Strategy

American Mahjong becomes much easier when you stop trying to decide your final hand immediately.

The early game is about keeping useful options open.

Start with possibilities

After the deal, scan the card and identify a few hands that work with your strongest tiles.

Look for:

• pairs you already have
• groups of matching tiles
• useful Flowers
• Jokers
• repeated numbers
• promising suit combinations

Several possible hands are better than one fragile plan.

Use the Charleston to improve your direction

Pass tiles that do not support your strongest possibilities.

Try to keep tiles that work in more than one potential hand.

As the Charleston progresses, your direction should become clearer.

Watch the table

Every discard tells you something.

Pay attention to tiles that have already been discarded and tiles visible in other players’ exposures.

If several copies of a tile you need are already visible, your chosen hand may be becoming difficult or impossible.

Stay flexible

Changing hands is normal.

If the tiles are telling you that your original plan is not working, return to the card and look for another hand that uses more of what you already hold.

Think before exposing

Calling a discard can move you closer to Mahjong, but an exposure also reveals information about your hand.

Before calling, make sure the exposure genuinely helps the hand you are pursuing.

Also check whether your chosen hand is required to remain concealed.

Use Jokers carefully

Jokers are especially valuable because they can complete eligible groups.

Do not forget that a Joker cannot solve a missing single or pair.

Also watch exposed Jokers around the table. A natural tile in your rack may allow you to exchange for one.