Mahjong Cheat Sheet – Printable Rules Guide
Use and print a free mahjong cheat sheet covering suits, honors, groups, turn order, win checks, plus separate reminders for riichi and American rules.
Quick answer
This mahjong cheat sheet keeps the shared learning core on 1 printable panel: tile families, groups, turn rhythm, the standard hand shape, and the checks to make before claiming or winning. The last 2 panels separate riichi and American rules so they are not mistaken for universal rules.
Mahjong beginner cheat sheet
Use this shared core for four-groups-and-a-pair mahjong. Check the variant panel before applying a rule at the table.
DotsRanks 1–9
BambooRanks 1–9
CharactersRanks 1–9
Tile families
3 numbered suits: Dots, Bamboo, Characters
Honors: East, South, West, North, plus Red, Green, and White dragons
Standard groups
Chow: 3 consecutive tiles in 1 suit
Pung: 3 identical tiles
Kong: 4 identical tiles
Pair: 2 identical tiles
Turn rhythm
- Draw or claim a legal discard.
- Check for a win or kong.
- Keep the legal hand size.
- Discard 1 tile.
Standard shape
4 groups + 1 pair
A kong still counts as 1 group. Special hands can break this shape.
Before claiming
- Name the allowed call.
- Expose the completed group.
- Take the correct discard.
- Finish by discarding if required.
Before declaring a win
- Confirm the shape.
- Check the minimum value.
- Check restrictions such as furiten.
- Use the table’s scoring source.
Riichi additions
A complete hand needs at least 1 yaku. Track seat wind, round wind, dora, closed/open status, and furiten. Dora adds value but is not a yaku by itself.
American additions
Use the current card. Build the printed combination exactly, observe concealed/exposed labels, use jokers only where permitted, and follow Charleston procedure.
Variant check: Hong Kong, Chinese regional, riichi, American, and house rules differ on calls, special hands, minimum value, and scoring. Agree on one ruleset before the first deal.
Watch: Learn how to play mahjong in 2.5 minutes
Video by South China Morning Post.
This mahjong cheat sheet keeps the shared learning core on 1 printable panel: tile families, groups, turn rhythm, the standard hand shape, and the checks to make before claiming or winning. The last 2 panels separate riichi and American rules so they are not mistaken for universal rules.
How to print or save the cheat sheet
Select Print or Save as PDF above. In the browser dialog, choose a printer or a PDF destination. Portrait mode works for most desktop browsers; reduce the scale slightly if your printer adds wide margins.
The printable panel is intentionally text-based and high contrast. It does not copy a commercial American card or try to compress a full scoring rulebook onto 1 page.
How to read the tile key
Dots, Bamboo, and Characters are numbered from 1 through 9. The graphic key avoids Chinese glyphs: circles identify Dots, slim marks identify Bamboo, and a red number with the label “CRAK” identifies Characters.
The 7 honor types are East, South, West, North, Red dragon, Green dragon, and White dragon. Honors can make pairs, pungs, and kongs, but not numbered sequences.
What “4 groups + 1 pair” means
A common complete hand has 4 groups and 1 pair:
- A chow is 3 consecutive tiles in the same numbered suit.
- A pung is 3 identical tiles.
- A kong is 4 identical tiles but occupies 1 group position.
- A pair is 2 identical tiles.
This formula is a shared starting point, not a universal win declaration. Seven Pairs, Thirteen Orphans, and American card combinations can use different structures.
The win check beginners skip
A complete-looking shape may still fail the ruleset’s value requirement. Riichi requires at least 1 yaku; dora alone does not provide it. Hong Kong and Chinese regional tables may set a minimum fan. American mahjong requires an exact line from the current card, including any concealed or exposure label.
Before declaring, check shape, minimum value, restrictions, and the table’s scoring source. This 4-step pause prevents more confusion than memorizing a long list of rare hands.
Riichi cheat-sheet limits
The riichi panel reminds you to track seat wind, round wind, dora, open or closed status, and furiten. It does not list every yaku or calculate payments. Use Riichi Mahjong Rules and the Mahjong Score Calculator for those tasks. The World Riichi Championship rules provide the external procedure reference used by this site.
American cheat-sheet limits
American hands depend on the current card. This page cannot replace that copyrighted, annually issued reference. Use the official National Mah Jongg League materials or the governing rules selected by your group.
The panel focuses on stable reminders: match the printed combination, observe concealed/exposed labels, apply joker restrictions, and follow Charleston procedure. For card-reading help, continue to American Mahjong Card 2026.
Keep the sheet beside the table until the draw–check–discard rhythm feels automatic. Then use it only at genuine decision points; a reference should reduce friction, not interrupt every turn.
Frequently asked questions
Can I save this mahjong cheat sheet as a PDF?
Yes. Choose Print or Save as PDF, then select your browser’s PDF destination. The print stylesheet removes navigation and keeps the reference high contrast.
Which rules does the cheat sheet use?
The main panel shows the shared four-groups-and-a-pair core. Separate panels label riichi and American additions; regional and house scoring still require their own source.
Does the sheet include every mahjong hand?
No. It is a turn and tile reference, not a complete scoring catalog. Special hands, yaku, card combinations, and local limits belong in the relevant ruleset guide.
Why are there no Chinese characters on the graphic tiles?
The visual key uses dots, bamboo marks, Latin letters, and numbers so English-language beginners can scan it quickly. Standard suit names remain in the text.