Table etiquette

You know the rules, and it's time to sit down at a real table! But when you play mahjong, there are also a few unwritten habits that everyone just expects. None of them are strict rules. Get them right and people will happily invite you back; slip up and the worst you'll get is a friendly nudge.

This lesson is an easy one. Think of it as a quick reminder before you head out.

Drawing and discarding: wait for your turn

• Don't draw too early. If you grab a tile before the player before you has discarded, or while someone might still pung, you'll have to put it back when they call. Wait for the discard, pause a second, then draw.
• Discard where everyone can see. Place your discard face up in front of you, in a neat row. Don't toss it across the table or leave it face down. Everyone reads the discards to see what's gone.
• Say it as you discard. Many tables name each discard out loud, like "three bamboo", so nobody has to lean over to look.
• Don't take forever. A short think is fine, but thirty seconds on every tile slows the whole table. People are patient with beginners, and you'll speed up quickly.

Calling: loud, clear and on time

• Call right away. When someone discards the tile you want, say "Pung!" before the next player draws. Once they've drawn, it's usually too late.
• Call first, then take. Say it, then take the tile and lay the set face up where everyone can see it.
• Show your winning hand. After you call the win, lay all your tiles face up so everyone can check. Don't mix them up straight away.

Hands off: the wall and other players' tiles

• No peeking at the wall. Take only the tile you're drawing. Don't flip the next one to see what's coming.
• Don't touch other players' tiles. Leave their hands and exposed sets alone. If you can't see a set clearly, just ask them to turn it.
• Keep your hand tidy. Stand your tiles up so others can't see them. If they fall over, set them right quickly.
• Keep the table clear. Drinks and snacks go to the side, not next to the tiles.

Be a good winner, and a good loser

• Win gracefully. Be happy, but there's no need to explain everyone else's mistakes after every hand.
• Don't blame the tiles. Luck comes and goes. Slamming tiles or sighing loudly just makes everyone uncomfortable.
• Don't coach unless asked. If someone makes a mistake, let it go unless they want advice.
• Stick to what you agreed. Settle how long you'll play and how you'll score before you start, and don't change it midway.

Playing online

When you play mahjong online, the game draws and scores for you, so a lot of etiquette takes care of itself. A few things still matter:

• Don't go idle. Against real people, play promptly on your turn. If you need to leave, finish the hand first.
• Don't quit mid-game. Disconnecting when you're losing isn't fair on the other three.
• Keep chat friendly. A simple "Nice hand!" goes a long way.

Against the computer on our sites you can take as long as you like, which makes it a great place for beginners to practice.

Congratulations, you've finished the beginner course!

Starting from the tiles, you've learned sets and the pair, the winning shapes, how a round goes, chow, pung and kong, ready hands and scoring basics. You're ready for a real table!

Next, pick a style. Not sure which? Compare them in mahjong styles, or jump straight in:

• American mahjong: build hands from a card, with jokers
• Japanese riichi: riichi, yaku and dora, with deep strategy
• Hong Kong mahjong: 13 tiles, 3 fan to win, quick and lively
• Taiwanese mahjong: 16-tile hands and friendly tai scoring
• Guobiao: the tournament rules, 8 points to win
• Sichuan: "bloody battle", no chows, and very fast

Previous lesson: scoring basics. Good luck at the table!

Quick quiz