About
An independent, plain-English guide for people who are learning mahjong.
What we do
Mahjong Beginner Guide is for adults who were invited to a game, were given a set, or want a social hobby. We explain the rules in short steps, define every term the first time, and say who a product is not for.
American mahjong is at the center of the site, because it is what most US clubs and classes play. We also cover Hong Kong, Chinese and Riichi mahjong, and we credit the game's Chinese origins and its American history.
How we write
- Our own words. We describe how the game works. We never reproduce the National Mah Jongg League's yearly card.
- Rules humility. Home tables often play slightly different house rules. We say "most tables" and point to the League's Mah Jongg Made Easy booklet for official American rulings.
- Sources. Rules articles list their sources at the end.
- Honest recommendations. Affiliate commissions and ads never change what we recommend. See our affiliate disclosure.
- Photos. Most photos come from Unsplash, and every photographer is credited.
Who writes it
The Mahjong Beginner Guide Team
We love mahjong and teaching it. We write plain-English guides for people learning to play, credit our sources, and say where tables differ.
What we are not
We are not the official source of the rules (that is the National Mah Jongg League), a card-reproduction site or a store. Mahjong Beginner Guide is independent and is not affiliated with the National Mah Jongg League.
Questions or corrections? Get in touch.