How to Read the NMJL Card.

The National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card is the official reference used to play American Mah Jongg. Every winning hand must match one complete line on the current year’s card.

Learning how to read the card is one of the most important skills in American Mah Jongg. While the hands change each year, the structure of the card remains consistent, which makes it possible to understand any new card once you know how it is organized.

This page explains how the card is laid out and how to interpret what each line is telling you.

How the NMJL Card Is Organized

The NMJL card is divided into sections, and each section contains multiple lines.

A section groups together hands with similar patterns.
A line represents one specific legal hand.

Each line shows:

The number patterns
The groupings (pairs, pungs, kongs, quints)
Suit requirements
Whether the hand is concealed or may be exposed
Any required flowers, winds, or dragons

To win, a player’s 14 tiles must match one full line, not a combination of parts from multiple lines.

Understanding Sections

While section names change slightly from year to year, common sections include:

Year hands (based on the current year)
Odds and evens
2468
369
Consecutive runs
Like numbers
Winds and dragons
Singles and pairs

Each section has its own logic. Some emphasize runs, others focus on matching numbers, and some rely heavily on winds or dragons.

Players often choose a section early in the game and narrow down to a specific line as the hand develops.

Understanding Groupings

The card uses standard groupings to show how many tiles belong together:

Pair – two identical tiles
Pung – three identical tiles
Kong – four identical tiles
Quint – five identical tiles

Jokers may be used in pungs, kongs, and quints, but never in singles or pairs.

Suits and Colors on the Card

American Mah Jongg uses three suits:

Dots
Bams
Craks

When a line shows numbers in one color, the tiles must all be in the same suit.

When a line shows numbers in different colors, the differently colored groupings must be in different suits.

Colors on the card do not refer to dragon colors. They are only used to indicate suit requirements.

Concealed vs. Exposed Hands

Some lines on the card are marked “Concealed.”

A concealed hand:

Must be drawn entirely from the wall
Cannot call tiles from other players, except when calling the final tile needed for Mah Jongg
Is only exposed when Mah Jongg is declared

If a line does not say concealed, the hand may be exposed by calling tiles to complete pungs, kongs, or quints.

Flowers, Winds, and Dragons on the Card

Some lines require flowers, dragons, or winds.

Flowers and Winds (North, South, East, West) form their own groupings and are not part of any suit.
Dragons must match the suit of the grouping they accompany:
- Red dragons with craks
- Green dragons with bams
- White dragons with dots

The only exception is that when the white dragon is used as a zero, it can be used with any suit. These requirements are always explicitly shown on the card.

Why Reading the Card Matters

The NMJL card is the shared language of American Mah Jongg. Every player nationwide uses the same card, which makes it possible to play consistently across different groups and locations.

Understanding how to read the card allows players to:

Recognize legal hands more quickly
Avoid building dead hands
Make better Charleston decisions
Adjust smoothly when the card changes each year