How to play mahjong: the rules of mahjong solitaire
When someone says they play mahjong online, they almost always mean mahjong solitaire: a one player game where you take pairs off a pile of tiles. Traditional Chinese mahjong is played by four people with completely different rules, but solitaire rules on computers and phones.
The rules are short, and the game is both addictive and relaxing. This guide explains the classic layout, mahjong connect and the 3D version, plus a few moves that save a game. The games live in the Mahjong world.
Tiles and layout
A classic set has 144 tiles: three suits numbered one to nine, winds, dragons, flowers and seasons. In solitaire you do not need to know what each symbol means, only to recognise matching ones.
The tiles are stacked in layers, and the best known layout looks like a turtle. Each pair you remove uncovers the tiles beneath, so the pile slowly comes down.
Which tile is free
This is the one rule you really need. A tile is free when nothing covers it from above and at least one side, left or right, is open. The top and bottom edges do not matter.
You may only click two identical free tiles, and then they vanish. Flowers and seasons are the exception in most versions: any two flowers make a pair, and so do any two seasons.
The classic layout, step by step
In classic mahjong, start at the top of the pile and at the ends of long rows, because those tiles block the most others. If three matching tiles are free, think about which two to take: the one left behind should be freeable later.
When all four matching tiles are free, take them at once, there is no risk. Many games offer a shuffle when you get stuck, but it is best saved for the very end.
Mahjong connect: joining with a line
In mahjong connect there are no layers, just a flat grid. You join a pair with an imaginary line through empty space, and the line may turn no more than twice. That is why a pair standing close together sometimes cannot be joined while a distant one can.
The line may also run around the whole board, outside the grid, so pairs on the edges are easiest. Many versions are timed, so play faster than in the classic.
3D mahjong, towers and games for two
In 3D mahjong the tiles are cubes in a block that you rotate. You may take a cube only once enough of it is uncovered, and the game’s help shows the exact rule. Free cubes often hide at the back. Mahjong Tower stacks tiles upward, so the summit frees the most.
If you want to play with someone, Mahjong Battle is mahjong for two players on one device. For a quick game with lovely themes, try Tokyo Mahjong.
Tips for a clear table
Do not take a pair just because you see it. Ask what it opens and whether it leaves a tile locked for good. Watch out for identical tiles stacked on each other: the lower one will be hard to free.
Break long rows evenly from both ends. When only a few tiles are left, look over the whole table before each move, because that is when most games are lost.
Pair by pair to an empty table
Mahjong solitaire is perfect for a quiet evening: the rules take a minute, and every layout is a small puzzle. Start with the classic layout, then try connect and 3D when you want a change.
More than two hundred versions wait in the Mahjong world, all free and ready to play in your browser. If you like cards too, read the solitaire rules.