How to Setup for a Game of Mahjong

 

SUPPLIES NEEDED TO PLAY:

 

Mahjong is traditionally played with 4 players; these instructions are for a 4-player game. Mahjong can also be played with three players or with two players, called siamese.

 

GAME SETUP:

Place a rack in front of each player. Shuffle the tiles and place them all face down. Build a wall of tiles in front of each rack that is 2-tiles tall. The walls will be the communal draw pile for the game.

If playing with blanks and all 10 jokers, each wall will be 20-stacks-long. If playing Tournament-Style NMJL Rules, you will remove all 6 blanks and 2 jokers from the set before playing and each wall will be 19-stacks-long.

In Mahjong, the use of blank tiles can be a bit of a controversial topic. We like to play with them in social games, but they are NOT part of National Mah Jongg League tournament play. Learn more about Blanks here.

WATCH HOW TO SETUP A MAHJONG GAME: