your tiles after every move and lists your two closest practice hands, with how many tiles each still needs. When it's your turn to discard, it marks the tile it would let go with a small tip label. You don't have to follow it, and you'll learn the most by deciding first and checking second. The same thinking powers the hand finder.

Rules this game follows

• Jokers fill groups of three or more, never singles or pairs, and a discarded Joker can't be called.
• Mahjong beats an exposure call; if two players want the same tile, the next player in turn gets it.
• Concealed (C) hands can only take a discard for Mahjong.
• You may swap a real tile for a Joker in any exposure on your turn.
• If the wall runs out, it's a wall game and nobody pays.

To keep it friendly for beginners, the game plays only the first Charleston, skips blind passes and betting, and won't let you expose a group that fits no practice hand. At a real table that mistake would make your hand "dead", so it's worth learning to avoid.