Who this site is for
Maybe you just joined a mahjong club or signed up for a class. Maybe a friend invited you to game night and you don't want to be the one holding everyone up. Maybe you've never played any tile game at all. This site is for you.
American mahjong is a wonderful game, but the first few nights can feel overwhelming. There are 152 tiles to recognize, a yearly card full of unfamiliar notation, and the Charleston, a tile-passing round that confuses almost everyone at first. We built firstmahj to make that first stretch calmer, like having a patient friend sit beside you at the table.
What you'll find here
- Free interactive tools. A tile quiz, a Charleston simulator, and a payout calculator. They run in your browser, with no sign-up required.
- Plain-English guides. From how to play to table etiquette to a first game night checklist.
- Respect for the game's roots. Mahjong began in China, and we think knowing its history makes the game richer. Read more in American vs. Chinese mahjong.
We never reproduce the official card
The yearly card of winning hands is published by the National Mah Jongg League. It's copyrighted, and sales of the card support the League's work. We never copy, paraphrase, or describe hands from the official card, from any year. Every example hand on this site is an original practice hand we created for teaching, and each one is clearly labeled "Practice card — not the official card."
To play, you'll need the real thing. Get the official card from the National Mah Jongg League at nationalmahjonggleague.org.
An independent site
firstmahj.com is an independent educational site. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Mah Jongg League or any mahjong company. Rules can vary from group to group, so when in doubt, follow your table's house rules.
Questions, corrections, or ideas? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].
