The National Mahjong League card, officially published by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), is the official reference card that lists every legal winning hand for that year's American mahjong game." Mahjong cards change annually, and the 2026 mahjong card replaced the 2025 edition with a new year section, updated hand combinations, and the same nine-category structure players have used for decades. Most organized American mahjong games, including NMJL-sanctioned play, use the current year's card.
This guide covers how to read a mahjong card, what changed on the current edition, and where the official NMJL cards are sold. It also touches on the core rules the card assumes every player already knows.
Key Takeaways
- Colors on a hand show which tiles must match suits, not which suit to use. The letter X means a hand can be exposed; C means it must stay concealed.
- The 2026 card rebuilt its year section around the digits in 2026 and kept the same nine hand categories used in prior years.
- Jokers only substitute inside groups of three or more identical tiles. They can't be used in pairs, singles, or Wind (NEWS) combinations.
- Every player at a table needs the same year's card. Mixing a 2025 card with a 2026 card creates mismatched point values and invalid hands.
- The only reliable source for a current, authentic card is the National Mah Jongg League itself or a retailer it authorizes.
How to Read a Mahjong Card: The Core Elements
Every NMJL card follows the same visual system, making each new edition easy to learn once you understand the basics.
Colors Indicate Suits, Not Specific Ones
Each hand on the card is printed in one, two, or three colors. Tiles printed in the same color must come from the same suit (Bam, Crak, or Dot), while different colors mean different suits. The specific color never maps to a specific suit; it only shows which tiles need to match.
X and C Mark Exposed and Concealed Hands
A letter at the end of each hand tells you whether it can be exposed during play. X means the hand may be built openly on the table as you go. C means the hand must stay concealed in your rack until you declare Mah Jongg.
Point Values Set the Stakes
Every hand carries a point value. On recent NMJL cards, point values typically range from 25 to 75 points, depending on the difficulty of the hand.
The Nine NMJL Card Categories
NMJL cards organize every hand into the same nine sections year after year, which is part of why the card feels familiar even when the specific hands change:
- Year hands: hands built from the digits in the current year, such as 2, 0, 2, and 6 for 2026.
- 2468: hands using only even-numbered tiles.
- Any Like Numbers (ALN): the same number repeated across multiple suits.
- Quints: five identical tiles, which always require at least one joker since a set only has four of any given tile.
- Consecutive Run: hands built from sequential numbers, such as 4-5-6.
- 13579: the odd-number counterpart to 2468.
- Winds-Dragons: hands built around the North, East, West, South, and Dragon tiles.
- 369: hands centered on the numbers 3, 6, and 9.
- Singles and Pairs: traditionally the most restrictive section, with no exposures and no jokers.
The categories keep the same identity every year, but the hands inside each one are rewritten for the current NMJL card and every card before it. Anyone still building foundational skills, like the Charleston or basic turn order, can start with Sweet Jojo Mahjong's guide to how to play American mahjong before tackling a full card.
What Changed on the 2026 NMJL Card
A New Year Section Built Around 2026
Like every annual card, this year's card rebuilt its year section around the digits in 2026. That section is usually the first place returning players look, since it never repeats the prior year's exact hands.
Release Date and Format
The National Mah Jongg League released the 2026 card in April, consistent with its usual spring schedule. It ships as a single color-printed sheet in standard and large-print sizes, mailed directly from the League or sold through authorized retailers.
Where to Buy an Official Card
The only source for a legitimate NMJL cards order is the National Mah Jongg League website or a retailer it has authorized to resell League cards. Searches for national mahjong league cards 2026 spike every spring as players wait for the new edition to arrive, and copies sold outside official channels aren't guaranteed to reflect the current year's hands.
American Mahjong Rules Explained: What the Card Assumes You Know
Joker Rules
Jokers can substitute inside pungs, kongs, quints, and sextets: groups of three or more identical tiles. They cannot be used in pairs, single-tile groupings, or Wind tile (NEWS) combinations, even when a hand's layout looks like it should allow it.
The Charleston Still Comes First
Before anyone plays a hand from the card, the table runs the Charleston, a scripted tile exchange that happens right after the deal. For a full walkthrough of that sequence, see Sweet Jojo Mahjong's guide to how to play American mahjong.
One Card, One Year, Every Player
NMJL rules assume every player at the table is reading from the same card and the same year. Mixing a 2025 card with a 2026 card at the same table creates disputes, since point values and hand structures differ between editions.
Standard Card vs. Large-Print NMJL Card
| Feature | Standard Card | Large-Print Card |
| Size | Compact and pocket-sized, easy to hold in one hand | Noticeably larger, with bigger text and wider spacing |
| Price | Set annually by the National Mah Jongg League | Historically priced the same as the standard card |
| Best For | Travel, smaller tables, and club sets | Players who want easier reading at the table |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy a new NMJL card every year?
Yes, for anyone playing tournament or league mahjong. The hands change every year, and playing an outdated card at a table using the current one creates mismatched point values and invalid hands.
Can I still use my 2025 card to practice?
Yes, for practicing mechanics like drawing, discarding, and the Charleston. Older mahjong cards won't match the 2026 mahjong card's hands, so switch to the current card before playing for score or joining a club game.
Where can I find the official NMJL card?
The National Mahjong League sells the current card directly through its official store at nationalmahjonggleague.org, along with membership information and rules FAQs.
Whether you call it the NMJL or the National Mahjong League, the card is the single source of truth every table should play from. Once you understand how to read the card, each new edition becomes much easier to learn. As new cards and rule updates are released, Sweet Jojo Mahjong will continue sharing educational resources to help players build confidence and enjoy the game, along with original U.S.-designed American mahjong tile sets, mats, and racks to complete every game table.
