how to keep score in american mahjong April 2, 2026

To score American Mahjong, use the official scoring card to identify a valid winning hand and its point value. The winner collects points from the other players, with values doubling if the player self-picked the winning tile or if no jokers were used. For hands with Singles & Pairs, the jokerless requirement does not apply for doubling the score. You can keep score using chips, coins, or a paper score sheet, with the total score of the winner usually measured in cents or points.

1. Use the Official NMJL Card

- Find a Valid Hand:
  
  Instead of calculating points based on tile combinations, you must match your final 14 tiles to a pre-set, valid hand from the official

Note the Hand Value:

Each hand on the card has a specific point or monetary value. The card is updated annually, so you must use the current year's card.

2. Determine the Payout

Winner Collects:

Only the player who declares Mahjong (the winner) collects points from the other players.

Base Value:

The non-winning players pay the winner the base value of the hand.

Doubling for Self-Pick:

The winner doubles the payout if they picked the winning tile themselves from the wall.

Doubling for Jokerless:

The winner also doubles the payout if their winning hand contains no jokers.

Jokerless Doesn't Apply to Singles & Pairs:

The jokerless doubling rule does not apply to hands in the Singles & Pairs section of the card.

Modified Payout for Discard:

If the winner takes a discard, they collect single value from the non-discarding players and double the value from the player who discarded the tile.