What Is Mahjong? A Beginner’s Guide for Active Adults

Learning to play mahjong is about building community. People of all ages see the tile-based game as a way to disconnect from a technology-driven world and experience in-person connections. In fact, online searches for mahjong clubs have grown by 4,500% in the last year. Yes. That’s not a typo. It is 4,500%.

So, what is it about the centuries-old game that attracts 21st-century players?

What Is Mahjong?

Mahjong was brought to America from China in the 1800s, resulting in two forms of the game. In the American version, players match tiles to a prescribed hand printed on cards that change annually. The Chinese form does not use cards. 

Chinese mahjong and its variants are like complicated forms of rummy played with tiles. Like rummy, its objective is to have the most points at the end of the game. Unlike rummy, it is designed for four individual players. Each player tries to have the most points after four rounds of play. After each round, points are tallied and chips exchanged. The player with the highest value of chips wins. As an option, the chips may be converted into money at the end of the game.

What Is Needed to Play?

Traditional mahjong sets consist of the following:

• Four sets of character tiles, numbered one through nine
• Four sets of bamboo tiles, numbered one through nine
• Four sets of circle tiles, numbered one through nine
• 16 wind tiles, four for each direction of East, South, West, and North
• 12 dragon tiles, three groups of four tiles in red, blue, and green

While mahjong sets may be purchased, experienced players often have custom-crafted sets of 136 tiles. Some sets include eight optional flower tiles to increase the game’s difficulty. Mahjong sets also include dice, chips, and wind discs. Two wind discs help track players and rounds. One disc has the four wind directions to identify the player, and the second disc displays the tile group being played. 

Chips should be divided into three different colored groups with the following values :

• Ten chips are worth 10 points each.
• Four chips are worth 100 points each.
• Three chips are worth 500 points each.

The total value of chips should equal 2,000 points.

Getting Ready to Play

Mahjong tables are squares with three-foot sides, raised edges, and a felt surface. Raised edges prevent tiles from falling, and the covered surface reduces noise and potential damage when tiles move across a table’s surface. However, any square table will do. 

Assigning Seats

Where players sit depends on their wind tile. One player selects one tile for each wind (East, South, West, North), places them face down, mixes the tiles, and then stacks them on top of each other to make a tower. The same player rolls the dice and counts around the table until they reach the combined total. That player picks the first tile from the wind tower. The remaining players pick their tiles in counterclockwise order.

Once everyone has a wind tile, each player reveals it. The player with the East tile chooses their seat. The South player sits to East’s right, West sits across from East, and North sits to East’s left. 

Building Walls

Players place all tiles face down on the table. They mix the tiles well before building their walls. Each player constructs a wall that is 17 tiles long and two tiles high. All tiles are placed face down. The walls are set in the center of the table, forming a square. The walls should extend two tiles beyond the intersection point of the walls. The positioning forms an inner and outer corner for each wall. In American mahjong, the walls do not need to touch.

Taking Tiles

Taking tiles varies significantly between American and Chinese mahjong. The following paragraphs describe Chinese mahjong. For information on American rules, check out the American Mahjong Association.

Before players begin picking tiles, the starting banker must “open the gate” or identify where the players may begin to take tiles. The starting banker is the player who selected the first tile from the wind tower. The banker uses the combined number from the dice roll to count tiles from the right inner corner of the facing wall, moving left. When the number is reached, the banker takes the two stacks of tiles (four tiles total) immediately following “the gate.” Each player removes two stacks, repeating the process until each player has 12 tiles.

The banker then takes two more tiles by taking one tile from the next stack and one tile from the third stack, skipping the second stack completely. Each player takes one added tile. Players may place their tiles in Scrabble-like holders or stand them on the table.

Starting to Play

Much like rummy, players may select the most recently discarded tile or pick a tile from the wall as they attempt to build the following groupings. A winning hand must include two of a kind. 

• Three of a kind (three identical tiles)
• Four of a kind (four identical tiles)
• Run (three consecutive tiles from the same suit—bamboo, character, or circle)
• Value sets (three or four of a kind made up of dragon tiles—wind tiles can be value sets if the wind tile matches the player’s wind seat)
• Two of a kind (a pair of identical tiles or “eyes”)

Mahjong classifies sets as open or closed. A closed set is created through tiles in a player’s hand or taken from the wall.  An open set is made from a discarded tile. When players select a discarded tile to complete a set, they must display the set.

What Makes a Game?

Games are divided into hands and rounds. A hand continues until a player puts all their tiles into sets and runs, including two of a kind. If a banker wins a hand, they continue as the banker. If another player wins, the banker role rotates to the right. A game has a minimum of 16 hands.

Four rounds, each named after a wind, make up a game. Rounds are complete when each player has had a turn at being the banker. Because games can last hours—even days—players should tally their scores at the end of each hand to keep a running total.

Mahjong is a visual game where inexperienced and new players watch others play. Mahjong clubs allow enthusiasts to sharpen their skills and beginners to learn the game. They can provide a multi-generational connection for active adults. Online versions are also available for those wanting a virtual community.

Active Adult Communities With Mahjong Clubs

Learning mahjong goes faster when you have a regular group to play with. The 140 active adult communities below all list a mahjong club among their resident-run activities, and they span 19 states from Arizona to Connecticut. Select any community name to see current homes for sale, amenities, and the full club roster.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mahjong?

Mahjong is a tile-based game for four players, brought to America from China in the 1800s. Chinese mahjong plays like a complicated form of rummy, with the winner holding the most points after four rounds. The American version has players match tiles to prescribed hands printed on cards that change annually.

Is mahjong hard to learn?

Not especially. It’s a visual game, and most beginners learn by watching others play first. Building sets, runs, and a pair will feel familiar to anyone who’s played rummy. The wall setup and knowing when to claim a discard take the longest to master.

Why is mahjong so popular right now?

Online searches for mahjong clubs have grown 4,500% in the past year. Players from millennials to boomers are drawn to it as a way to unplug and connect in person.

What’s the difference between American and Chinese mahjong?

The card. American mahjong uses annually updated cards listing the hands players must match; Chinese mahjong uses none. Tile-taking rules also differ, and American walls don’t need to touch.

How many tiles are in a mahjong set?

A standard set has 136 tiles: four sets each of character, bamboo, and circle tiles numbered one through nine, plus 16 wind tiles and 12 dragon tiles. Some sets add eight flower tiles to raise the difficulty.

What do you need to play mahjong?

Tiles, dice, chips, two wind discs, and a square table. One disc identifies the player by direction and the other shows which tile group is in play. Chips total 2,000 points across three colored groups.

Do I need a special mahjong table?

No. Any square table works. Traditional tables have three-foot sides, raised edges to keep tiles from falling, and a felt surface that reduces noise and tile damage.

How many tiles does each player start with?

Thirteen. Players take two stacks at a time until everyone holds 12, then the banker draws one tile from the next stack and one from the third, skipping the second. Each other player takes one more.

What counts as a winning hand in mahjong?

Every winning hand must include a pair, called “eyes.” The rest is built from three of a kind, four of a kind, runs of three consecutive tiles in one suit, and value sets of dragon or matching wind tiles.

How do I find a community where people play mahjong?

Mahjong clubs are the best entry point, and many active adult communities host regular games as part of their social calendars. Browse communities at 55places.com or connect with a 55places agent to find neighborhoods where the game is already part of daily life.

Like this content? Sign up to receive more

Want to learn more about 55+ communities?

• Insights and market stats
• Instant new home alerts
• Answers from local 55+ experts

Email*

Call us now: (800) 928-2055

Get Access

Thanks! A local 55+ expert will be in touch shortly.

Deana Becker

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza). View all authors