Playing the Game
The Basics

After East discards the first tile, the game has officially begun.

Play moves counterclockwise, beginning with the player to East’s immediate right.

Player’s Turn: 4 Steps

On a player’s turn, they follow these four steps, in order:

  1. Pick or Claim a Tile (14th Tile)
    1. A player must either:
      1. Pick the next available tile from the end of the wall, or
      2. Claim the tile most recently discarded by another player.
        1. If a discarded tile is claimed an exposure must be made.
  2. Determine if Mah Jongg
    1. The player checks their hand to see if they have a valid winning Mah Jongg hand.
  3. Joker Exchange (optional)
    1. A player may perform a Joker Exchange (see Jokers & Joker Exchange section for details).
  4. Discard a Tile
    1. If the player does not declare Mah Jongg, they must discard one unwanted tile to end their turn.
    2. Place the tile face-up within the playing area.
    3. Fully name the discarded tile.

Play then continues counterclockwise to the player on the right.

Picking Tile from the Wall

When a player picks a tile from the wall their hand total becomes 14 tiles and they have these options:

  • Declare Mah Jongg immediately, or
  • Perform a Joker Exchange, or
  • Keep the new tile and discard a different tile, or
  • Discard the tile just picked.

Important:

  • A player who touches but does not move a tile on the wall is not committed to picking the tile from the wall.
  • A player who moves a wall tile, even slightly, is committed to picking the tile from the wall.
  • Players cannot create an exposure using a tile picked directly from the wall unless declaring Mah Jongg immediately.

Discarding a tile ends the player’s turn and returns their hand total to 13 tiles.

Serving New Walls

  • When the current served wall runs out of tiles, the next player clockwise (to the left) serves their wall.
  • Players continue selecting tiles from the newly served wall.

Claiming Discarded Tiles

When a player claims a discarded tile their hand total becomes 14 tiles and they have these two options:

  • Declare Mah Jongg immediately, or
  • Create a valid exposure by placing the claimed discarded tile on top of their rack, along with additional tiles from their hand to complete the exposure. After creating a valid exposure, the player may:
    • Perform a Joker Exchange, or
    • Discard a tile from their hand.

Discarding a tile ends the player’s turn and returns their hand total to 13 tiles.

Important: After a player claims a discarded tile, makes an exposure, and discards a tile, play continues counterclockwise from the claimant, not the player who discarded the tile. Players between the original discarder and the claimant may have their turns skipped, depending on who claimed the discarded tile.

Window of Opportunity

The timeframe to claim the most recently discarded tile is called the “window of opportunity”.

The window opens:

  • When a discarded tile is fully named or touches the playing area, whichever comes first.

The window closes:

  • When the player to the right of the discarder picks a tile from the wall and:
    • racks the tile, or
    • immediately discards the tile, or
    • immediately declares Mah Jongg, or
    • immediately initiates a Joker Exchange.

Important:

  • Racking a tile is not required to close the window of opportunity.  A player is not required to rack a tile to discard, declare Mah Jongg, or initiate a Joker Exchange.
  • Tapping or clicking the rack with the tile does not close the window and should be avoided because it has no effect. 
  • If the player to the right of the discarder picks a tile but hasn’t yet taken an action to close the window (see above), another player may still claim the discarded tile.
    • In this situation, the picked tile is returned exactly to its original location in the wall even if the player has seen the tile.

Rules for Claiming a Discarded Tile

Claiming for Mah Jongg

  • Any discarded natural tile (non-Joker) can be claimed immediately to declare Mah Jongg.
  • A discarded tile can be used to complete a Single, Pair, Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet grouping for Mah Jongg, including the visual appeal groupings:
    • Two Singles
    • Three Singles
    • Four Singles
    • Pair and Single
    • Two Pair and Single
    • Three Pair

Claiming for an Exposure

  • A discarded tile can be claimed for an exposure if it is used in a Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet.
  • A discarded tile cannot be claimed for an exposure if it is used in a Single or Pair, including visual appeal groupings.
  • Exposed Hand (X):
    • A discarded tile can be claimed for an exposure or Mah Jongg
  • Concealed Hand (C):
    • A discarded tile cannot be claimed for an exposure.
    • A discarded tile can only be claimed for immediate Mah Jongg.

Switching Hand Types

  • Players may switch freely between Concealed Hand (C) and Exposed Hand (X) hands if no exposures have yet been made.
  • After a player makes their first exposure, from a claimed discarded tile, they must remain committed to an Exposed Hand (X).

Discarded Jokers

  • Discarded Jokers are dead tiles and cannot be claimed.

Discarding Tiles Correctly

Players must fully and correctly name discarded tiles:

  • Suit Tiles – state number then suit (e.g. “Two Bam”, “Seven Crak”, “Four Dot”).
  • Wind Tiles – state direction (“North”, “East”, “South”, “West”).
  • Dragon Tiles – state color (“Red”, “Green”, “White” or “Soap”).
    • White Dragons are also commonly called “Soap”. Both terms clearly identify the same tile.
  • Flower Tiles – state “Flower”.
    • Avoid additional wording or numbering to minimize confusion.
  • Joker Tiles – state “Joker”. Alternatively, you can say “Same”, even if the previously discarded tile wasn’t a Joker. Or, you may clearly state the full name of the tile discarded immediately before.
    • If East’s first discard is a Joker, it must be stated as “Joker”.

Tile Discard Commitment (“Down is Down”)

  • A discard is final and irreversible when either:
    • The tile has been fully named (correctly or incorrectly), or
    • Any part of the tile touches the playing area.
  • If a player fully names a discarded tile incorrectly, that player must correct their spoken name but may not change the discarded tile.

How the Game Progresses

  • Players continue taking turns picking from the wall or claiming a discarded tile and discarding a tile, aiming to complete a 14-tile Mah Jongg hand.
  • As important as building your own hand is, blocking opponents is just as strategic. Players should be mindful of which tiles they discard to avoid helping others win.

Winning the Game – Declaring Mah Jongg

  • A player must have 14 tiles in a valid combination listed on the NMJL Card to declare Mah Jongg.
  • To declare, the player announces “Mah Jongg!” or “Mahj” and places the completed 14-tile hand face-up on top of their rack. When the winning tile is drawn from the wall, the player should say “I picked it,” then expose the completed hand.
  • All players verify the winning hand to ensure it matches a listed hand on the NMJL Card.
  • If the hand is valid:
    • The winner announces how much each player owes, and the other players pay accordingly.  If the winner announces too low a payout, no other player should correct it. The payout remains as stated.
    • A new game is started.
  • If the hand is invalid:
    • Mah Jongg in Error is declared.
    • The game continues with the remaining players.

Wall Games (No Winner)

  • If all four walls are exhausted and no player declares Mah Jongg, a Wall Game is declared.
  • No payments are made, and a new game begins.

Starting the Next Game

  • After a winning Mah Jongg or a Wall Game, East moves counterclockwise to the next player.
  • A new game begins with the mixing of tiles, rebuilding of walls, and selecting of new tiles.

Errors and Penalties