A fast, printable quick reference for American Mahjong (NMJL) — the Charleston, Jokers, calling tiles, and how to win. Keep it beside you for your first games, when the card and the passing order are still sinking in.
Playing a different style? See our general Mahjong Cheat Sheet for all variants.
- 4 players · a 152-tile set with 8 Jokers and 8 Flowers
- 13 tiles in hand · 14 to win
- Every hand must match a line on the current NMJL card — you can’t invent your own
- Deal: East gets 14 tiles, everyone else 13
The Charleston — pass order
The part new players forget most. The first Charleston is required; the second only happens if everyone agrees.
| Charleston | Pass order (3 tiles each) |
|---|---|
| First (required) | Right → Across → Left |
| Second (optional) | Left → Across → Right |
| Courtesy pass | 0–3 tiles across, by agreement |
- Jokers can never be passed in the Charleston.
- Any player can stop the second Charleston — it needs everyone’s agreement.
- Blind passes are allowed on the later passes — see what to pass in the Charleston.
Joker rules
| Jokers CAN | Jokers CANNOT |
|---|---|
| Stand in for a tile in a group of 3+ (pung, kong, quint) | Be used for a single tile or a pair |
| Be redeemed — swap the matching natural tile for an exposed Joker on your turn | Be passed in the Charleston, or picked up once discarded |
More detail: Jokers in Mahjong — full rules. Note: jokerless hands usually score double.
Calling & exposing tiles
- You may call a discard to complete a pung, kong, or quint — then expose that group face-up on your rack.
- You cannot call a discard for a single or a pair — except the tile that completes your hand for Mahjong.
- Once you expose tiles, you’re committed to a hand that matches the card.
How to win & scoring
- Complete a 14-tile hand that exactly matches a line on the NMJL card, then declare “Mahjong.”
- Each hand’s value is printed on the card. The player who discards the winning tile pays double; the others pay the face value.
- Pick your own winning tile and all three pay you double. See American Mahjong scoring for the full breakdown.
Get this cheat sheet as a printable PDF
The Charleston, Joker rules, and NMJL card basics on one printable page — keep it on the table while you play.
Download the free cheat sheet →Want more than a cheat sheet? The NMJL Beginner Starter Kit adds practice hands and a step-by-step walkthrough of the card. Or start with the full American Mahjong rules.