Hong Kong Mahjong in a minute
Hong Kong Mahjong, also called Cantonese Mahjong, is a four-player tile game. Each player holds 13 tiles, draws and discards one tile a turn, and races to complete a winning hand of four sets and a pair.
- Everyone takes 13 tiles. A flower or season goes face up beside you and is replaced from the wall.
- East deals and plays first. The dealer draws a 14th tile and discards. Play then passes to South, West and North.
- Draw one, discard one. Claim a discard to finish a set: a pung, a kong or your winning tile from anyone, a chow only from the player on your left.
- Complete four sets and a pair. Win on a tile you draw yourself (自摸) or on another player's discard (食糊).
How our Hong Kong tables play
The table follows the Hong Kong rules and only accepts legal claims, so new players can learn as they go.
144 tiles with flowers
Three suits, the winds and dragons, plus eight flowers and seasons. There are no animal tiles.
Seven pairs and thirteen orphans
Both special hands win alongside the usual four sets and a pair.
More than one winner
If two players can win on the same discard, they both win.
Four wind rounds
A match runs from the East round to the North round. The dealer keeps the deal after a win or a drawn hand.
Casual or faan scoring
Casual scoring is the default: any complete hand wins and scores a point. In a private room, switch Scoring to Hong Kong Faan for the faan table, the 3-faan minimum and a 13-faan cap.
What's at the table
Everything a Mahjong night needs is built into the room.
Invite with one link
Share the room link from the table. Friends join from their own browser, with no account.
AI fills empty seats
Start with two or three players and AI opponents take the rest, so the table is always full.
Practise against AI
Choose Practice with AI to play against computer players, with no one else to wait for.
See each other while you play
Start a video call from the table, or just use the chat. Cameras are optional.
Self-drawn wins are called for you
When a tile you draw completes a hand that meets the table's minimum, the game declares the win straight away.
Learn Hong Kong Mahjong
Before you play
Can I play Hong Kong Mahjong online with friends for free?
Yes. Creating a private room, inviting friends and playing are free. Nobody needs an account or an app; each player only enters a name.
What if we don't have four players?
Start the game anyway. AI players fill the empty seats, so two or three friends can still play a full table.
How many faan do I need to win?
On casual scoring, the default, any complete hand wins. With Hong Kong Faan scoring a hand needs at least 3 faan, and no hand counts more than 13.
Is Cantonese Mahjong the same as Hong Kong Mahjong?
Yes. Both names describe the same 13-tile game with flowers and faan scoring.
Can I chow from any player?
No. A chow can only be claimed from the player on your left. Pungs, kongs and winning tiles can be claimed from anyone.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Mahjong runs in the browser on phones, tablets and computers, and players on different devices can share a table.
