The short answer: You need four players, a square table, 144 tiles, and three dice. Each player builds a wall of 34 tiles (17 stacks, two tiles high) in front of them, forming a hollow square. Roll the dice to pick the dealer and the break point. Everyone ends up with 13 tiles; the dealer takes 14 and discards first.
Setting up mahjong looks like a ceremony, but it’s just a fair way to shuffle 144 tiles. Do it twice and it takes five minutes.
What do you need to set up the game?
- A full set of 144 tiles: three suits, winds, dragons, and flowers.
- Four players around a square table, one per side. Three- and two-player variants exist, but the classic setup is four.
- Three dice to pick the dealer and the break point.
- Table space — all four walls sit in the middle, so push your drinks back.
How do you build the wall and break it?
- Shuffle. Turn all 144 tiles face down and mix them on the table.
- Build four walls. Each player stacks 17 pairs of tiles — two high, face down — in front of them. The walls meet at the corners to form a square.
- Pick the dealer. Everyone rolls one die; the highest roll deals. (Or the East seat deals.)
- Roll three dice. The dealer rolls and counts players counterclockwise, starting with themselves as one.
- Break the wall. The player that count lands on counts that many stacks from the right end of their own wall. That’s where dealing starts.
Dealing starts at the break point and moves clockwise. Each player ends up with 13 tiles, the dealer with 14, who discards first. Flowers go face up beside your hand, replaced from the wall’s tail.
Want the full deal spelled out? Read our how to play mahjong guide, and practice spotting tiles with mahjong solitaire free online.
Related Questions
How many tiles are in a mahjong set?
144: 108 suited tiles, 16 winds, 12 dragons, and 8 flowers. Some sets drop the flowers and play with 136 — the game works the same either way.
How many tiles do you start with in mahjong?
Each player starts with 13 tiles. The dealer takes 14 and discards first, which opens the game. After that, every turn is draw one, discard one.
Do you need a special table to play mahjong?
No. Any square or round table with room for four walls works. A standard card table is a bit tight; a dining table is ideal.
What do you do with flower tiles?
Set them face up in front of you — they score bonus points — and draw a replacement from the tail of the wall. Flowers never count toward your four sets and pair.