Welcome to Episode 4 of our complete beginner's mahjong lessons, Mahj 101. Let's learn how to set up a Mahjong table for a game and how to deal the tiles in American Mahjong.
Equipment you need:
Start by shuffling all of the tiles and placing them face down on the table. Then all players will build the wall: 19 stacks, 2 tiles high, in front of each rack.
What is the wall? The wall in mahjong is a communal draw pile used throughout the game. Each player will draw the next tile in line from the pushed out wall on their turn.
What is the East Seat and how do you determine who is East? The East Seat is the player who begins the deal and who begins the game by discarding the first tile. To determine East, all players roll dice, highest is East seat (dealer).
Why do we break the wall? The wall is broken just like a deck of cards is cut, to randomize the first tiles dealt out. East rolls again to see where to break the wall and then begins the deal by taking two stacks of tiles for herself.
Dealing tiles: East starts, everyone gets 13 tiles, East gets 14.
Watch the full series to learn exactly how to play mahjong with step by step instructions following the National Mah Jongg League rules:
- Episode 1: What is American Mahjong
- Episode 2: The Tiles Explained
- Episode 3: How to Read and Play the NMJL Card
- Episode 4: How to Set Up a Game of Mahjong & How to Deal (This is the one you're watching now!)
- Episode 5: How to Organize Your Tiles & Choose a Section of the NMJL Card
- Episode 6: The Charleston & Courtesy Pass
- Episode 7: Mahjong Gameplay Basics
- Episode 8: How to Win Mahjong & Scoring/Betting