Welcome to the world of mahjong! If you’re reading this, you’re about to learn one of the most engaging, strategic, and rewarding games in existence. This guide will take you from complete beginner to confident player, one step at a time.

A Game of Strategy and Beauty

Mahjong is a tile-based game that originated in China during the Qing dynasty (around the 1880s). Think of it as a sophisticated cousin to rummy or gin rummy—you’re drawing and discarding tiles to build a winning hand—but with deeper strategy, faster gameplay, and a beautiful set of 136 tiles.

The tiles themselves are works of art:

Sample tiles from all suits

Rather than cards, you play with thick, satisfying tiles that click when you shuffle them and feel substantial in your hands. The game has captivated players worldwide for over a century, and modern digital platforms have made it more accessible than ever.

Why Learn Riichi Mahjong?

There are several regional variants of mahjong—Chinese Classical, Hong Kong, American, and more—each with different rules and scoring systems. This guide teaches riichi mahjong, the Japanese variant, for several compelling reasons:

1. Clean, Logical Rules

Riichi mahjong has the most streamlined and consistent ruleset. The scoring system is mathematical and logical rather than arbitrary. Once you understand the core concepts, everything else follows naturally.

2. Strategic Depth

Riichi adds unique strategic elements like the “riichi” declaration (betting on your hand), the furiten rule (preventing certain types of waiting), and defensive play reading. These create incredibly deep gameplay while remaining accessible to beginners.

3. Thriving Online Community

Digital platforms like Mahjong Soul, Tenhou, and Riichi City have millions of active players worldwide. You can find games 24/7 at any skill level, watch top players stream, and join a welcoming international community.

4. Official Recognition

Riichi mahjong has international standardized rules (the World Riichi Championship rules), professional leagues in Japan, and a growing competitive scene globally. If you ever want to play in tournaments, riichi is the way to go.

5. Great Learning Resources

Because of its popularity in the English-speaking world, riichi mahjong has excellent learning resources, strategy guides, and teaching communities. You’re not learning alone.

What You’ll Learn in This Guide

This beginner’s guide is structured as a journey from zero to your first game:

The Tiles - Understanding the 136 tiles: suits, honors, and how to read them
Goal of the Game - What you’re trying to build and how to win
Gameplay Flow - Turn structure, drawing, discarding, and table etiquette
Open Melds - When to call tiles and when to stay closed
Winning Your Hand - Tsumo vs ron, declaring a win, and the furiten rule
Yaku: Valid Hands - What makes a hand scoreable and intro to common yaku
Basic Scoring - Understanding han, fu, and how points are calculated
Riichi Declaration - When and why to declare riichi
Your First Game - Putting it all together and recommended platforms

By the end of this guide, you’ll be ready to sit down at a digital table and play your first game with confidence.

How to Use This Guide

Each chapter builds on the previous ones, so read them in order. Don’t worry about memorizing everything on the first pass—mahjong is a game you learn by playing. Use this guide to:

Read through once to get the big picture
Refer back when specific situations come up in games
Practice on digital platforms with beginner-friendly AI
Join the community and don’t be afraid to ask questions

The most important thing? Have fun. Mahjong is a social game meant to be enjoyed. You’ll make mistakes, you’ll misread your hand, you’ll accidentally click the wrong button—that’s all part of learning. The satisfaction of completing your first winning hand makes it all worthwhile.

Let’s Begin

Ready to learn the tiles? Let’s move on to Chapter 2, where you’ll meet the 136 tiles that make up a mahjong set and learn how to read the notation we’ll use throughout this guide.

Click “Next” below to continue!