Independent reference

Mahjong rules, scored and explained

Six rule sets share one tile set and almost nothing else. This handbook shows what actually changes between them — tile counts, minimum hands, claiming rules and payout — so you can sit down at any table and know what you are playing.

Short answer: mahjong is a four-player tile game in which you draw, discard and claim tiles to build four sets plus one pair. A hand is only valid if it also clears the style's minimum — 8 fan in Chinese Official, at least one yaku under riichi rules in Japanese, 5 tai in Taiwanese, and a card-listed pattern in American mahjong.

Start with the rules Compare all styles