Mahjong

Chinese Classical Mahjong

The oldest variety of Mahjong which first infiltrated America in the 1920s under various different names. The game is fairly popular in the West but is pretty much ignored throughout Asia.

Hong Kong Mahjong/Cantonese Mahjong

Probably the most popular version of Mahjong, this is quite similar to the Classical Chinese version and differs only slightly in the scoring.

Sichuan Mahjong

Growing in popularity, especially in southern China, misses the fa and zhong pieces amongst others and owes its popularity to the fact that it is a quicker version of the game.

Taiwanese Mahjong

A variety that gives players a hand of 16 tiles (as opposed to the standard 13 used in other versions).

Japanese Mahjong

A standard format across Japan which incorporates changes to the usual scoring system.

American Mahjong

The most different version from traditional Mahjong, uses more tiles than the regular version and purists consider it a different game.

The idea of the game is to make completed suits (known as melds), usually of threes, from the 13 or 16 tiles that are dealt. The winner of the game is the player that completes their meld first.