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Play unlimited games of Mahjong. With our Mahjong game, you can:

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  • Reshuffle tiles
Mahjong


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you play Mahjong?

The game's goal is to remove the tiles from the playing area by matching identical tiles. Only the tiles you can see can be paired, which means that first you need to pair the visible ones on the top and sides. If there are no more moves left, in some versions, you can reshuffle the tiles, often a maximum of 5 times per game. The tiles that you can pair need to be open from the left or right. Also, you shouldn't have any other tile covering them.

In Mahjong, just like with playing cards, the tiles have suits: Character, Dot, Season, Dragon, Wind, and Flower. When you are playing, the only suit tiles that don't need to be matched are the Flowers and Seasons. Any of those combinations will be accepted as a pair because there is only one of each. You can think of them as Joker cards.

This game requires thinking, concentration, and planning. The strategy while playing is to remove matching tiles while opening new possibilities to match. For example, eliminating only the top tiles is not a good idea because the other tiles will remain covered, and you can lose the game. Even if you reshuffle, sometimes you won't be able to match tiles.

That's why it’s of greater importance to recognize the locks. Some of the matching tiles are going to be stacked upon each other. You will have to find a way to solve those locks that will unlock more tiles, giving you more moves to make.

At first, it might look like it's going to be an easy game to play, but if you are not focusing and concentrating enough, you can get stuck in a few moves. To avoid that, prepare your mind to be in the game and only in the game.

While playing try to plan several moves in advance. You may find some obvious pairs which may look like a good move, but they may fool you. At the beginning of the game, you have a handful of available plays, and the goal is to increase the number. Once you start doing that, you will have more breathing room to play the hand you want, not the one you must.

One thing that could easily trick you is the similarity of the characters, so it is crucial to have an excellent visual memory. It will help you distinguish the different tiles.

Learn more with our guide on how to play Mahjong.

You can also learn how to win at Mahjong with our strategy guide.

What is Mahjong Solitaire?

Mahjong solitaire is a single-player, tile-based strategy game that can be played online or with physical playing pieces. Its name derives from the traditional four-player game ‘Mahjong’ – however, the two games differ largely in format and rules.

The game uses 144 tiles, stacked across four narrowing layers – a shape known in Mahjong Solitaire as the ‘turtle’.

Mahjong Solitaire follows a basic matching game format. Any two ‘exposed’ tiles – that don’t have another tile to either their right or left – can be matched, and when two tiles are matched, they are removed from the playing area.

Some formats of the game – often online – allow players to reshuffle tiles when they are out of moves.

As with all solitaire games, the aim of Mahjong is to clear the playing area by removing all tiles. Once the tableau is clear, the game is won. If the player cannot make any more moves or reshuffle the tiles, the game is lost.

Research suggests a player has around a 97% chance of winning a standard game of Mahjong Solitaire.

What is the history of Mahjong?

Originally Mahjong was a tile-based game for 3-4 players, created in China during the Qing dynasty and last popularized around the world in the 20th century.

Mahjong, also known as Shanghai solitaire, is a single-player game where you must match the identical tiles to win. Mahjong was designed in 1981 by Brodie Lockard and is less complicated than the original version. They are placed in a 3D puzzle, and it looks like a pyramid.

What are the tiles used in Mahjong Solitaire?

Like the four card suits used in traditional Klondike Solitaire, there are five suits of tiles used in Mahjong Solitaire – stones, characters, bamboos, honor, and bonus suits.

Mahjong Solitaire traditionally features four sets of stone, character, and bamboo tiles, with nine tiles each. There are four sets of seven honor tiles (three ‘dragons’ and four ‘winds’) and a single set of eight bonus tiles (four ‘seasons’ and four ‘flowers’). Each card is paired.

Below is a list of all the tiles featured in a standard game of Mahjong Solitaire, which players must pair to win:

Mahjong tiles

Is Mahjong Solitaire the same as Mahjong?

Despite sharing a name, Mahjong Solitaire and Mahjong are two separate games. Both games feature the same set of decorated tiles, however, there are key differences in how the two games are played.

As its name suggests, Mahjong Solitaire is a solo game and is often played online or digitally rather than as a traditional table game. Mahjong Solitaire follows a traditional matching game format, with the aim of clearing the tableau by removing two tiles at a time.

Traditional Mahjong – often referred to ‘Mahjong Rummy’ – is a four-player table game in which players aim to collect a winning ‘hand’ of seven tiles by picking and discarding one tile at a time.

How long does a game of Mahjong Solitaire take?

The length of a game of Mahjong Solitaire will depend on the player’s experience and ability. While experienced players may be able to clear the tableau in around 10 minutes, it may take beginners much longer as they learn the ropes, create strategies and learn to spot pairs more easily.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to strategy games like Mahjong Solitaire, and you’ll find you complete games quicker as you become more familiar with the game.

At Solitaired.com you can even track your game times and save your scores to compare with other players.

How many tiles are there in Mahjong?

The numbers of tiles may vary by game. Games should have at least 136 tiles. The American version of Mahjong, for example, has 152 tiles. Our version has 144 tiles, with 72 pairs. Many people may be surprised by the number of tiles needed to be matched, but remember, in Mahjong, the tiles can be stacked up one another, and you unearth more tiles by matching them.

Variations of Mahjong Solitaire

There are different ways to play Mahjong Solitaire that can increase the difficulty of the game and allow players to compete with friends.

Some common variations on the traditional Mahjong Solitaire format include:

  • Time limits – this increases the difficulty by requiring players to clear the table within a set time.
  • Reshuffles – some versions of the game allow players to shuffle the tiles when they are out of moves
  • Multiplayer – players can either compete with or play alongside friends. Two players can work together to find matches or collect pairs solo and compare tiles once the game is completed
  • Wild card tiles – some versions of the game allow players to introduce different tiles, for example, with eye-catching designs or that have special functions.

Games like Mahjong Solitaire

There are plenty of solo patience and strategy games that are like Mahjong Solitaire. All variations of solitaire are similar in their aim of stacking or pairing cards together to clear a tableau.

Some games like Mahjong Solitaire include:

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