New to Mahjong? Start Here.
Mahjong is a tile-based game of skill, strategy and luck. Usually played with four people, players draw and discard tiles to form specific patterns, called lines. It is a social game with many regional variants, including Chinese and American styles. At Bam Bird Bloom, we play American Mahjong that uses 152 tiles.
What to Expect at Bam Bird Bloom Events
We suggest players with no experience start with lesson 1 to learn the history of the game, start to recognize tiles and suits, learn how to read the National Mahjong League’s card (which is required for play), and understand the basic rules of the game. We guide you step-by-step, so nothing feels overwhelming.
Mahjong is also a social game and shared experience. Expect conversation, laughter, and a table that quickly turns strangers into friends at our lessons and events.
Beginners are welcome!
You don’t need to study ahead or know the rules or even have Mahjong supplies. We teach you everything you need to know in a relaxed, supportive setting. Just show up ready to learn and have fun.
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What is American Mahjong? What is the Mahjong Card?
American Mahjong differs from the Chinese game in a number of meaningful ways, including the use of 8 jokers (total of 152 tiles for play), a playing card that standardizes the hands and the tile patterns players must get in order to win, changed annually by the National Mah Jongg League, the use of racks to display and reveal tiles, and a pusher to “curtsy” the tiles outwards to the center of the table, and the introduction of the Charleston, a tile swap “dance” that occurs before actual game play starts. American Mahjong does not distinguish between flower and season tiles, and groups them together for a total of 8 “flower” tiles.
What supplies do I need to play American Mahjong?
Players need Mahjong tiles, two dice, four American Mahjong cards, four racks & pushers and a Mahjong mat. Mahjong tile sets may include different numbers of tiles. In standard American Mahjong, players use 152 core tiles, which include 8 jokers, 8 flowers, and no blanks. Some sets include additional tiles such as blanks, seasons (used as flowers), or extra jokers.
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What is the National Mah Jongg League?
For more than 80 years, the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) has been the official organization for everything that relates to American Mahj. The league started with 32 memebrs and today includes over 350,000. NMJL publishes the annual Mahjong card and standardizes the rules for American Mahjong.