American Mahjong Basics

Suits Matching Dragons Special Tiles

Bams (1-9: 4 each) Green (4) Winds: N/S/E/W (4 each)
Dots (1-9: 4 each) Soap (4) Flowers (8)
Cracks (1-9: 4 each) Red (4) Jokers (8)

Deal: East (first player), roll dice, pull back that many stacks, deal 4 tiles to yourself
then counter clockwise (4 each) until 12 tiles per player. Then 1 tile per player & 2nd for
yourself. (East starts with 14 tiles, all other players 13 tiles)

Charleston: Trade tiles to build your hand (MAY NOT pass Jokers): ROLLOR
Right Over Left Stop Left Over Right Optional Over

3 3 Up to 3 Player may call stop 3 3 Up to 3 Up to 3

Play: counter clockwise, draw/rack Pacing: 2-5 seconds turn Call: Player to right goes
next, calling tiles may skip players Next row of tiles: clockwise around the table
Melds & Hand Value
Name # of May May be called Hand Value = points you earn
identica include from player from other players if you get
l tiles Joker discard Mahjong, number to right of
hand
Single 1 ONLY for Mahjong Self pick & Jokerless (except
Never singles/pairs hands) = 2x value

Pair 2 If thrown, that player pays 2x

hand value, rest of players 1x
Pung 3 Yes, expose when If you are playing a concealed
Yes call, any jokers can hand, (C), you may only call for
Kong 4 be replaced by a discarded tile for Mahjong.
Quint 5 players throughout You may not expose your hand
the game throughout the game.

Victory Points: Starting set = 425 points, see below, winner most points at end of X
rounds/time
Red: 5 pts each Yellow: 10 pts each Green: 20 pts each Blue: 50 pts each
(5/set = 25 pts) (5/set = 50 pts) (5/set = 100 pts) (5/set = 250 pts)
 Basic Strategy

Goal: Have the most victory points at the end of X rounds or X time, winning the most
hands ≠winning the game. Other variables include the value of hands you win, throwing
winning tiles to opponents & other players scoring jokerless hands. If you are not likely
to win a hand, it is often better to throw your hand than possibly throw the winning tile
for an opponent. If you throw the winning tile, you lose 2x the hand value.

Pacing: Draw/rack/throw 2-5 seconds a turn. You may throw Jokers, but they cannot
be called by other players from the discard.

Calling Tiles: The discard is available to be called for a pung, kong, quint, or Mahjong
until the next tile is racked. If you call a tile you expose the meld, discard, and play
resumes to your right. You may only call for a single or pair if you have Mahjong.

Calling Mahjong: 13 tiles on rack & 14 tiles to complete a Mahjong hand. You either
call or draw the 14th tile needed for you to call Mahjong. If no one completes a
Mahjong when the last tile is drawn & thrown, it is a wall game. New hand, rotate east.

Beginner Tips:
● Each color on the card means those tiles need to be the same suit. It does not tell
you which suit it needs to be. For example, 1111 2222 3333 DDDD, has 2 colors
red and green. Reds can be dots, bams or cracks; both numbers need to be the
same suit. Greens can be dots, bams or cracks; the number needs to match the
dragon and the greens cannot be the same suit as the reds. So you are collecting
a total of 2 different suits.
● Let the Charleston guide your hand selection. Sometimes you can gather up
everyone else’s undesired tiles to make a hand.
● Focus on 1 or 2 sections on the card after the Charleston.
● Especially if you have a joker(s), you don’t need to call for a tile the first time it is
thrown. You have more flexibility to switch between hands before you expose tiles.
● Once a pung, kong or quint is exposed, scan the card for other hands that can use
that set in case you need to adjust your plan.
● If you have a pair you don’t need, throw one in hopes someone will call for it and
expose a joker for you to replace on your next turn.
● If you think you have tiles others may want, discard them early in hopes they don’t
have the jokers to call for them. Hold onto them later in the game so you don’t give
an opponent Mahjong.
● Singles and Pairs is the hardest section on the card.
● Concealed (C) are harder than open hands.
● Hands with pairs are harder than hands with pung, kongs, & quints.