Mahjong Almanac
A Chinese game that found a home around the world
Mahjong took shape in 19th-century China and traveled from there into living rooms everywhere. The real story, the tiles and what they mean, and honest help choosing a set, from people who play it and sell you nothing.
Start here
Learn to Play
Clear, friendly walk-throughs of the American game, the Chinese game, and Japanese Riichi, plus a visual glossary of the tiles and what they mean.
Learn the gameEvery spring
The Card
What the annual National Mah Jongg League card is, how to read it, where to buy it, and how to learn this year's. The ritual the American game turns on.
About the cardBuyer's guide
Which Set to Buy
How to choose a set, from first sets to designer ones, plus racks, pushers, and mats - rated on materials, construction, and value.
Compare setsInherited a set? Five questions identify what it is, how to confirm it with a kitchen-table test, and what comparable sets have actually sold for.
Open the Field GuideLooking for a table? A neutral directory of real games: library afternoons, JCC groups, clubs, and teachers, each verified from the venue's own page.
Find a game near youWhere it comes from
The story of the game, from China outward
From the Yangtze delta in the late Qing dynasty, to the 1920s American craze and the Orientalism that came with it, to the Jewish-American women who founded the National Mah Jongg League. We lead with China and name every layer.
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From the Almanac
Updates from Mahjong Almanac, when there's something worth sharing.