MahjTips

American Mahjong Beginner Cheat Sheet

A quick one-page table checklist for beginners.

Use this when the table is moving and you need a fast reminder: count your tiles, protect natural pairs, check joker fit, call carefully, and choose safer discards.

For the full learning path, start with the beginner guide, keep this page beside your rack, save the table cards to your phone, and practice one decision at a time.

First check

During play, you usually have 13 tiles between turns and 14 only when drawing, calling, or declaring Mah Jongg. If the count feels off, pause before discarding.

Before the Charleston

Sort by suit, honors, flowers, and jokers.
Circle natural pairs in your mind. Pairs need real tiles.
Notice repeated numbers and connected suit clusters.
Pick two possible card areas before passing gets serious.

When Passing

Pass true strays before flexible tiles.
Keep tiles that support more than one possible direction.
Do not break a useful natural pair unless your card gives you a reason.
If your rack is strong and your table allows it, consider whether a blind pass is safer.

Joker Check

Jokers help groups of three or more.
Jokers do not solve singles or pairs.
Exposed jokers may be exchanged by another player with the natural tile.
A hand with natural-only parts still needs those natural tiles.

Call or Wait

Call only when the discard completes a legal exposure or Mah Jongg.
Do not expose a concealed hand except when rules allow the winning call.
Ask whether the call truly makes you closer.
Late calls can be worth it. Early calls should earn the information they reveal.

Discard Safety

Discard from outside your main and backup directions first.
Repeatedly discarded tiles are often safer than fresh live tiles.
Be careful discarding into another player's exposure.
Late in the hand, choose safe over clever.