Mahjong is a traditional Chinese tile-based game that has been played around the world for centuries and has only grown in popularity with the advent of computer games. Known for its traits that involve strategy and pattern recognition, Mahjong can seem complex at first. However, once you understand the basic rules and setup, it becomes an intellectually stimulating game and an overall enjoyable pastime. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up and play Mahjong, step by step.

What is Mahjong?

The modern standard version of Mahjong (also known as Hong Kong-style Mahjong) is a four-player game played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. The objective is to build a complete hand using a combination of tiles called melds and a pair. Although there are several regional variations, this guide focuses on the basic setup and rules used in Hong Kong Mahjong, one of the hugely popular traditional versions.

Single player Mahjong – Mahjong Solitaire

Meanwhile, the most popular version of the game played on a computer is the single-player variant, sometimes referred to as Mahjong Solitaire. You can play such a single-player variant of Mahjong here on 1号FRVR.

What You Need to Play Hong Kong Mahjong

To get started, you’ll need the following components:

Mahjong tiles (144 pieces)	Includes suits (Bamboo, Dots, Characters), Honour tiles (Winds and Dragons), and bonus tiles (Flowers and Seasons).
Four players	Mahjong is traditionally played with four people.
Dice	Typically, two six-sided dice are used.
Wind indicators or markers	Optional, but helpful for tracking the dealer and round wind.

Mahjong Tile Breakdown

Knowing all of the tile types is quite important before starting the game, so let’s go through a quick summary:

• Suits (108 tiles total):
  • Bamboo (1-9)
  • Dots (1-9)
  • Characters (1-9)
  • Each number appears four times in each suit.
• Honour Tiles (28 tiles):
  • Winds: East, South, West, North (4 of each)
  • Dragons: Red, Green, White (4 of each)
• Bonus Tiles (8 tiles):
  • Flowers and Seasons (1 of each, optional for scoring)

How to Set Up Mahjong Step by Step

1. Build the Wall

Each player shuffles the tiles face down and builds a wall in front of them, two tiles high and 18 tiles long, creating a square wall of 144 tiles.

2. Decide the Dealer

Roll the dice to determine the dealer (called East wind). The player with the highest roll becomes East and deals the first hand. The player to their right is South, followed by West and North.

3. Breaking the Wall

The dealer rolls the dice again to decide where to break the wall. Counting clockwise from themselves, they count the total and break the wall at the indicated player’s wall. Starting from the break, players take turns drawing 13 tiles each. The dealer takes one extra tile (14 total) to start the game.

How to Play Mahjong

Objective of the Game

The goal is to form a complete Mahjong hand, typically made up of:

• Four melds (sets of 3 tiles): These can be a Pung (three of a kind), Chow (a sequence of three consecutive numbers in the same suit), or Kong (four of a kind).
• One pair: Two identical tiles.

Taking Turns

Each turn consists of:

• Drawing a tile: From the wall or from a discarded tile (only if it completes a Pung, Kong, or Chow).
• Discarding a tile: So you always keep 13 tiles in hand (14 when you win).

Calling Tiles

Players can “call” tiles to complete sets:

• Pung: Call a discarded tile to form three of a kind (announce and reveal the set).
• Chow: Call a tile to complete a sequence (only from the player on your left).
• Kong: Call or draw the fourth tile of a set (draw a replacement tile from the wall).

Declaring Mahjong

If a player completes a hand of four melds and one pair (14 tiles in total), they declare “Mahjong” and reveal their hand. The game ends, and scoring begins.

Rules to Tally Score in Mahjong

Scoring systems vary widely by region. In Hong Kong Mahjong, each winning hand is given a base point value, which can be increased with bonuses like:

• Self-draw wins
• Flower and season tiles
• Concealed hands
• Higher-point melds (like a Kong)

Players settle scores at the end of each round based on the hand’s value.

Quick Tips for Beginners:

• Learn the tile symbols and names early on.
• Practice identifying possible melds quickly.
• Focus on one or two potential hand patterns as you begin.
• Pay attention to discards to avoid helping opponents.

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Learning how to set up and play Mahjong opens the door to a rewarding and engaging hobby. While the rules may seem complicated at first, with a few practice rounds and familiarity with the tiles, you’ll soon find yourself immersed in the game.