BEFORE THE FIRST HAND
Know your game.
Check your table.
Mahjong has many rule sets. Start with yours, then turn a confusing table listing into clear questions for the seller.
Make a purchase checklist ↘START HERE
Mahjong rules and automatic table buying basics
This free checklist uses three seller listings as examples, not a complete market comparison or product ranking. Dates and seller claims are shown so you can confirm current terms.
Read the rules and equipment overview
American
A four-player game using a yearly hand card and jokers. Ask your group which card they use before buying equipment. Buy the current card from its issuer. Learn the tiles, the Charleston and the basic turn sequence with your group. No annual hand patterns are reproduced here. National Mah Jongg League
Hong Kong
A four-player game with regional scoring and house rules. Confirm flowers and minimum winning fan with your group. Start with tile names, a draw-and-discard turn, and the difference between chow, pung and kong. Agree the exact rules before practising scoring. Hong Kong Mahjong Association
Chinese competition · MCR
The competition rules used by European Mahjong Association MCR events. It is a specific ruleset, not a label for every Chinese home game. Use the EMA rules reference and a teacher or club familiar with MCR. Learn hand structure before studying scoring patterns. European Mahjong Association
Japanese · Riichi
A Japanese four-player ruleset. Scoring, red-five preferences and table equipment differ from American mahjong. Learn tile names and hand structure, then yaku and the riichi declaration. Your club should specify its rules and red-five configuration. World Riichi
Mahjong solitaire
A different game: remove matching tiles from a layout. A four-player automatic shuffling table is not needed for the browser puzzle. Choose a solitaire game if you want a matching puzzle. The table checks below are for physical multiplayer mahjong. Mahjong.com
Three dated listing examples
Checked 6 November 2026. Prices are historical reference points, not live quotes or final delivered totals.
Danbom Hunter (US): USD 680.00 listed table price. The listed $680 is the table price. The $450 FAQ rate is a planning assumption, not a destination quote. Ask for supported modes, matching tiles, mains power, delivery and warranty before purchasing.
HEXJON Q72 (AU): AUD 1,399.99 listed table price. Two supplied sets of 144 tiles are listed. That does not establish all supported machine modes. Sale price may change. Ask for supported modes, matching tiles, mains power, delivery and warranty before purchasing.
THE LINEA (SG): SGD 988.00 listed table price. S$988 promotion advertised through 30 November 2026; usual price shown as S$1,388. Reconfirm availability and price. Ask for supported modes, matching tiles, mains power, delivery and warranty before purchasing.
01 / CHOOSE YOUR RULES
Which mahjong do you mean?
Your group’s rules come first.
These are starting points, not a full lesson.
02 / CHECK A LISTING
A few facts. Better questions.
Three listings, checked 6 November 2026.
Prices and seller terms may change.
03 / ASK BEFORE YOU BUY
Take the questions
to the seller.
Review and copy the brief yourself.
Nothing is submitted or sent.