Mahjong: Origins & Variations

American Mahjong is a variation of the centuries-old Chinese game of Mahjong, which originated in China and has been enjoyed for generations as a game of strategy, skill, and social connection.

Understanding American Mahjong also means recognizing the game’s origins. Mahjong has a long, rich, and complex history that spans cultures, continents, and generations. Its history reflects cultural exchange, adaptation, and community building, while also including difficult chapters shaped by prejudice and exclusion.

Mahjong originated in China during the nineteenth century and became deeply woven into family and community life. More than a game, it has long provided opportunities for people to gather, celebrate, connect, and pass traditions from one generation to the next. As Mahjong spread around the world, it evolved into many different variations, including the American version played today.

Mahjong was introduced to the United States in the 1920s, where it gradually evolved into the distinct version known today as American Mahjong. In 1937, the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) standardized the American game through its annual card and rules. Jewish American women played a central role in shaping and sustaining the American Mahjong community, helping transform the game into a cherished social tradition that continues to bring people together today.

American Mahjong is played with 152 tiles, compared with the 144 tiles typically used in Chinese Mahjong, and a new National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card published each year. Rather than creating hands freely, players work toward completing one of the winning hands printed on the current year’s card by drawing and discarding tiles. Distinctive features such as the Charleston, joker tiles, and the annually changing NMJL card make American Mahjong a distinct variation of the game, with its own traditions, rules, and style of play.