Going further

FAQ

Stuck mid-game? Why you can’t call a tile, why jokers won’t select, why a button is grayed out, where your game went… Find the answer by what just happened.

I need that discard, so why is there no call button?

It’s probably one of these:

• You need it for a single or a pair. You can’t call for singles or pairs — only when that tile is the last one you need for Mah Jongg.
• You’re building a concealed hand (C), and concealed hands can’t expose.
• After exposing that group, no hand on the card could still be made, so the game won’t let you call.
• The discard is a joker. A discarded joker is dead.

Whenever a button does appear, calling is always legal. See Calling.

I can’t select my jokers during the Charleston

Jokers can’t be passed in the Charleston — that’s the rule. Choose other tiles.

The “Pass 3” button is grayed out

Each Charleston pass needs exactly 3 tiles, and the button only lights up once you’ve picked them. The courtesy pass takes 0–3 tiles; with 0 selected, the button changes to “No courtesy pass”.

I think my hand is complete, but there’s no “Mah Jongg!” button

• Your hand must match a line on the card exactly, including the suits (same color = same suit, different colors = different suits) and the suit of any dragons.
• Singles and pairs can’t use jokers. A joker sitting in a single or pair spot doesn’t count.
• The groups you’ve already exposed must be groups from that exact hand.
• A concealed hand (C) can’t have any exposures.

Open the card panel and check whether that hand shows “Complete!”.

Why did a hand disappear from the card panel?

That hand can no longer be made: the tiles you need have been discarded or exposed and there aren’t enough left, or your exposures don’t fit it. The panel only lists hands you can still make. If you pinned it, it shows “Dead”.

The bots play too fast for me to follow

Set “Computer speed” to Slow in Settings. The latest discard is highlighted, and the status bar also says who threw what.

The tiles are too small

Set “Tile size” to Large or Extra large in Settings.

Will I lose my game if I close the tab?

No. Every move is saved automatically in this device’s browser. Go back to the lobby and press “Continue” to pick up where you left off. Saves don’t carry over if you switch devices, clear your browsing data or use a private window.

Where are my stats saved?

Like your games, only on this device. No sign-up needed, and nothing is uploaded.

Is this card the same as the official card?

No. The card the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) publishes every year is copyrighted, so this site uses its own original card, “House Card 2026”. Its categories and the way you read it are the same as the official card, so once you learn to play here you can pick up the official card easily. If you want to play tournament rules with friends, buy the current year’s card from the NMJL.

This site has no affiliation with the National Mah Jongg League.

Can I play with friends?

Online tables with invite links are in the works. For now, you can practice against three bots.

Some rules differ from how we play at home

American mahjong has lots of house rules. This site follows today’s common tournament rules and doesn’t yet include: the blind pass, dead-hand penalties for calling Mah Jongg in error, or making the discarder pay for everyone after a player’s third exposure. We may add them later.