American Mahjong Rules: What Is the NMJL Card and How Do You Play?

American mahjong is a social, four-player tile game governed by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), famous for its annual official card of winning hands, wild jokers, and the signature tile-passing ritual called the Charleston. If you are stepping away from the solo tile-matching apps on your phone or wondering how this version differs from Asian variants, understanding the NMJL ecosystem is your first step.

American Mahjong vs. Solitaire and Asian Styles

One of the most common points of confusion for Western players is the difference between real mahjong and the tile-matching video games popularized on computers and phones. Those single-player digital games are actually "Mahjong Solitaire," where you clear matching pairs from a stacked pyramid. Real mahjong is a dynamic, tactical four-player table game requiring strategy, defensive play, and social interaction.

Within real mahjong, American mahjong stands apart from Chinese, Hong Kong, and Japanese riichi styles. While Chinese and Hong Kong variants rely heavily on making basic sets of three (pungs, kongs, and chows) to form open-ended winning hands, American mahjong requires you to match a specific pattern printed on a copyrighted yearly pamphlet. It is also the only major style that routinely incorporates jokers into regular play, making it fast-paced and high-scoring.

Understanding "The Card"

At the heart of every American game is the NMJL card, officially published every spring. This small, tri-fold paper card lists dozens of permissible winning hands for the current year. If a combination is not printed on the current year's card, you cannot win with it.

Because the card changes annually, players must buy a new one every year to stay current. The hands are color-coded and organized into distinct categories such as Consec. (consecutive numbers), 2 4 6 8, and the famous Year hands (which use the current year's digits, like 2026). Every player at the table studies this card intensely during the game, looking for patterns to build while guessing what opponents are trying to collect.

The Charleston: The Tile-Passing Ritual

American mahjong begins with a unique ritual called the Charleston (a tile-passing routine at the start of an American game). After the tiles are dealt and walls are broken, players pass unwanted tiles to their neighbors in a mandatory sequence designed to help everyone improve their hands before play truly begins.

The standard Charleston happens in three mandatory steps:

1. First Right: Pass three unwanted tiles face-down to the player on your right.
2. Across: Take three tiles passed from your right, combine them with any other unwanted tiles from your hand, and pass three tiles straight across to the player opposite you.
3. Left: Take three tiles from across, combine them with your hand, and pass three tiles to your left.

After the mandatory left pass, a courtesy pass may occur if all four players agree, allowing players to pass up to three tiles across one final time. Once the Charleston concludes, the actual drawing and discarding phase of the game commences.

Jokers and How to Use Them

Jokers are a defining element of American mahjong, adding immense flexibility and excitement. There are eight jokers included in a standard American tile set, featuring a distinct label across the face.

Jokers can be used as wild cards to represent any tile in a group of three or four identical tiles (such as three eights or four dragons). However, they generally cannot be used in single tiles or pairs unless specifically permitted by a particular line on the card. Furthermore, if an opponent exposes a tile on a rack that contains a joker, you can often "redeem" that joker by swapping it out for the exact natural tile it represents, provided you hold that natural tile in your hand.

Basic Gameplay and Winning

Play moves counter-clockwise around the table. On your turn, you draw a tile from the wall (or take the most recently discarded tile if you need it to complete a set for exposure). If you draw or take a tile that completes one of the exact patterns on the card, you declare "Mahjong!" and win the game.

Scoring in American mahjong is straightforward compared to other variants. The winning hand's point value is printed right on the NMJL card, ranging from 25 points up to standard limit hands (often 250 or 500 points, or special singles and pairs hands). If a player wins off a discarded tile, the person who threw that tile typically pays a penalty to the winner.

For a deeper dive into learning the ropes, explore our guide on how to play American mahjong or check out the American mahjong hand checker to test your combinations.

Table Etiquette and Next Steps

American mahjong is traditionally a polite, highly social game enjoyed in living rooms, country clubs, and community centers. Good table etiquette requires keeping your discarded tiles neatly organized in front of your rack in a grid, announcing your discards clearly so everyone can follow along, and avoiding table talk that hints at what tiles you hold or need.

To get started, purchase a current NMJL card, gather a set of American mahjong tiles with racks, and find three friends to learn with. Take your time consulting the card during your early games, and do not worry about speed until the tile combinations become second nature.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NMJL card in American mahjong?

An NMJL card is the official annual pamphlet published by the National Mah Jongg League that lists all permissible winning tile combinations for the current year. Players must reference this card throughout the game, as you can only win with a hand pattern printed on it.

Are jokers used in all mahjong games?

No, jokers are exclusive to American mahjong. Traditional Asian variants like Hong Kong mahjong, Chinese classical, and Japanese riichi do not use joker tiles, relying instead on natural tiles, bonus tiles, and specific scoring hand structures called yaku.

What is the Charleston in mahjong?

The Charleston is a mandatory tile-passing ritual at the very beginning of an American mahjong game. Players swap unwanted tiles with their neighbors in a set sequence (right, across, left) to help improve their starting hands before drawing from the wall.

How many players are needed for American mahjong?

American mahjong is strictly a four-player game. Unlike solitaire app versions designed for a single user, the real tabletop game requires four participants sitting around a square table to manage the tile walls, the Charleston, and the defensive discard pile.