Site information
Disclaimer
Mahjong Rules is an independent educational site. The notes below describe its limits, so that nothing on it is mistaken for something it is not.
Not an official rulebook
What is described here is how a rule set is commonly played, not a regulation issued by an authority. Mahjong has no single governing body, and the organisations that do publish rules — for Chinese Official, riichi, American and British play — each maintain their own version. Where this site summarises a rule set, the organisation's own publication remains authoritative.
House rules vary widely, including within the same city. If your club plays a version that differs from a page here, your club is right for your table.
Rules change
Some rule sets are revised. The American card is replaced every year, tournament regulations are amended between seasons, and platform implementations change without announcement. Pages that depend on a versioned publication say so, and each page shows the date it was last reviewed. A page that was accurate when written may be out of date now.
Not gambling advice
Nothing on this site is advice on betting, stakes, money play or the legal status of gambling in any jurisdiction. Mahjong is played for money in some places and strictly for fun in others. Whether you may play for stakes, and under what conditions, is a question for your local law and for your own judgement. The site does not encourage play for money and provides no information intended to improve outcomes in a money game.
Not legal, financial or medical advice
No content here should be read as professional advice of any kind. Nothing on the site creates a professional relationship.
Scoring disagreements
Scoring is the most disputed part of mahjong, and for good reason: different rule sets count the same hand differently, and some patterns are defined in more than one way. Pages describing scoring aim to state which rule set a value belongs to. If two sources disagree about a value, the difference is noted rather than hidden. The site accepts no responsibility for a disputed score at your table.
External links
Links to other sites are provided for reference. The site does not control that content and does not endorse it. Following an external link takes you to a site with its own terms and privacy practices.
Advertising
The site displays advertising through Google AdSense. Advertisements are served by Google, not selected by this site, and their appearance does not imply endorsement. Editorial decisions are made without reference to advertising.
Contact
If something here is wrong, the correction is welcome: [email protected]. Corrections that cite a specific rulebook or regulation are the fastest to verify and the fastest to fix.