Mahjong styles

American vs Chinese vs Japanese mahjong

They share the same roots and many of the same tiles, but they play like three different games. Here's what sets them apart.

Mahjong began in China and spread around the world, picking up local rules as it went. There are many regional styles. This page compares the three you're most likely to meet: American mahjong, Hong Kong (often just called Chinese) mahjong, and Japanese Riichi mahjong. Each also has its own variations, so think of this as a general picture.

At a glance

The tiles

All three styles share the core tiles: three suits numbered 1 to 9, four Winds and three Dragons, with four copies of each. That's 136 tiles.

• American sets add 8 Flowers and 8 Jokers, making 152. See them all on the tile guide.
• Hong Kong sets usually add 8 flower and season tiles, making 144.
• Riichi sets usually have the 136 core tiles, often with some specially marked red five tiles used for bonus points.

The suit names differ too. Americans say Bams, Craks and Dots. Other styles use names like bamboos, characters and circles, or local-language names. They're the same three suits.

Because of these differences, you can't play American mahjong with a Chinese or Japanese set. There are no jokers. Our guide to buying a set explains what to look for.

Jokers

Jokers are unique to American mahjong. They can stand in for any tile in a group of three or more identical tiles, but never as a single tile or in a pair. A discarded joker is dead and can't be called. Players can also swap a real tile for a joker in an exposed group on their turn.

The other styles have no wild tiles at all. Every group must be made of real tiles. If joker rules are new to you, try the joker quiz.

The Charleston

American mahjong begins with a structured tile exchange called the Charleston. Players pass three tiles right, across and left, then optionally left, across and right, followed by an optional courtesy pass with the player across. Learn it on the Charleston page.

Neither Hong Kong nor Riichi mahjong has anything like it. Play begins straight after the deal. That makes the American game's opening quite different. You can reshape your hand a good deal before the first discard, which is why Charleston strategy matters so much.

The card versus fixed hands

This is the biggest difference of all.

In American mahjong, you can only win with a hand printed on the card from the National Mah Jongg League. The card changes every year, so the possible winning hands change too. Many hands follow themes: even numbers, the current year, consecutive numbers, winds and dragons and so on. Our guide to reading the card explains the layout.

In Hong Kong and Riichi mahjong, there's no card. The basic winning hand is the same every year: usually four sets plus a pair. A set is a pung (three of a kind) or a chow (three in a row of one suit). There are also some special hands. What you score depends on the patterns your hand contains.

Calling discards

In American mahjong, you can call a discard only to complete a group of three or more identical tiles that you then expose, or to win. You can't call a discard to make a run, a pair or a single, unless it's the tile that wins you the game.

In Hong Kong and Riichi mahjong, you can also call to complete a chow, though usually only from the player just before you. Each style has its own detailed priority rules.

Riichi adds a well-known rule about discards: in general, you can't win on another player's discard if you've already discarded one of the tiles that would complete your hand. This encourages careful defensive play.

Flowers

In American mahjong, flowers are real parts of hands. Many hands on the card include them, and you can use jokers in groups of flowers. All eight flowers count the same.

In Hong Kong mahjong, flowers and seasons are bonus tiles. When you draw one, you set it aside and draw a replacement. They can add to your score but aren't part of the hand itself.

In Riichi, flowers usually aren't used at all.

Scoring

• American: the hand you win with has a value printed on the card. The discarder pays double, self-picked wins are paid double by everyone, and jokerless hands double again (except Singles and Pairs). See scoring and payouts.
• Hong Kong: hands earn points (often called fan) for particular patterns, such as all one suit or certain honour tiles. Many tables require a minimum number of points to win.
• Riichi: one of the more detailed systems. A winning hand must contain at least one recognised scoring pattern (called a yaku). The final score depends on these patterns plus other factors, and players typically start with a set number of points that change hands throughout the game.

Which should you learn?

Learn the style your friends play. In the United States, many social groups and clubs play the American game with the League's card. If you're joining a local group, it may well be American mahjong, but ask to be sure.

Already know another style? You'll recognise the tiles and the basic rhythm of draw and discard. The new parts to learn are the jokers, the Charleston and the card. Start with how to play, then practise on the Daily Charleston.

Questions

Is mahjong solitaire the same game?

No. Mahjong solitaire is a one-player tile-matching game that uses mahjong tiles. It has nothing to do with the rules of the four-player game.

Can I play American mahjong with a Chinese set?

Not as it comes. Chinese sets have no jokers. Some players add joker stickers to spare tiles, but an American set is the reliable choice.

Do American players call runs like "chow"?

No. Some hands on the card include consecutive numbers, but you can't call a discard to complete a run. Discards can only be called for groups of identical tiles, or for mahjong.

Is one style harder than the others?

They're hard in different ways. American mahjong asks you to learn a new card every year. Riichi has the most detailed scoring. Hong Kong scoring is simpler than Riichi, but strategy still takes time to master.