Mahjong is a game for 2-4 people that uses 136 to 144 tiles, depending on the rules (Japanese rules tend to use 136). There are three basic kinds of number tiles: Man zi (10,000), Sou zi (bamboo), and Pin zi (copper coins). Each of these suits have numbers ranging from 1 to 9 and there are 4 of each of those tiles. There are 2 kinds of "word" tiles: the wind tiles, with characters North, South, East, and West (4 of each), and the dragon tiles (called the "Three Origins" in Japanese), Haku (Blank Slate), Hatsu (Wealth), and Chun (Red Center). Gathering a three of a kind (or more) with the dragon tiles will automatically upgrade the worth of your hand.

In the beginning of a match, tiles are shuffled and placed in a square shape on the table with each side 17 to 18 tiles long with 2 layers. Dice are then thrown to decide who will have 14 tiles (the other 3 will have 13) and who sits on which end of the table. (They are then given directions of "North, South, East, or West.") Whichever player that has 14 will be deemed the dealer. And whichever direction the dealer is, the corresponding Wind tile will be attributed bonus points. Depending on the rules, each player will be allowed to be the dealer 1 to 4 times. They take turns on each match going counter clockwise. When everyone finishes taking turns as the dealer, the round is completed. The number of rounds that people play will depend on the rules. Each player then takes turns drawing from the covered tiles and tries to make a winning hand.

A player can "call" on someone else's dealt tile (the moment he deals it) provided that you can complete a 3 tile hand (either three of a kind or a succession). Though you can "Pon" (to call a tile to get a three of a kind) from any other player, you can only "Chi" (to call a tile to get a succession) the tile dealt by the person right before it is your turn to draw. A winning hand is completed by having four 3 tile hands which are either three of kind or a succession (same suit) followed with a pair of any tile. A "Kan" (to call a tile to make a four of a kind) is treated pretty much in the same way as a "Pon" except that instead of dealing a tile calling, you take a tile from the back of the "deck" before dealing another one.

Different combinations of hands are given different amount of points. If you "call" a tile to make winning hand, the person who dealt that tile will have to pay you the full amount of the worth of the hand. If you make a winning hand by drawing it from the "deck," the payment will be divided 3 ways equally if you are the dealer, and divided 4 ways where the current dealer pays twice the amount of the other players.

One important aspect that exists only in Japanese Mahjong is the "Dora." It is a tile that is flipped near the back of the "deck" that allows the tile succeeding it to be given bonus points. For example, if a 5 Sou is flipped, then each 6 Sou is given bonus points. Each Dora will add another Han to your winning hand. One thing that must be noted is that the Dora does not satisfy the 1 Han minimum required to go out on a hand. Hence the Dora is only there as a bonus factor.

For the various Mahjong terms, the Japanese pronunciation will be used. There are "official" terms used in the American form of Mahjong in accordance to the Wright-Patterson rules, but there are also specific terms that exist only within Japanese Mahjong. So to avoid confusion, only the Japanese romanizations will be used. If you want to learn the Chinese way of playing, ask a Chinese person (preferrably a FOB). Go try this game out. The learning curve is a bit steep, but it's really fun when you get used to it.