Mahjong looks complicated.
We remember feeling that way too.
If you've ever watched a table of confident players calling out "Pung," passing tiles in a blur during the Charleston, and reading a dense scoring card like it's second nature — and thought, "I could never learn that" — this course exists because we felt exactly the same way once.
Why We Built This Course
American Mahjong is having a real moment. Clubs are popping up across the country, friend groups are learning together, and tables are filling up in living rooms everywhere. But almost every beginner hits the same wall: the rules feel scattered, the terminology is unfamiliar, and the NMJL Card looks like it's written in a different language.
We didn't want to write another dense rulebook that explains everything at once and expects you to keep up. We wanted to build a course that takes you by the hand, one clear lesson at a time, from "what am I even looking at" all the way to sitting down at a real table with genuine confidence.
Who's Behind This Course
This course was created by a lifelong American Mahjong player who's spent years at the table, learning it the slow way — through trial, error, and a lot of patient friends explaining the Charleston one more time.
That experience shaped everything about how this course is written: every lesson exists because it's exactly the kind of thing that trips beginners up, explained the way we wish someone had explained it to us.
About American Mahjong
American Mahjong is a project from About Town Media, a digital media and publishing company. We create ebooks, guided courses, and printable learning tools for hobbies people love but rarely feel taught how to learn — starting with the one that brought us to the table in the first place: American Mahjong. Learn step-by-step how it works →
Our Teaching Philosophy
Every lesson in this course follows the same simple approach:
Plain, Conversational Teaching
No dense jargon, no assuming you already know things.
Real Examples, Every Time
Actual tiles, actual patterns, never abstract theory.
Print-Ready Reference Sheets
Quick-reference cards to glance at mid-game right at the table.
Built for Beginners, Useful for All
Whether completely new or switching variants, we explain the differences clearly.
Our Promise to You
We built the course we wish had existed when we were learning. No fluff, no filler, no assuming you already know things — just a clear, honest path from complete beginner to confident player, plus the printable references to back you up every time you sit down to play.
American Mahjong is proudly operated by About Town, a company that builds carefully crafted learning experiences and digital products designed to help people pick up new skills with real confidence.