American Mah Jongg Play Online: A Browser Table for When Your Group Isn't Around
American Mah Jongg can be played online in a browser, against computer opponents or with friends at a private table — Friends at Mahjong runs the full game, including the Charleston, without requiring an app download.
American Mah Jongg Play Online
If you already know how to play American Mah Jongg and your regular group isn't available this week, playing online is a way to keep your hand in without waiting for the next in-person session.
What playing online actually looks like
Friends at Mahjong is a browser-based table for American Mah Jongg. You open it in a browser — no install, no app required to start — and can begin playing. There are two main ways to play:
- Against the computer. Three computer-controlled opponents fill the other seats, so you can play a full hand on your own schedule.
- With friends, remotely. Open or join a private table, with hosting and invitations by link available through Premium, to play together even when you're not in the same room.
Starting cost: nothing
You don't need an account to try your first game, and you don't need a credit card to keep trying — several more free games are available once you create a free account. For the current free-game count and what membership unlocks beyond it, check the membership page rather than relying on a number that might be out of date by the time you read this.
If you're rusty on the card
Friends at Mahjong includes its own reference card for the hands in play, so you don't need to already own a National Mah Jongg League card to sit down. If you do own a current NMJL card, you're welcome to use it as your own reference while you play here — you can use its card or your own. Friends at Mahjong is an independent teaching and gaming resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Mah Jongg League, and it does not sell the League's card.
Making the table feel like yours
You can personalize what you're looking at — the mat, the tiles, and the racks can be changed from the defaults, so the game you already know doesn't have to look generic on screen.
Who this is for
This is built more for someone who already plays American Mah Jongg and wants an option between group sessions than for someone learning the game from zero — if you're brand new, the guided tour and instructional chapters on the site are the better starting point. If you know the rules and just need a table when your usual four isn't available, the browser version gets you playing in minutes.