Beginner guide
How to play Mahjong online
Happy Mahjong is a browser game for four players. Invite friends to a free table or practice with bots. Here are the rules you need for your first hand.
The goal: four sets and a pair
Most players start with 13 tiles; the dealer starts with 14 and discards first. A usual winning hand has four sets, called melds, and one pair. A set can be three consecutive numbers in one suit or three identical tiles. Happy Mahjong also recognizes special hands such as Thirteen Orphans.
Know the tiles
There are three numbered suits: Characters (万), Dots (筒), and Bamboo (条), each numbered 1 through 9. Honor tiles include the four winds and three dragons. The game also has eight flower tiles; a flower is displayed as a bonus and immediately replaced by another draw.
Take a turn
- Draw one tile from the wall so you have 14 tiles (the dealer already has 14 on the first turn).
- Choose one tile to discard, returning to 13, or declare a winning hand.
- Other players may claim the discard for Chi, Pong, Kang, or a win.
- If nobody claims it, the next player draws.
The four actions
Chi
Take the previous player’s discard to complete three consecutive tiles in one suit.
Pong
Take any player’s discard when you already hold two matching tiles, making a triplet.
Kang
Make a set of four matching tiles, then draw a replacement tile.
Win
Complete your hand with your own draw or a matching discard.
Start without pressure
Practice and friend tables have a zero coin stake and do not change your rank. Ranked tables use a visible stake; a player’s maximum coin loss in one round is capped by that stake. You can read all scoring patterns inside the game’s Rules screen.
Try a practice hand →