American Mahjong Game FAQs
What does a dragon do? A dragon in American mahjong is represented by the "D" on the card. Dragons are suit specific and similar to a face card like a jack. A dragon will be a crak, dot or bam, but does not have a number. The Soap (white dragon) is a neutral when used as a 0 or letter O as an alternative use.
What is a Soap used for? The Soap is the White Dragon and is the dots' dragon. The Soap is considered a neutral tile when used as a 0 or O on the American mahjong card.
How many tiles are in a standard game of American mahjong? A standard game of American mahjong is played with 152 tiles. Blanks and extra jokers can be added for games with table rules.
How to use a joker in American mahjong? A joker can be used in a meld of 3 or more identical tiles. A joker may never be used for a single or a pair.
Is the NMJL the only way to play American mahjong? No! The NMJL is a brand of American mahjong. NMJL is NOT the official way to play American mahjong. Think of NMJL like the Iphone. The Iphone is the most common cell phone, but there are many brands of cell phones on the market and it was not the original form of cell phone. American mahjong can be played different ways with different brands of cards, different rule books, blanks, Siamese, three player Bob and more.
How many tiles are dealt to each player in American mahjong? East receives 14 tiles. The other three players receive 13 tiles.
What is a flower tile in American mahjong? A flower tile represents the "F" on the NMJL card. The flower tiles are all considered identical tiles. There are 8 flowers in a standard American mahjong game in 2026, making it a great way to make any PPP (pung) or KKKK (kong) on an alternative mahjong card. These flowers may have numbers or seasons or different flower pictures on them, but everything in the garden is identical in American mahjong. A daffodil flower tile is the same as a red rose flower tile.
How to win a game of American mahjong? A game of American mahjong is won when a player is the first to complete a 14 tile sequence on the card.
What is Siamese mahjong? Siamese Mah Jongg is a trademarked game created by Gladys Grad. This is a version of a two player American mahjong game that has its own copyrighted card, rulebook and patented racks. Siamese mah jonng is played with walls, evenly dealt tiles and a specific mahjong card. One on One mahjong is a two player mahjong game played messy and East has 28 tiles to start, 27 tiles to the other player.
How is American mahjong spelled? Mah Jongg or mahjong or mahjongg? Mah Jongg and mahjong are bother correct. Mah Jongg refers to the trademarked name by Joseph Babcock in the 1920s. The extra letter "g" was added to mark the product genuine. The NMJL did not invent or trademark the Mah Jongg name.