American mahjong cheat sheet
This page holds the facts that a new player looks up most: the tile counts, the dragon of each suit, the groups, the joker rule, a turn, a call and the Charleston order. You can print the same facts as two free sheets: the beginner table sheet and the Charleston sheet.
Last checked: 14 November 2026. Sources: public pages on the League rules. See how American Mahjong Coach is made.
The sheets show no hand of the League's card. You need your own card to play.
The tiles: 152
| Tiles | What they are | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Dots | 1 to 9, four of each | 36 |
| Bams | 1 to 9, four of each | 36 |
| Craks | 1 to 9, four of each | 36 |
| Winds | North, East, West, South, four of each | 16 |
| Dragons | Red, Green, White (Soap), four of each | 12 |
| Flowers | Eight tiles. All count as the same tile | 8 |
| Jokers | Eight tiles | 8 |
| Total | 152 |
A blank tile is a spare. It is not one of the 152.
The dragon of each suit
| Suit | Dragon |
|---|---|
| Craks | Red Dragon |
| Bams | Green Dragon |
| Dots | White Dragon (Soap) |
The White Dragon is also the zero in a number such as a year. As a zero it has no suit.
Groups, and where a joker can go
| Group | Tiles | Joker allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 1 | No |
| Pair | 2 identical | No |
| Pung | 3 identical | Yes |
| Kong | 4 identical | Yes |
| Quint | 5 identical | Yes |
| Sextet | 6 identical | Yes |
Tiles such as N E W S or the digits of a year are single tiles. No joker can stand for them.
Your turn
- Pick one tile from the wall. (East starts the game with 14 tiles and does not pick first.)
- If you hold the real tile for a joker in an exposure, you can exchange them now.
- Discard one tile and say its name.
A call
- You can call only the most recent discard.
- For an exposure, the discard must complete a pung, kong, quint or sextet.
- For a pair or a single, you can call only when the tile gives you mah jongg.
- Nobody can call a discarded joker.
- Put the called tile on top of your rack with the matching tiles. Then discard.
X and C on the card
- X = Exposed. You may call discards and show groups.
- C = Concealed. You may call only the last tile, for mah jongg.
The Charleston order
| Pass | Direction | Compulsory? | Blind pass allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Right | Yes | No |
| 2 | Across | Yes | No |
| 3 | Left | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Left | No. One player can stop passes 4 to 6 | No |
| 5 | Across | No | No |
| 6 | Right | No | Yes |
| Courtesy | Across, 0 to 3 tiles | No | No |
Each pass is three tiles. You may never pass a joker. More: The Charleston.
Print it
Both sheets are letter size, in large print, and they print well in black and white.
Get the beginner table sheet Get the Charleston sheet
Practise it
A sheet helps at the table. Practice helps more. Drill 1 trains the tiles in three levels, and level 3 asks for the counts and the dragons on this page.
Related guides
Did you find an error on this page? Tell me. I correct errors fast and I say so on the page.