Different Mahjong versions, from the classical Chinese game to American mahjong, with its joker tiles, and Japanese riichi
- The rules for playing mahjong in Hong Kong make it a different game to the classical Chinese version. In Taiwanese mahjong there are more tiles in a hand
- We consider the differences between classical Chinese mahjong, Japanese riichi and Hong Kong, Taiwanese and American mahjong – the last of which has joker tiles
Since the birth of mahjong in Qing dynasty (1644-1912) China, different versions of the game have developed around the world. The basic principles remain the same for the most part, but each version has its flair with unique tiles, rules and scoring systems.
Keep scrolling as we take you on a global tour of mahjong and examine some of the most notable gameplay styles.
Chinese classical mahjong
There are many regional Chinese variants, which is why, in January 1998, the State Sports Commission of China recognised the game as its 255th sport and consolidated its many versions into one.
In this version, players aim to form a complete hand made up of four sets of three tiles (sets can be three of a kind, consecutive numbers or even four of a kind) along with a pair, totalling 14 tiles.
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Learn to play mahjong in 2.5 minutes
Hong Kong old style
