How to Play American Mahjong: The NMJL Card

American Mah Jongg, defined by the NMJL, uses 152 tiles, allows no chows, and requires every hand to match a formula on that year's card — which makes it nearly a separate game from Asian mahjong.

About rule differences Overseas variants are defined by associations, clubs or the table itself. This page gives the mainstream version to build a frame and read the jargon; in a real game or tournament, the official or table rules win.

1. What makes it different

More tiles: 152 = 108 suited tiles + 16 winds + 12 dragons + 8 flowers + 8 jokers. No chows: only Pung (three of a kind) and Kong (four) are allowed — there are no sequences. Win by card: you cannot freestyle a hand; you must complete one of the hands printed on that year's NMJL card. Turn order is counterclockwise (to the right), opposite to most Asian play.

2. Jokers and flowers

The 8 jokers substitute for almost any tile — except where the card forbids it (some pairs and singles), which is marked on the card. The 8 flowers are mainly for scoring/exchange and do not build hands. Each player starts with 13 tiles; the dealer (East) has 14. Draw-and-discard until someone matches a card hand.

3. The card is the soul of the game

The NMJL issues a new card every year (usually spring), so the winning hands change annually. Each line is a formula (which tiles, how many, what pattern) with a point value. Because of the card, American mahjong rewards memorising hands, tracking tiles, and winning fast — not free-form building.

4. The Charleston and the turn

The Charleston is the opening exchange: pass three tiles right, then across, then left; an optional second Charleston and a courtesy pass may follow. Jokers may not be passed. After the Charleston the dealer plays; turns go counterclockwise, with Pung/Kong calls at any time.

5. Scoring and winning

Your score is the value printed on the matched card line, plus bonuses for pungs/kongs shown on the card. Winning as East (dealer) often doubles the score — confirm at your table. Discard and self-draw wins both exist; conventions vary by club.

Practice checklist

  1. Get this year's card and circle the joker rules and where jokers are forbidden in pairs.
  2. Drill the Charleston with a friend: pass three tiles right/across/left until it is automatic.
  3. Memorise the card in tiers: simplest hands first, then joker hands, then long flower hands.
  4. Use a real 152-tile set (with 8 jokers) so 144-tile habits don't creep back.
  5. Delete all chow thinking: rebuild your grouping around pungs, kongs and pairs.

FAQ

How many tiles are in American mahjong?
152: 108 suited + 16 winds + 12 dragons + 8 flowers + 8 jokers.
Why are there no chows in American mahjong?
NMJL rules use only Pung and Kong, and every hand must match the annual card, so free-form sequence building does not apply.
What is the NMJL card?
The annual official list of winning hand formulas and their values issued by the National Mah Jongg League; players must play the current year's card.
Is American or Japanese mahjong easier to learn?
For Asian-mahjong players riichi is closer (same tiles, add yaku); American mahjong changes tiles and winning logic, so it's the steepest switch.

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