# Gameplay Flow

> Step-by-step walkthrough of how a round of American Mahjong works, from the Charleston to declaring Mah Jongg.

**Source:** https://www.mahjongmaster.co/learn/american/beginners/03-gameplay-flow/
**Author:** Kenji Tanaka (https://www.mahjongmaster.co/about/kenji-tanaka/)
**Publisher:** Mahjong Master (https://www.mahjongmaster.co)
**Published:** 2026-02-16
**Updated:** 2026-02-16
**Variant:** american
**Difficulty:** beginner
**Chapter:** 3

---

Now that you know the tiles and Card, let's walk through how a game actually plays out. American Mahjong has a unique rhythm with some features you won't find in Asian variants.

## Game Setup

### What You Need
- 152 tile set
- 4 players (East, South, West, North)
- Official NMJL Cards for everyone
- Racks to hold your tiles
- Bettor chips or coins (optional)

### Building the Walls

1. **Mix the tiles** face-down on the table
2. Each player builds a **wall**: 19 tiles long, 2 tiles high (38 tiles total per side)
3. The four walls form a square in the center of the table

### The Deal

1. **East** (dealer) rolls dice to determine where to break the wall
2. Starting from the break, each player receives **13 tiles**
3. **East gets 14 tiles** (one extra to start)
4. Players organize tiles on their racks, hidden from opponents

## The Charleston

This is unique to American Mahjong! Before regular play begins, there's a **Charleston**, a structured tile exchange.

### First Charleston (mandatory)

**Right pass:**
- Each player selects 3 unwanted tiles
- Everyone passes these 3 tiles to the player on their right
- Simultaneously

**Across pass:**
- Select 3 more tiles
- Pass across to the opposite player

**Left pass:**
- Select 3 more tiles
- Pass to the player on your left

**Optional courtesy pass:**
- Players across from each other can agree to pass 0-3 more tiles

### Second Charleston (optional)

The same sequence repeats IF all four players agree. If anyone says no, it stops.

**Why Charleston?** It lets you discard tiles that don't fit your hand and potentially get tiles that do. Be strategic, don't pass Jokers unless you have a clear plan!

## Regular Play

After the Charleston, regular play begins.

### Turn Structure

Starting with **East** and going counterclockwise:

1. **Draw** a tile from the wall
2. **Decide** whether to keep it or discard it
3. **Discard** one tile face-up, calling it out
4. **Opportunity** for opponents to claim the discarded tile

### Calling Tiles

Unlike Riichi mahjong where you can take any discard for a sequence, in American Mahjong you can only call a tile to:

**Expose** a combination from your hand:
- Show 3 or 4 matching tiles (including the called tile)
- Place them face-up on your rack
- You skip your next draw

**Example:** You need 6 Dots and have three 6 Dots. Someone discards a 6 Dot. You call "Take!" and expose your three 6 Dots plus the called tile face-up.

**Important rules:**
- You can only call the **most recent** discard
- Multiple people can call the same tile, **Mah Jongg takes priority**, then whoever called first
- Once exposed, those tiles can't be rearranged

### Using Your Rack

Players organize tiles on a rack with three sections:
- **Concealed tiles** (face toward you, hidden)
- **Exposed tiles** (face-up, public)
- **Discards** (face-up in center)

## Winning: Mah Jongg!

To win, you need **14 tiles** that exactly match one hand on the Card.

### Winning Methods

**1. Self-Pick (most common):**
- You draw the tile you need from the wall
- Call "Mah Jongg!"
- Show your hand

**2. Off a Discard:**
- Someone discards the exact tile you need
- Call "Mah Jongg!" immediately
- Show your hand

### Declaring Mah Jongg

When you win:
1. Call "Mah Jongg!" loudly and clearly
2. Reveal your entire hand
3. Show which Card hand you're matching
4. Collect payment (if playing for money)

### Dead Hands

Your hand is **dead** (can't win) if:
- You expose tiles that don't match any possible Card hand
- You call a tile incorrectly
- You have the wrong number of tiles

**Be careful!** Declaring Mah Jongg with an invalid hand results in penalties.

## Scoring

American Mahjong scoring is simpler than Asian variants:

### Basic Payment

- The winner shows their hand and collects based on the **point value** on the Card
- Typical values: 25¢, 30¢, 35¢, 40¢, 50¢, 75¢

**Who pays?**
- If you self-pick: All three opponents pay you
- If you win off a discard: Only the person who discarded pays you (usually double)

**Example:** You win with a 50-point hand by self-pick. Each opponent pays you 50¢ = $1.50 total.

### Variations

Some groups play with:
- **Doubles for Jokerless hands**
- **Bonuses for all concealed hands**
- **Payment for flowers**

Always clarify payment rules before starting!

## Round Progression

- One round = One complete game from deal to Mah Jongg (or wall exhaustion)
- Typically play four rounds, one with each player as East
- Or play for a set time period (2-3 hours is common)

## Wall Exhaustion

If all tiles are drawn and no one has won:
- The round is a **draw**
- East remains East (or passes based on group rules)
- No payments
- Reshuffle and start fresh

## Key Takeaways

- **Charleston** = Pass unwanted tiles before regular play
- **Draw → Discard** = Basic turn structure
- **Call tiles** only to expose groups that match your hand
- **Mah Jongg** = 14 tiles exactly matching a Card hand
- **Scoring** = Based on point value of your winning hand

---

**Next Chapter:** [Building Hands](/learn/american/beginners/04-building-hands/) - Learn strategy for choosing and building toward winning hands.

---

*This content is from [Mahjong Master](https://www.mahjongmaster.co), a free educational reference for riichi (Japanese) and American (NMJL) mahjong. When citing this page, please link to https://www.mahjongmaster.co/learn/american/beginners/03-gameplay-flow/.*