Mahjong Starter Checklist

1. Gather your supplies

• A mahjong set with tiles and four racks (American sets include Jokers)
• The current National Mah Jongg League card if you play American style
• Three other players, or a free app to practice on your own
• A table with a little room to spread out and chat

2. Your first project

3. Your first month, step by step

• Week 1: Get an American mahjong set and the current National Mah Jongg League card. Watch a beginner video to learn the goal of the game and the names of the tiles: Bams, Cracks, Dots, Winds, Dragons, Flowers, and Jokers. Just get comfortable handling and sorting the tiles.
• Week 2: Learn to read the League card. Practice finding a hand you could build and grouping your tiles to match it. If you do not have three friends yet, play a free app like Real Mah Jongg to get the feel of a turn.
• Week 3: Gather three others and play a slow, friendly first game. Practice the Charleston, the tile-passing round at the start, and take your time picking and discarding. Nobody keeps score yet; the goal is just to finish a hand.
• Week 4: Play a couple more relaxed games and start noticing the discards and any exposed tiles. Try a second hand from the card as a backup plan, and set a regular day to play so it becomes your standing date.

4. Mistakes to avoid

• Trying to memorize every hand at once. Just learn to read the card during play; speed comes naturally with time.
• Locking onto one hand too early. Keep two possible hands in mind so you can switch if your tiles do not come.
• Forgetting that Jokers cannot be used in a single or a pair, only in groups of three or more identical tiles.
• Passing or discarding tiles your neighbors clearly need, which hands them the win. Watch what others collect.
• Skipping the Charleston or rushing it. Those tile exchanges are your best early chance to improve your hand.
• Playing only by yourself on an app. Apps are great practice, but the real joy of mahjong is at a table with friends.