Mahjong variants
Mahjong has no single rulebook. Each region and each club shaped its own version, so there are many variants, each with its own rules. Most clubs, though, play one of four main families. This page compares them and helps you choose.
Many variants, many rule sets
As Mahjong spread from China to the rest of the world, every region and every club adapted it: different tile sets, different winning requirements and different ways of counting points. That is why two groups who both say "we play Mahjong" may in fact be playing quite different games.
Beyond the main families there are many regional versions, for example Taiwanese, Sichuan, Korean, Malaysian and Singaporean play, as well as three-player versions, and countless house rules. MyMahjong concentrates on the four variants most often played in clubs.
The four variants most clubs play
Hong Kong
- 144 tiles (136 without flowers)
- Four sets and a pair, usually with a three-faan minimum
- Faan are turned into payments by an agreed table
Available in MyMahjong
Riichi (Japanese)
- 136 tiles, no flowers
- At least one yaku is needed to win; scoring uses han and fu
- Riichi declaration, dora bonus tiles and furiten
In preparation
MCR (Chinese Official)
- 144 tiles
- At least 8 points from 81 patterns
- Payment is 8 base points plus the hand value
Available in MyMahjong
American
- 152 tiles, including 8 jokers
- Match a hand printed on the annual card
- The Charleston: a tile exchange before play
In preparation
At a glance
| Hong Kong | Riichi | MCR | American | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiles | 144 (136 without flowers) | 136 | 144 | 152 |
| Extra tiles | Flowers and seasons | None | Flowers and seasons | Flowers and jokers |
| To win | Four sets and a pair, with an agreed minimum (often 3 faan) | Four sets and a pair, with at least one yaku | At least 8 points from 81 patterns | Match a hand on the annual card |
| Scoring | Faan, then an agreed payment table | Han and fu, with riichi and dora | Points; payment is 8 base plus hand value | A printed value for each card hand |
| Learning curve | Relatively gentle | Moderate to demanding | Demanding | Moderate |
| In MyMahjong | Available | In preparation | Available | In preparation |
Rule sets inside one variant
Even within a single variant there can be several rule sets. Hong Kong Mahjong alone has, for example, the rules of the Victoria Mahjong Club (VMC) and of the Hong Kong Mahjong Association (HKMA), with different pattern values, limits and payment systems. MyMahjong offers both. MCR is the most standardised of the four: one official catalogue of 81 patterns used in tournaments.
House rules
Most home games add house rules. Groups often start from Hong Kong rules and change the scoring, the special hands or the procedures by agreement, and the complexity depends on the rules chosen. Before the first deal, agree on:
- which tile set to use (with or without flowers and seasons)
- the minimum needed to win
- the scoring and payment table
- which special hands are allowed
- what happens when two players win on the same discard
Writing these down avoids arguments. In MyMahjong the rules are fixed to the official sets above, so everyone at an online table plays by the same rules.
Which variant should I try first?
- For a quick introduction: Hong Kong. Its concise rules can be learned by playing.
- For tactical play and reading opponents: Riichi, where declarations and furiten make risk assessment central.
- For standardised international competition: MCR, with its established scoring framework.
- For card-based puzzles and social play: American, with its annual hands and the Charleston.
Many players learn more than one variant. Once the common tiles and sets are familiar, moving to another version becomes much easier. New to the basics? Start with the page on the basics of Mahjong.