The Journal
Mahjong, made lovely
How-tos, beginner guides, and stories from the table.
How to Play American Mahjong: A Beginner’s Guide
New to the tiles? Here’s everything you need to start playing American Mahjong, explained simply, no rule book required.
5 min read
American Mahjong Rules: The Complete Guide
The full rules of American Mahjong in plain language, from the wall to the win, so you can sit down at any table and feel ready.
8 min read
The Charleston in American Mahjong, Explained
The tile-passing ritual that opens every game. Here is exactly how the Charleston works and how to pass like you know what you are doing.
5 min read
How to Read the American Mahjong Card
The card is the whole game. Once you can read a line of it, everything about American Mahjong makes sense. Here is how.
6 min read
Joker Rules in American Mahjong
Jokers are powerful, but the rules around them trip up new players. Here is exactly when you can and cannot use one.
4 min read
American Mahjong vs Chinese Mahjong: What’s the Difference
Same beautiful tiles, very different games. Here is what sets American Mahjong apart from the traditional Chinese version.
5 min read
Mahjong vs Mahjong Solitaire: They’re Not the Same Game
If you searched “Mahjong” and found a tile-matching puzzle, that was Mahjong Solitaire. The real four-player game is something else entirely.
4 min read
More stories coming soon.