American Mah Jongg Rules

American Mah Jongg is played using a standardized set of rules that apply across clubs, home games, and tournaments in the United States. These rules are based on long-standing National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) standards and are designed to keep play consistent from table to table.

While the hands on the NMJL card change every year, the core rules of the game remain the same. Understanding these rules is essential for legal play and for avoiding dead hands.

Basic Game Structure

American Mah Jongg is played with:

Four players
A set of 152 tiles
Racks
Dice
An NMJL card for the current year

Each game follows the same general sequence: building the walls, dealing, the Charleston, drawing and discarding, and declaring Mah Jongg.

Building the Walls and Dealing

At the start of the game:

Each player builds a wall that is two tiles high and nineteen tiles long.
The walls are arranged into a square.
Dice are rolled to determine the dealer and where the wall is broken.

Each player is dealt 13 tiles except for the dealer.

The dealer begins with 14 tiles and discards the first tile after the Charleston.

The Charleston

The Charleston is a required tile-passing phase that happens before normal play begins.

Players pass tiles in this order:

Right
Across
Left

An optional second Charleston may follow, depending on the situation at the table.

During each pass, players pass three tiles. If a player cannot pass three unwanted tiles, a blind pass may be used during the final pass in either Charleston.

The Charleston helps players shape their hands before drawing and discarding begins.

Drawing and Discarding

After the Charleston:

Play proceeds counterclockwise.
On each turn, a player draws one tile.
The player then discards one tile face-up into the center.

A player must always maintain the correct number of tiles on their rack.

Calling Tiles

Players may call a discarded tile if:

It completes a pung, kong, or quint
The hand is not concealed

Tiles may not be called to complete singles or pairs unless it is the final tile you need for Mah Jongg.

When a tile is called:

The completed grouping is exposed on the rack
The player takes the next turn
One tile is discarded

Calling tiles changes the order of play and reveals information to other players.

Concealed Hands

If a line on the NMJL card is marked Concealed, the hand must be:

Drawn entirely from the wall
Not exposed during play
Revealed only when Mah Jongg is declared

Calling tiles for concealed hands is not allowed unless it is the final tile you need for Mah Jongg.

Exposing tiles incorrectly will result in a dead hand.

Jokers

Jokers are a standard part of American Mah Jongg.

Jokers:

May be used in pungs, kongs, and quints
May not be used in singles or pairs

A player may exchange a natural tile for a joker in another player’s exposure, but only during their own turn.

Flowers

Flowers are special tiles that appear in many NMJL hands.

There are eight Flower tiles in total.
Flowers are not part of any suit.

Their use is always specified on the NMJL card.

Dead Hands

A hand becomes dead if:

A player has too few or too many tiles at any time
A tile is picked out of turn
The hand no longer matches any line on the NMJL card
A concealed hand is exposed during play

A player who is called dead remains at the table, but the player:

May not call tiles
May not declare Mah Jongg
Does not continue discarding tiles

Dead hands help maintain fairness and consistency.

Declaring Mah Jongg

A player declares “Mah Jongg” when:

All 14 tiles match one complete line on the NMJL card
All rules have been followed
Jokers are used legally
Exposures are correct

Once Mah Jongg is declared, the game ends and the hand is verified.

Why Rules Matter

American Mah Jongg works because players across the country follow the same basic rules. Consistency allows players to move between groups, clubs, and tournaments without confusion.

Clear rules:

Prevent disputes at the table
Reduce dead hands
Keep the game moving smoothly
Support fair play