Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
NMJL Card Categories, Explained Generically
The NMJL Card doesn’t print its hands as one long undifferentiated list — it groups them into named categories, and while the specific hands inside each category change every year, the category names and general logic tend to persist from one card to the next….
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
Concealed vs. Exposed Hands on the NMJL Card
Every hand on the NMJL Card carries a C or X marking, and that single letter shapes a lot of your decision-making during play. Understanding what it actually commits you to — and why concealed and exposed versions of similar hands are valued differently —…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
How to Buy the Official NMJL Card: Price, Sizes & Where to Order
The NMJL Card is inexpensive, but where and how you buy it matters more than it might seem — the entire value of the card depends on it being current, official, and legitimate. Here’s what to know before you order. Where to actually buy it…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
American Mahjong Strategy: How to Actually Get Better
Learning the rules of American Mahjong and playing it well are two different skills, and the gap between them is almost entirely strategy. Two players can know every rule perfectly and still play very differently — one chasing hands that never come together, the other…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
How to Choose Your Hand: American Mahjong Hand Selection Strategy
Of all the strategic skills in American Mahjong, hand selection has the biggest single impact on your results. Choosing well early, and adjusting honestly as the hand develops, does more for your win rate than almost any other decision you’ll make at the table. Start…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
Defensive Mahjong: How to Avoid Feeding Other Players’ Hands
Offense gets most of the attention in American Mahjong — which hand to chase, which tiles to hold — but defense is just as much a part of skilled play. Every discard is a decision about what you’re willing to give another player, and ignoring…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
Joker Strategy in American Mahjong: When to Use, Hold, or Chase Them
Jokers are the single most powerful tile in American Mahjong, and how you handle them — when to expose them, when to hold them back, and how the exchange rule works — has an outsized effect on how well you play. This guide covers both…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
Best American Mahjong Sets: A Complete Buying Guide
A good American Mahjong set makes every session easier — tiles that feel right in hand, racks that actually hide your rack from the table, a case that survives being hauled to a friend’s house every week. A bad one makes itself known within a…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
American Mahjong Racks & Pushers: What to Look For
Racks and pushers get handled more than any other piece of equipment in an American Mahjong set — every single turn, for the entire session. It’s easy to focus shopping attention on the tiles themselves and treat racks as an afterthought, but a poor rack…
Written by: Connor Davis
Posted on: August 16, 2026
Tile Material Matters: Melamine vs. Acrylic Mahjong Sets
Tile material is one of the first decisions that shapes both the feel and the long-term durability of an American Mahjong set. The two materials you’ll run into most often are melamine and acrylic, and while both can make a perfectly good set, they behave…