American Mahjong is the modern American version of the classic four-player tile game, governed by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). It uses 152 tiles including 8 Jokers, an annual card of official hands, and the signature Charleston passing ritual. Whether you want to play online or learn the rules, this is your complete American Mahjong hub.
Play American Mahjong Online
Play American Mahjong Online →
American Mahjong Complete Guides
- American Mahjong Rules for Beginners — The complete rules of American Mahjong, explained for beginners.
- How to Play American Mahjong Step by Step — Step-by-step guide to playing your first game.
- American Mahjong Tiles Names and Meaning — Names and meaning of all 152 American Mahjong tiles.
- American Mahjong Jokers Rules Explained — How Joker tiles work and when to use them.
- How to Do the Charleston in American Mahjong — The Charleston opening pass, move by move with strategy.
- American Mahjong vs Chinese Mahjong — How American Mahjong differs from Chinese Mahjong.
- Best American Mahjong Apps 2026 — The best apps to play American Mahjong in 2026.
Playing American Mahjong on FreeMahjongPlay
Our online American Mahjong table runs entirely in your browser — no download, no registration. Select the American (NMJL) variant from the list, type an optional nickname, and press Play. On the room screen, press “Start game (with AI)” for an instant table against three AI opponents, or wait for other players to take the seats. To play with friends, use “Join private room” and share the room code. New to the variant? The Learn button walks you through the rules step by step.
More Than American: 25 Rule Sets in One Client
The same lobby covers the whole mahjong world: Riichi, the Japanese competitive favorite; Hong Kong Old Style; MCR (Chinese Official); Taiwanese 16-tile; Sichuan Bloody; Vietnamese with its eight jokers; Singaporean, Malaysian, Zung Jung, and Chinese Classical — plus exotic variants like Space Mahjong and a custom ruleset builder for your own house rules. Prefer solo play? Our mahjong solitaire library hosts 28 single-player layouts, and the rules section explains the differences between the major rule systems.
FAQ
Is it really free to play American mahjong online here?
Yes. Every variant is completely free, with no download and no account required — the nickname field is optional.
Does the online game follow real American mahjong rules?
Yes. The American (NMJL) variant plays with jokers and dead-hand declarations in the NMJL style. Small details differ from MJME 2024, and the in-game rules page documents them.
Can I play American mahjong with friends online?
Yes. Create a private room and share the room code, or meet in the public lobby. Empty seats are filled by AI opponents, so you can start anytime.
Does it work on mobile phones?
Yes. The client adapts to portrait and landscape screens — on phones the table fits the screen width and secondary panels collapse to keep the tiles readable.
What else can I play on FreeMahjongPlay?
Beyond American mahjong, the lobby offers more than two dozen rule sets from Riichi to Hong Kong Old Style, and our solitaire library adds 28 single-player layouts.