Mahj Play

Card Reading

How to read an American Mahjong card.

Card reading is the skill that turns random tiles into a plan. This page explains the pieces without copying any official annual card text.

American Mah Jongg

Lines And Values

A card line describes a complete hand and its point value. Your job is to identify which lines your tiles can realistically reach.

Groups

Lines are built from singles, pairs, pungs, kongs, quints, flowers, winds, dragons, and suit runs. Similar groups across multiple lines create flexible starts.

Open Or Concealed

Some hands allow exposed groups and some do not. If a hand is concealed, claiming a discard for exposure can make that line invalid.