Play Mahjong Solitaire Online
Play Mahjong Solitaire free in your browser. Match pairs of identical free tiles to clear the board, one pair at a time. Pick a layout, a tile count and a difficulty to suit your mood, from a quick relaxing round to a long, tricky stack. No download and no sign-up.
How to Play Mahjong Solitaire
Mahjong Solitaire is a one-player matching game played with tiles stacked in a layout. Your goal is to remove every tile from the board. You do that by matching two identical tiles that are both free. When the board is empty, you win.
- Tap a free tile, then tap a matching free tile to remove the pair.
- A tile is free when no tile sits on top of it and its left or right side is open.
- Tiles that are covered or boxed in on both sides cannot be picked yet.
- Clear every pair to finish the layout.
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Choose your layout, tile count and difficulty
Before you start, pick a layout, the number of tiles and a difficulty. Fewer tiles make a quick game that is good for learning. More tiles and taller layouts take longer and hide more tiles under the stack, so you have to plan further ahead. If you are new to these tiles, start small and easy until you recognise the tile faces at a glance.
Mahjong tiles explained
A full mahjong set has 144 tiles. Learning the groups makes matching much faster:
- Dots (circles). Tiles showing one to nine circles. Each tile appears four times.
- Bamboo. Tiles showing one to nine bamboo sticks. The 1 of bamboo is usually drawn as a bird.
- Characters. Tiles marked with Chinese numerals for one to nine.
- Winds. East, South, West and North, four of each.
- Dragons. Red, Green and White, four of each. The white dragon is often a blank tile or a plain frame.
- Flowers and Seasons. Four of each. In most versions of the game, any flower matches any other flower, and any season matches any other season, even though the pictures differ.
Mahjong Solitaire rules explained
- Match pairs. You can only remove two tiles at a time, and they must match.
- Free tiles only. A tile is free when nothing is on top of it and at least one long side, left or right, is clear.
- Clear the board to win. The game ends when every tile is gone, or when no free pairs are left.
- No time pressure by default. You can take as long as you like to plan each move.
Mahjong Solitaire strategy tips
- Clear the tall stacks first. Tiles at the top of the pile hide the most tiles underneath. Removing them early opens up the board.
- Free the long rows from the ends. Long horizontal rows can only be opened from their left and right ends. Work on them early so they do not block you at the end.
- Look before you match. If three of the same tile are free, think about which two to take. Keep the one that unlocks the most tiles for later.
- Watch for all four. Each tile face appears four times. If two of a kind are buried under the same stack, take care not to leave the other two stranded.
- Don’t rush easy matches. A free pair on the edge of the board will still be there later. Use matches that open covered tiles first.
- Save flowers and seasons. Because any flower matches any flower, and any season matches any season, they are flexible. Keep them for when you need a move.
- Start smaller when learning. A lower tile count lets you practise spotting free tiles before you take on a full layout.
History of Mahjong Solitaire
Mahjong itself is a four-player game that developed in China in the 19th century and spread around the world in the 1920s. The one-player matching game uses the same tiles but has different rules. The first computer version, called Mah-Jongg, was written by Brodie Lockard in 1981. It became widely known through the game Shanghai, released in 1986, and it has been a favourite on home computers and phones ever since. The classic starting layout is often called the Turtle. You can read more on Wikipedia’s Mahjong Solitaire page.
Mahjong Solitaire or mahjong?
They share the tiles, but they are different games. Traditional mahjong is played by four people who draw and discard tiles to build winning hands, a little like rummy. The solitaire version is a calm puzzle for one player, where you simply match pairs to clear the board. If you search for mahjong to play on your own, Mahjong Solitaire is the game you want.
More puzzle games to try
If you enjoy Mahjong Solitaire, try Sudoku for another calm solo puzzle, or Kakuro, which works like a crossword made of sums. For a strategy game against the computer, try Checkers.
Mahjong Solitaire FAQ
Is this Mahjong Solitaire free? Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download or sign-up.
Do I need an account? No. Open the page and start playing.
What is a free tile? A tile with nothing on top of it and an open left or right side.
Do flowers and seasons have to match exactly? In most versions, no. Any flower matches any flower, and any season matches any season.
Do I need to know how to play mahjong? No. This game only uses the tiles. You just match pairs.
Can I play it on my phone? Yes. The game runs in your phone’s browser.