03/09/26 🀄 Fun + Smarts = Better Mah Jongg Wins

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The Mah Jongg Insider 🀄
March 09, 2026

🧨️ Happy Mah Jongg Monday!️

This is the last month to play on the 2025 card.

There’s something about this stretch of the season that you can feel at the table.

Some players are determined to win on every single hand before the card retires. Others stay loyal to their favorite lines and play them well to the very end. Some tables play for money. Some for points. Some just for the satisfaction of calling Mahj.

Some of you are trying new brands of cards. Some are tinkering with blanks. Some are pushing yourself to attempt hands you ignored all year.

However you approach it, you’re a part of this community.

That is the beauty of American Mah Jongg.

If you play, you belong here with us.🥰

P.S. Just a quick reminder, we’re not the National Mah Jongg League. If you have a question about your card order or when your card will ship, you can reach the NMJL directly at 212-246-3052.

Our team is small, and more than 150,000 of you read the Insider each week. You can imagine what would happen if every “Where’s my card?” email landed in our inbox. Since we don’t have access to NMJL order information, they’re the only ones who can help with card status questions.

Here’s a quick preview of today’s issue. Scroll down to read each section in full.

⬇️ Final Chance — Mah Jongg Bootcamp 40% off.

💡 Table Wisdom — Why called tiles belong on top of your rack.

🖐🏻 A Hand to Play — Which exposure completes your opponent’s hand?

🎁 Winning Picks — Simple upgrades for your Mah Jongg meetups.

🎥 Max’s Minute — Naming Jokers and where the dealer draws tiles.

🌟 Tournament Season — A beginner-friendly event happening soon.

🀄 Tile Highlight — officially licensed collegiate mahjong tiles..

❓ Ask Auntie — Helpful reminder or intimidation at the table?

📸 Spotlight — Mah Jongg friendships.

🎂 Birthdays — This week’s AMJA members.

🖐🏻 Free Practice Sessions — See if we called your name.

… and more!

⬇️ We’re focussing on new trainings inside the American Mah Jongg Association ⬇️

This is the FINAL time the Ultimate Mah Jongg Bootcamp
will be offered at 40% OFF.

💡 Table Wisdom

Rules & FAQs: Place Called Tiles on Top of Your Rack
This rule protects your hand from simple mistakes that cause you to lose the game. 

The Rule: 
A called tile should be placed on top of the rack and not in the rack. 

-- Mah Jongg Made Easy, p.15

The next sentence in this section reads, “It is preferable to place the called tile on top of your rack before taking the tiles from your rack to make the exposure.”

This small habit keeps your pace steady and reduces the chance of racking the wrong tile. It also helps you avoid a dead hand during fast play.

The Winning Move
Use these moves when you call a tile:

  • Pick it up, confirm it is correct, and place it on top of your rack. 

  • Check how many tiles you must expose. 

  • Lift those tiles and bring them forward to meet the called tile. 

You may fix any errors in this step until you discard. Practicing this sequence will make your exposures cleaner and your tempo smoother.

Beginner’s Takeaway
There is no penalty if you slide the called tile onto the sloped part of the rack. The risk is that you may rack an incorrect tile and still be required to expose the one you called. That can invalidate your hand. Keeping the tile on top helps you avoid that situation.

Advanced Moves
Watch closely. In a fast game, a player may rack a different tile than the one they expose. This is not a penalty, but it can signal uncertainty or an error. Staying alert to these moments helps you read the table.

🖐🏻 A Hand to Play

Which Of These Exposures Belongs With Your Opponent’s Hand? 
Reading exposures helps you avoid playing conflicting hands or discarding their winning tile. Your opponent has two exposures, shown below. 

Given this exposure,

which additional exposure(s) do you think belong to that hand? Study the exposed tiles, check your card, choose an answer, and vote.

Which Of These Exposures Belongs With Your Opponent’s Hand?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

🀄 Tile Spotlight: Today’s Hand to Play uses West Wind Mahjong’s University of Texas® Mahjong tiles. March Madness is around the corner, which makes these tiles especially fun.

Last Week’s 🖐🏻 Hand to Play Results:
5,470 Insiders Played, 58% chose right. Did you?  » CLICK HERE «

🀄 Winning Picks: Game Day Upgrades
Sometimes it’s the little details that make a Mah Jongg night feel extra polished. These upgrades add comfort, personality, and just a bit more fun to the table.

💗 Chinoiserie Mah Jongg Card Holders
Soft fabric sleeves that protect scorecards and add a pop of color to the table. Protect your card →

🧦 Mah Jongg Socks
Playful, pink, and perfect for gifting your table crew. A fun surprise for a girls’ night. Step into fun →

🖊️ Mah Jongg Notebooks & Pens
Great for jotting scores, strategy notes, or hosting details. A practical and giftable combo. Write it down →

👜 Clear Mah Jongg Tile Bag
Waterproof, zippered, and travel-ready. Keeps tiles protected and easy to spot. Pack it up →

☕ Mah Jongg Lover Mug
A simple way to bring a little Mahj into morning coffee or tea. Sip and shuffle →

(**As an Amazon Associate, The Mah Jongg Insider earns from qualifying purchases.)

This week’s top questions:
1️⃣ Is it okay for a player to discard a Joker and name it as “same?”
2️⃣ After the dealer rolls the dice, do they take that number of tiles from the right side of their wall or the left side?

Watch Max’s 1-minute video answer.
🎥 [Click here to watch]

Have a question for Max?
🎤 Leave him a [voicemail]

🌟 Tournament Season Is Here
If you’ve ever thought about trying a Mah Jongg tournament, the Mahj Maniacs Dual Tournament in Milwaukee at the end of May (29th-31st) might be a great place to start. They even publish a zero-tolerance policy that includes reminders like “please keep your hands to yourself,” “no physicality out of anger toward another person,” and “please keep any negative comments to yourself.” Which, if we’re being honest, probably means some tournament tables have a bit of a reputation. The good news is that this event is designed with new tournament players in mind, including a Beginner division with longer game times for a more relaxed pace and a positive playing experience.

There are plenty of events happening around the country, including lots of tournaments hosted by Destination Mah Jongg, and you can find them on the Association’s Events Directory.

️🀄 Collegiate Tile Highlight

If you thought pulling a Joker was hard to conceal before, just wait! West Wind Mahjong’s officially licensed collegiate mahjong Jokers are perfectly created with each university’s culture and traditions in mind - playful, prideful, and almost impossible not to react to.

Thoughtfully and originally designed, every tile in our collegiate sets is made to make you smile, spark nostalgia, and bring back the memories that made your university years unforgettable.

These are more than spirited additions to your mahjong collection - they’re collectible pieces that add pride, personality, and joy to your collection.

And one day, these sets will become more than your own. They will become a legacy to pass down, tile by tile, carrying your school spirit and memories to the next generation of players.

➡️ Follow westwind_mahjong on IG for updates on officially licensed collegiate mahjong tiles.

⬅️ Last Week’s Question
Auntie, I find trendy modern sets distracting. Should Mah Jongg stay traditional?
- Deborah S.

🥠 Auntie’s Advice 🥠

🗨 My friend, distraction is personal, not universal.
Some players love the clean look of modern sets. Others prefer the weight and markings of traditional tiles. Neither is wrong. The game itself has survived many changes over the years. Mah Jongg does not have to stay frozen in one style. It only needs to remain playable and enjoyable at your table. Choose the setup that allows you to play comfortably and let others do the same.

📢 Readers’ Responses 📢

🗨  I like the sense of history as well as simplicity (clarity) of traditional tiles. Love vintage sets ! I think it best for new learners and for teaching.

🗨 Players should take a minute to familiarize and admire the unique tiles before play. I have four traditional sets and 3 American sets with different styles of racks, and many colored mats. I also have larger tiles my older gal pals appreciate for easier visibility. I love all the unique sets I’ve played on, it keeps it interesting and adds to the fun.

🗨  I have an antique set. It is beautiful, and when it's my turn to bring the game, players always love it and comment on how much they enjoy using it. Modern tiles are also beautiful, but it just isn't the same.

🗨 There's room for all styles of tiles. It is good to learn on traditional tiles to start but branching out to the modern or playful is a fun option. I think about it like playing games like Monopoly; you learn on the original game but then sometimes you go to someone's house and they have a specialty version with a board that has fun names. In the end, it's about the company of the people you are spending time with. We are in it to enjoy ourselves, not be frustrated with differences of opinion.

🗨 Fairly new to Mah Jongg (playing about a year and a half). I really like the traditional tiles at this point but maybe in the future I will want to change. Try to stay open minded.

➡️ This Week’s Question
One player often remarks on others’ exposed hands like “maybe check your hand,” which intimidates newer players. Is this rude or a tactic? How would you handle this?
- Linda

🤗 Want to share your advice?
🤔 Have a Mah Jongg manners or table moment dilemma?

📩 Send it to Auntie: [email protected]

📸 Get In the Spotlight

Sarah Devore this past year completed a very hard closed hand. Also playing every week are Barb, Kim, Debbie, Jackie, Dede and Leslie. We get together every Tuesday at our Golf Club. We truly have found a great game and wonderful friendships.
- Elizabeth L.

At Cool Girls Mahjong we like to keep our lessons and games fun.
-Jamie B.

We are the Carmel Mahjong Mavens from Charlotte, NC. We play every Monday at our club and are totally addicted to this wonderful game. We love The Mah Jongg Insider!
- Barbara P.

📸 Share your Mah Jongg moments!
Send us a photo and a quick note — big wins, themed nights, or fun group shots — for a chance to be featured.

📩 Email: [email protected]

🎂 This Week’s Birthdays

Happy Birthday to these wonderful members of the American Mah Jongg Association!

Mar 10
Adrienne F. (FL), Paul W. (MA), Toni D. (CA)

Mar 11
Ada G. (CA), Gaby P. (VA), Mary H. (PA)

Mar 12
Jennifer A. (GA), Linda M. (SD)

Mar 13
Babs F. (TN), Barbara D. (FL), Pat G. (ON), Terri S. (MN)

Mar 14
Abby H. (SC), Cari M. (AZ), Lucy L. (KS)

Mar 15
Fran L. (FL), Heidi B. (TX), Martha V. (ME)

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