Learn how to play!

One of many ways to play.

Lesson 1

Meet the 144 tiles

Characters 1–9 · four of each

  • 1 of characters
  • 2 of characters
  • 3 of characters
  • 4 of characters
  • 5 of characters
  • 6 of characters
  • 7 of characters
  • 8 of characters
  • 9 of characters

Dots 1–9 · four of each

  • 1 of dots
  • 2 of dots
  • 3 of dots
  • 4 of dots
  • 5 of dots
  • 6 of dots
  • 7 of dots
  • 8 of dots
  • 9 of dots

Bamboo 1–9 · four of each

  • 1 of bamboo
  • 2 of bamboo
  • 3 of bamboo
  • 4 of bamboo
  • 5 of bamboo
  • 6 of bamboo
  • 7 of bamboo
  • 8 of bamboo
  • 9 of bamboo

Set aside Draw one? Lay it face up and draw again from the flower side.

Winds four of each

  • East wind
  • South wind
  • West wind
  • North wind

Dragons four of each

  • Red dragon
  • Green dragon
  • White dragon

Flowers one of each

  • Plum blossom flower tile, 1
  • Orchid flower tile, 2
  • Chrysanthemum flower tile, 3
  • Bamboo flower tile, 4

Seasons one of each

  • Spring season tile, 1
  • Summer season tile, 2
  • Autumn season tile, 3
  • Winter season tile, 4
Lesson 2

The goal

One example Five sets and a pair
  • 2 of bamboo
  • 2 of bamboo
  • 1 of bamboo
  • 1 of bamboo
  • 1 of bamboo
  • 5 of bamboo
  • 6 of bamboo
  • 7 of bamboo
  • 8 of dots
  • 8 of dots
  • 8 of dots
  • 2 of characters
  • 3 of characters
  • 4 of characters
  • 3 of dots
  • 3 of dots
  • 3 of dots
  • 16 in hand
  • 17 to win
  • 金 gold fills a gap
Other special hands
Lesson 3

Set up the wall

Step 1 of 4

Roll to start!

The dice pick a dealer, who rolls.

YouRightAcrossLeft

How we set up at the club

With 144 tiles, build four walls of 18 stacks, two tiles high. Before the first game, everyone rolls; whoever rolls highest becomes the dealer and rolls again to choose the break. Afterward, the previous winner rolls. This lesson uses one two-dice total to choose both the wall and the break. Table rules can vary.

Lesson 4

Gold and flowers

  • 8 of dots
  • 8 of dots
  • 5 of bamboo
Gold
Gold fills the gap.

If five bamboo is gold, it can stand in for the third eight-dot tile in your hand.

The gold金
After the deal, flip the first tile on the flower side of the wall. That tile is the gold, the wildcard for this hand: it can stand in for any tile you need.
Flowers花
Draw a flower, season, wind or dragon? Set it face-up beside you and draw a replacement from the flower side. Each one adds to your winnings.
Lesson 5

Take a turn

Turn 1 of 3

Your turn. Draw a tile.

Flower side
  • 4 characters
  • 4 characters
  • 4 characters
  • 7 characters
  • 7 characters
  • 7 characters
  • 8 dots
  • 5 bamboo
  • 6 bamboo
  • 7 bamboo
  • 7 bamboo
  • 8 bamboo
  • 8 bamboo
  • 9 bamboo
  • 9 bamboo
  • 9 bamboo

Lesson 6

Make your call

Pung

  • 8 of dots
  • 8 of dots
  • 8 of dots

Three matching tiles. Claim from anyone.

Chow

  • 5 of bamboo
  • 6 of bamboo
  • 7 of bamboo

Three in sequence, one suit. Claim from your left.

Kong

  • 3 of characters
  • 3 of characters
  • 3 of characters
  • 3 of characters

Four matching tiles. Claim from anyone, or declare on your turn.

Call, show your set, then discard. After a kong, draw a replacement from the flower side first.

You may also hear pong or peng for pung, chi for chow, and kang or gang for kong. Call terminology.

Round 1 of 4

Right throws 4 bamboo.

AcrossLeftRight · threwYou
  • 2 characters
  • 2 characters
  • 3 characters
  • 4 characters
  • 5 characters
  • 3 dots
  • 4 dots
  • 5 dots
  • 7 dots
  • 7 dots
  • 7 dots
  • 2 bamboo
  • 3 bamboo
  • 3 bamboo
  • 3 bamboo
  • 5 bamboo

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