American vs Hong Kong Mahjong: Key Rule Differences
Quick answer: key takeaways
- Hong Kong Mahjong uses 144 tiles and any hand of four sets plus a pair; American Mahjong uses 152 tiles with 8 jokers and only the hands printed on a card.
- American Mahjong starts with the Charleston, a ritual of passing tiles between players; Hong Kong Mahjong has no passing.
- Chows (runs of three) are allowed in Hong Kong Mahjong but there are no chows in American Mahjong, where every group is a pair, pung, kong or quint.
- Hong Kong hands score in faan (doubles) and often need a minimum such as 3 faan; American hands have a fixed value, usually 25 to 50 points.
- Jokers can stand in for any tile in a group of three or more in American Mahjong, but never in a single or a pair.
American Mahjong and Hong Kong Mahjong share tiles, table manners and the thrill of calling a discard, but they are different games. A Hong Kong player sitting down at an American table will find jokers, a passing ritual and a card of hands, and an American player at a Hong Kong table will be surprised that almost any well-formed hand can win. This guide sets the two side by side.
The short version
| Hong Kong Mahjong | American Mahjong | |
|---|---|---|
| Tiles | 144 (suits, winds, dragons, 8 flowers and seasons) | 152 (adds 8 jokers) |
| Winning hand | Four sets and a pair (plus a few special hands) | Must match a hand on the card exactly |
| Runs (chows) | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Jokers | None | 8, usable in groups of three or more |
| Passing tiles | None | The Charleston before play |
| Scoring | Faan (doubles), often with a minimum | Fixed value per hand, usually 25–50 |
| Hand size | 13 tiles, 14 to win | 13 tiles, 14 to win |
The tiles
Both games use three suits numbered 1 to 9: dots (circles), bamboo (bams) and characters (craks), four copies of each. Both add four winds and three dragons. Hong Kong sets include eight bonus tiles: four flowers and four seasons, which are set aside when drawn and score extra.
The American set treats all eight bonus tiles simply as flowers, which appear inside hands on the card (written F or FF). It also adds eight jokers, the heart of the American game. In American notation, the white dragon doubles as a zero in the year hands, such as hands built around 2026.
How a winning hand is built
Hong Kong: four sets and a pair
A Hong Kong winning hand is four sets plus a pair. A set is a pung (three identical tiles), a kong (four identical tiles, which earns a replacement draw) or a chow (three consecutive numbers in one suit). You can mix them freely. A few special hands, such as thirteen orphans and seven pairs (in some house rules), break the pattern.
American: match the card
An American hand must match one line on a card exactly: the right numbers, the right suits and the right group sizes. The card groups its hands into sections such as 2468, Consecutive Run, Like Numbers, Winds and Dragons, and Singles and Pairs. Groups can be pairs, pungs, kongs and quints (five of a kind, only possible with a joker). There are no chows: a hand like 111 222 333 is three separate pungs that happen to be consecutive.
If you want a one-page overview of the sections, symbols and point values, see our American Mahjong guide and printable scorecard.
Jokers
Jokers exist only in American Mahjong. A joker can replace any tile in a pung, kong or quint, but never a single tile or a pair. That is why the concealed Singles and Pairs hands are worth more: they must be built from natural tiles. On your turn you may also swap a natural tile for a joker in another player’s exposed group, a move that often decides close games.
The Charleston
Before the first discard, American players pass tiles in a set sequence: three tiles right, three across, three left, then (if everyone agrees) a second round in reverse, and finally an optional courtesy pass with the player opposite. Jokers may never be passed. The Charleston lets you shape your tiles toward one or two hands on the card before play begins. Hong Kong Mahjong has nothing like it: you play the tiles you are dealt.
Calling discards
In both games you can claim a discard to complete a pung or kong, and any player can claim the tile that wins. Hong Kong adds one more call: the player to the right of the discarder (the next player) may take it to complete a chow.
American Mahjong adds restrictions. Hands marked C (concealed) on the card may only call the winning tile. Hands marked X (exposed) may call to complete pungs, kongs and quints, but never to complete a pair unless it is the winning tile.
Scoring
Hong Kong scoring counts faan: each feature of the hand (all one suit, all pungs, dragon pungs, flowers matching your seat and so on) adds faan, and the faan total sets the payment. Many tables require a minimum, often 3 faan, before you may declare a win, which pushes players toward hands with features rather than the quickest possible hand.
American scoring is simpler. Each card hand has a fixed value, from about 25 points for common hands to 50 or more for concealed and rare ones. The discarder of the winning tile pays double, the others pay the face value, and a self-drawn win is paid double by everyone. Hands without jokers usually earn a bonus.
Which should you play?
Choose Hong Kong if you like freedom: any shape can win, and the skill lies in building valuable hands quickly. Choose American if you like planning: the card narrows your choices, and the Charleston and jokers reward reading the table. Many players enjoy both, and the rule differences become second nature after a few games.
Practise both against computer players
The 4-player tables on this site seat you with three computer opponents in either style. The American table follows the American conventions (Charleston, jokers, exposed and concealed hands) with this site’s own original hand card, and shows which hands are closest to your tiles. The Hong Kong table uses flowers, chows and a 3-faan minimum. Playing a few hands of each is the quickest way to feel the difference.
Ready to practise? Play American Mahjong free, or browse more strategy guides.
Frequently asked questions
Which is easier to learn, American or Hong Kong Mahjong?
Hong Kong Mahjong is usually quicker to learn because any four sets and a pair can win. American Mahjong takes longer because you must learn to read the hand card, but jokers make many hands easier to finish once you can.
Do I need a card to play American Mahjong?
Yes. Every winning hand must match a hand on a card. Clubs and tournaments use the National Mah Jongg League card, which changes every year. The game on this site uses its own original card so you can practise the mechanics.
Can I use a Hong Kong set for American Mahjong?
Only partly. An American set needs 152 tiles, including 8 jokers and 8 flowers. A 144-tile set lacks the jokers, so players often add stickers or blank tiles as jokers.
Are chows allowed in American Mahjong?
No. American hands are built only from pairs, pungs, kongs and quints, plus single tiles in a few concealed hands. Runs of numbers appear on the card, but each number is its own group.