Mahjong Rules for Westerners: How the Chinese Game Actually Works

Real mahjong (麻将) is a four-player tile-drawing game, not the solitaire computer version. Objective: complete four sets (sequences of three consecutive tiles or triplets) plus one pair, and announce 'hu' (胡) to win the hand. The 136-tile set includes three number suits (bamboo 1–9, circles 1–9, characters 1–9), honour tiles (four winds, three dragons), and bonus flower/season tiles. Players draw from a wall and discard one tile per turn; discarded tiles can be claimed if they complete another player's set, with priority rules.

Regional variants: Sichuanese (川麻, no flower tiles, win simply by completing a hand — good for beginners); Cantonese (flower tiles, complex scoring); Shanghainese (additional rules around kong). Learn Sichuanese rules first.

Mahjong is played in homes, mahjong parlours (麻将馆), and teahouses — particularly in Chengdu, where the sound of shuffling tiles is ambient in residential areas. If invited to join a game, accept — imperfect play is welcomed.