The rules of mahjong solitaire are straightforward to learn but produce a game of surprising strategic depth. This page serves as the definitive reference for every rule governing the game, from the composition of the tile set to the precise conditions that determine when a tile can be selected. Whether you are settling a dispute about an edge case or learning the game for the first time, you will find your answer here.
Objective
The goal of Mahjong Solitaire is to remove all 144 tiles from the board. You do this by finding and removing matching pairs of free tiles. When every tile has been paired and removed, you win. If no more valid matches remain and tiles are still on the board, the game is lost (though most digital versions offer a Shuffle feature to continue playing).
The Complete Tile Set: 144 Tiles
A standard Mahjong Solitaire game uses a set of 144 tiles divided into several categories. Understanding the full tile set is essential to knowing the rules of mahjong in its solitaire form. Here is every tile in the set.
Suited Tiles (108 tiles total)
The suited tiles form the bulk of the set. There are three suits, each containing tiles numbered 1 through 9, with four copies of each tile.
Characters (Wan) - 36 tiles
The Characters suit (also called Wan or Cracks) features Chinese numerals paired with the character for "ten thousand." Tiles are numbered 1 through 9, with four identical copies of each number, totaling 36 tiles. Character tiles are identified by their red and black Chinese calligraphy.
Dots (Circle) - 36 tiles
The Dots suit (also called Circles or Coins) shows arrangements of circles on each tile, representing coins. The number of circles indicates the tile's value from 1 to 9. As with all suited tiles, each value appears four times, giving 36 Dot tiles in total.
Bamboo - 36 tiles
The Bamboo suit (also called Sticks or Bams) depicts bamboo sticks arranged in various patterns. The 1 of Bamboo is traditionally illustrated as a bird (often a sparrow or peacock) rather than a single stick. Values 2 through 9 show the corresponding number of bamboo sticks. Four copies of each value produce 36 Bamboo tiles.
Honor Tiles (28 tiles total)
Wind Tiles - 16 tiles
There are four Wind tiles representing the cardinal directions: East, South, West, and North. Each Wind tile appears four times in the set, totaling 16 Wind tiles. Wind tiles display a Chinese character identifying the direction.
Dragon Tiles - 12 tiles
There are three Dragon tiles: Red Dragon (Zhong), Green Dragon (Fa), and White Dragon (Bai, sometimes shown as a blank tile or a tile with a border). Each Dragon tile appears four times, giving 12 Dragon tiles total.
Bonus Tiles (8 tiles total)
Flower Tiles - 4 tiles
There are four unique Flower tiles, each depicting a different plant: Plum Blossom, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo (the plant, distinct from the Bamboo suit). Unlike suited tiles, each Flower tile has a unique illustration. There is only one copy of each specific Flower.
Season Tiles - 4 tiles
There are four unique Season tiles representing Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Like Flowers, each Season tile has a unique illustration and appears only once in the set.
Tile Count Summary
| Category | Types | Copies Each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Characters (Wan) | 9 (numbered 1-9) | 4 | 36 |
| Dots (Circle) | 9 (numbered 1-9) | 4 | 36 |
| Bamboo | 9 (numbered 1-9) | 4 | 36 |
| Winds | 4 (E, S, W, N) | 4 | 16 |
| Dragons | 3 (Red, Green, White) | 4 | 12 |
| Flowers | 4 (unique) | 1 | 4 |
| Seasons | 4 (unique) | 1 | 4 |
| Total | 144 |
The Free Tile Rule
The free tile rule is the central mechanic that gives Mahjong Solitaire its strategic depth. Mastering this rule is essential to understanding the rules of mahjong solitaire.
Definition
A tile is free (also called "open" or "exposed") when it satisfies both of the following conditions simultaneously:
- No tile on top. No other tile overlaps any portion of the tile's upper face. In a layered layout, a tile on a higher layer may partially or fully cover tiles on lower layers. Any amount of overlap from above locks the tile below.
- At least one open side. The tile's left edge or right edge (or both) must be free of adjacent tiles on the same layer. "Adjacent" means a tile that is directly next to it, touching or nearly touching its left or right side.
Examples
Consider a row of five tiles on the same layer, labeled A through E from left to right, with no tiles above any of them:
- Tile A (leftmost): Free. Its left side is completely open, and nothing is on top.
- Tile C (middle): Not free. Tiles B and D block both its left and right sides.
- Tile E (rightmost): Free. Its right side is completely open, and nothing is on top.
Now imagine a tile F sitting on top of tiles B and C:
- Tile B: Not free, even though tile A being next to it only blocks one side. Tile F is on top, violating the first condition.
- Tile F: Free if its own left and right sides are clear on its layer. Its position on top of B and C does not block itself.
Partial Overlap
In most Mahjong Solitaire layouts, tiles on higher layers are offset so that each upper tile partially overlaps two or four tiles on the layer below. Even a partial overlap counts as covering. A tile is not free until every tile that overlaps it from above has been removed.
Matching Rules
To remove a pair, both tiles must be free, and they must be a valid match. The matching rules differ slightly depending on the tile type.
Standard Matching
For all suited tiles (Characters, Dots, Bamboo), Wind tiles, and Dragon tiles, a valid match requires the two tiles to be completely identical. A 5 of Dots only matches another 5 of Dots. An East Wind only matches another East Wind. A Red Dragon only matches another Red Dragon.
Since there are four copies of each standard tile, there are potentially three possible partners for any given tile. This means each tile type can form exactly two pairs.
Flower Matching
Flower tiles use group matching: any Flower tile matches any other Flower tile. The Plum Blossom can pair with the Orchid, the Chrysanthemum, or the Bamboo Flower. Since there are exactly four Flower tiles, they form exactly two pairs, but those pairs are not predetermined. Any combination of two Flowers makes a valid pair.
Season Matching
Season tiles follow the same group matching rule as Flowers. Any Season tile matches any other Season tile. Spring can pair with Summer, Autumn, or Winter. The four Season tiles form exactly two pairs.
Important: Flowers Do Not Match Seasons
A common misconception is that Flowers and Seasons can match each other. They cannot. Flowers match only with Flowers, and Seasons match only with Seasons. These are two separate groups with their own independent matching.
Game Flow
- Setup. All 144 tiles are dealt face-up into a specific layout pattern. Every deal is guaranteed to have at least one solution.
- Play. The player selects a free tile, then selects a matching free tile. Both tiles are removed from the board.
- Reveal. Removing tiles may expose previously covered tiles and free previously blocked tiles. The player identifies new available matches.
- Repeat. The player continues matching and removing pairs.
- Win condition. All tiles removed from the board.
- Lose condition. No valid matches remain, and tiles are still on the board.
Scoring Variations
There is no single official scoring system for Mahjong Solitaire. Different implementations use different scoring methods. Here are the most common approaches.
Time-Based Scoring
The most common scoring method awards points based on how quickly you clear the board. A faster completion time yields a higher score. Some versions start with a large number of points and subtract points as time passes, while others simply record the elapsed time as your score (lower is better).
Move-Based Scoring
Some versions award a fixed number of points for each pair removed, with bonuses for removing pairs quickly in succession (combos) or for completing the game without using hints or undo.
Penalty-Based Scoring
Certain versions deduct points for using hints, undo, or shuffle. This encourages players to rely on their own observation and strategy rather than assistance tools. A typical penalty might be minus 50 points per hint and minus 100 points per shuffle.
No Scoring
Many casual implementations of Mahjong Solitaire do not use scoring at all. The game is simply a pass/fail exercise: either you clear the board, or you do not. This approach keeps the focus on the relaxation and satisfaction of the puzzle rather than competition.
Layout Variations
The layout determines the shape and stacking pattern of the tiles. While the rules of mahjong solitaire remain constant regardless of layout, different layouts offer very different levels of difficulty and visual appeal.
Turtle (Dragon)
The classic and most recognizable layout. Tiles are arranged in a broad, roughly rectangular shape with a tall central stack, tapering at the edges. Typically four to five layers deep. This is the layout most people picture when they think of Mahjong Solitaire and is the default in most implementations.
Pyramid
Tiles are stacked in a pyramid formation, with a wide base and a single tile (or small group) at the peak. Pyramid layouts tend to have fewer layers but more tiles per layer, requiring careful horizontal planning.
Fortress
A layout featuring multiple separate stacks arranged in a pattern reminiscent of a castle or fortification. The separation between stacks can make it harder to find matches, as free tiles may be distributed across disconnected areas of the board.
Bridge
The Bridge layout places tiles in two large groups connected by a narrow "bridge" of tiles in the center. Managing the bridge tiles is critical, as they serve as a bottleneck between the two halves of the board.
Spider
An arrangement with a central body and several "legs" extending outward. This layout typically has many accessible tiles at the tips of the legs, making the opening phase easier, but the dense central body becomes increasingly challenging as the game progresses.
Special Rules and Edge Cases
Solvability Guarantee
Well-designed Mahjong Solitaire games generate boards that are guaranteed to have at least one solution. This is achieved by placing tiles in reverse: the generator starts with an empty board and places pairs in positions where they would be legally removable, building the layout from the top down. This ensures that the sequence of placements can be reversed to solve the puzzle.
Multiple Solutions
Most solvable boards have more than one valid solution. The order in which you remove pairs matters, and some orderings will lead to a dead end while others will succeed. A board being solvable does not mean every sequence of moves will lead to a solution.
Dead Ends
A dead end occurs when no more valid matches exist among the free tiles, but tiles remain on the board. This can happen even on a solvable board if the player made suboptimal choices earlier. Most digital versions address dead ends with a Shuffle feature that rearranges remaining tiles into a solvable configuration.
Tile Selection
In most implementations, you select tiles by clicking or tapping them. Selecting a tile highlights it. Selecting a second free tile that matches the first removes both from the board. Selecting a non-matching tile, or selecting a tile that is not free, typically deselects the first tile or shows an error indication.
Quick Reference
- Total tiles: 144
- Pairs to clear: 72
- Free tile conditions: Nothing on top AND at least one side open
- Suit matching: Identical tiles only (e.g., 3 Dots matches 3 Dots)
- Flower matching: Any Flower matches any Flower
- Season matching: Any Season matches any Season
- Flowers and Seasons: Do NOT match each other
- Win: Board cleared of all tiles
- Loss: No valid matches remain with tiles still on board
Now that you know the complete rules of mahjong solitaire, put them into practice. Play Mahjong Solitaire free online with no download needed. For a step-by-step walkthrough with strategy tips, visit our how to play guide. To learn about the tiles themselves, see our mahjong tiles reference. And for the broader history of the game, read what is mahjong.