1How to read the card
Same color = same suit. Different colors = different suits. Numbers in a run can start anywhere unless shown.
| You see | It means |
|---|---|
| 222 444 | Two different colors, so two different suits: for example 2 Bams and 4 Craks. |
| FF | Two Flowers. |
| NNN EEE | Winds: North and East. |
| D | A Dragon. When it has a suit color, use the Dragon that matches that suit (Green with Bams, Red with Craks, Soap with Dots). |
| 0 | Soap, the White Dragon, used as zero. |
| 1111 2222 in a Runs hand | Any numbers in a row: 1-2, 5-6, 8-9 all work. |
| X | Exposed: you may call discards. |
| C | Concealed: build it yourself; only the winning tile may be called. |
2Evens
5 hands. Worth 25–30¢.
Flower pair, then pungs of 2, 4, 6, 8 in one suit
Kongs of 2 and 4 in one suit, pungs of 6 and 8 in another
One suit with its matching dragon kong
Flower kong, then 2 and 4 in one suit, 6 and 8 in another
Two suits that share the 4
3Odds
5 hands. Worth 25–30¢.
One suit climbing 1 to 9 on odd numbers
Kongs of 1, 3, 5 in three different suits
High odds in two suits
Low odds, middle pair, high odds in three suits
Flowers with the ends: 1s and 9s in two suits
4Runs
5 hands, 1 of them concealed. Worth 25–50¢.
Four numbers in a row, one suit
Four pungs in a row with the matching dragon pair
Three numbers in a row, each kong in its own suit
The same two numbers in a row in two suits
Seven pairs in a row, one suit
5Matching Numbers
4 hands. Worth 25–30¢.
One number as a kong in all three suits
One number with its dragon, in two suits
One number in three suits with two dragons
East and West with one number in two suits
6Big Groups
3 hands. Worth 40¢.
Flower kong and two quints in a row, one suit
Quints of North and South, pairs of East and West
Five flowers, a quint and its dragon kong
7Winds & Dragons
4 hands, 1 of them concealed. Worth 25–50¢.
All four winds
North and South with green and red dragons
A kong of every dragon
A pair of every wind and every dragon
8Pairs & Singles
3 hands, 3 of them concealed. Worth 50¢.
One of each wind, one number paired in all suits, one dragon pair
Pairs of every odd number in one suit, with its dragon
Even pairs across two suits
9Middle & High
3 hands. Worth 25–30¢.
The middle of one suit, plus a kong of 5 in another
High numbers in two suits
Low numbers mirrored in two suits
Questions people ask
Is this the official American mahjong card?
No. The official card used in most clubs is sold each year by the National Mah Jongg League. This Practice Card is our own original card, free to use for learning.
Can I print the Practice Card?
Yes. Use your browser’s Print button. The menu and other parts of the page are hidden when you print.
Why does the official card change every year?
A new card each year keeps the game fresh: players have to learn new hands instead of playing the same ones forever.
Will practicing with this card help me at my club?
Yes. The skills are the same: reading a card, picking hands after the deal, using jokers and switching hands when tiles run out.
What do X and C mean on a mahjong card?
X means exposed: you may call discards for that hand. C means concealed: you must draw the tiles yourself and may only call the winning tile.