American Mahjong Online

American Mahjong is a variation of Chinese Mahjong that was introduced in the 1920s. Its rules are different from other Mahjong games around the world, but just as fun and exciting. 🤠

How to Play American Mahjong

Preparation: 1. Visit mahjongo.com; 2. Click American Mahjong; 3. Start! 🤭

Aha, just kidding! Now I will teach you how to play American Mahjong. 🤗

How Many Tiles in American Mahjong

American Mahjong consists of 152 Mahjong tiles, including 36 Dots (4 of each number 1-9), 36 Bams (4 of each number 1-9), 36 Cracks (4 of each number 1-9), 16 Winds (4 of each wind, North/East/South/West), 12 Dragons (4 of each, Red/White or Soap/Green), 8 Flowers, 8 Jokers. 🀆

• Run-any consecutive numbers.
• Pair-2 like tiles, Pung-3, Kong-4, Quint-5, Sextet-6.
• 1 color any 1 suit, 2 colors any 2 suits, 3 colors any 3 suits.
• F-flower, X-exposed, C-concealed, D-dragon.
• Matching dragons-craks/reds bams/greens and dots/whites(soaps).

American Mahjong Rules

Below is the basic tutorial of American Mahjong, please click to learn:

• Suits & Honors: Dots, Bams, Craks, Dragon, Wind
• Jokers & Flowers: Joker, Flower
• Charleston: What is Charleston, How to start Charleston
• Mahjong Card: How to read Mah-Jongg card

American Mahjong Tips

• American Mahjong uses cards to define winning tile combinations. 🀀
• A new card is released every year, and players need to constantly learn new winning combinations. 🀁
• The National Mahjong League (NMJL) is the primary card publisher. 🀂
• We'll teach you how to read cards, no matter which card design you're using. 🀃

American Mahjong FAQ

What is American Mahjong?

American Mahjong is a variation that uses 152 tiles, including jokers, and follows rules set by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). Players aim to match hands listed on a yearly scoring card.

How is American Mahjong different from other Mahjong styles?

It uses jokers, a Charleston tile exchange, and a scoring card that changes annually, focusing more on patterns than points.

How do you play basic American Mahjong?

In basic American Mahjong, each player starts with 13 tiles and takes turns drawing and discarding tiles to form a winning hand. Players aim to match patterns listed on the NMJL card using pungs (3 of a kind), kongs (4 of a kind), and quints (5 of a kind). Jokers can substitute any tile. The game begins with the Charleston, where players exchange tiles to improve their hands. A player wins by completing a valid pattern and declaring “Mahjong.”

Is American Mahjong hard to learn?

American Mahjong is easy to learn but may take time to master. Its clear rules, simpler scoring, and pattern-based gameplay make it beginner-friendly. However, memorizing the annual NMJL card and understanding unique features like jokers and the Charleston can be challenging at first. With practice, most players quickly get the hang of it.

How many tiles are used in American Mahjong?

American Mahjong uses 152 tiles, including jokers for flexibility.

What is the Charleston in American Mahjong?

The Charleston is a unique tile-exchange phase at the start, allowing players to improve their hands by passing unwanted tiles.

How do you win in American Mahjong?

Players must match one of the hands listed on the NMJL card and declare “Mahjong”.

What role do jokers play in American Mahjong?

Jokers act as wild tiles, substituting for any other tile in melds, but cannot be used in pairs.

How is scoring handled in American Mahjong?

Scoring depends on the specific hand completed, with points listed on the NMJL card.

Is American Mahjong beginner-friendly?

Yes, its clear rules and scoring card make it easy for beginners to learn.

How long does an American Mahjong game last?

A single round takes 15-20 minutes, and full games can last 1-2 hours.

Can I play American Mahjong online on MahJongo?

Yes! MahJongo supports online American Mahjong gameplay with friends or other players.

Resource

American Mahjong Tile Generator

American Mah Jongg for Beginners - Linda Moore

Special Thanks

Shafrit Baum, kwhatley, estie, bsjacobson, Lynncsal, ordinarycitizen62, elizabet, Barfin, acgoltra, bsjacobson1942, PDC, Amalie...

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