This tutorial explains the game of Mah Jongg and the process in detail. These instructions have been field tested by teachers and grateful beginners who praise their usefulness and merits. The visuals on the Help Sheet and the reminders are great! Some of the examples are not found in any lesson books. The fake practice beginner card allows you to start playing the game immediately.
Mah Jongg is a game of strategy and requires the ability to shift between two or more possible solutions to a problem. A bit of luck also helps! It can be somewhat addictive — you have been warned!
The Mah Jongg instructional tutorial is shown below. Just click on the link. These instructions are based on the American version of Mah Jongg which contains Jokers. In order to win the game, one player must accumulate the 14 tiles required to make one of the sequences (or hands) shown on the card which is available from the National Mah Jongg League.
Have fun! Enjoy!
You are welcome to copy and share all documents and lessons from this website. Please make sure the name of the website, “ATeacherFirst.com,” remains on them so the website is credited.
Many readers have questions. Here is a compilation of frequently asked questions:
Here is a one-page Help Sheet that you may want to keep handy while you are learning. It has some tips and focuses on specific aspects of the game which players seem to forget. For example, you cannot use a Joker in a single or a pair, never, not ever! Not even for Mahj! The abbreviated instructions are useful after new players have played a few times and might want to quickly look up a step if they are in doubt what happens next. Complete instructions are above.
Mah Jongg Help Sheet and Abbreviated Instructions
One of my readers created a compact “cheat sheet” to help beginners, modifying my Help Sheet above. This card can be printed, back-to-back, on 8-1/2″ x 14″ paper. Thanks to Anita Mullen for this great idea!
This sheet gives an explanation of the sequences on the Mah Jongg card, with fake examples and a fake card that can be used to practice.