Mahjong Starter Cards

I mentioned last week that I created a mahjong starter card in hopes to get my husband into the game, and several of you asked me to share. If you've ever played the game, or been around someone who was playing, you’ve probably noticed the traditional red, blue, and white Standard Hands and Rules cards that people play with. These are put out each year by the National Mahjong League (2025 will be the 88th year!), and each year they change slightly.

My husband and I love playing games on weekend nights, but he kept getting confused by the card, and was getting discouraged to play. I created this starter card that has real hands from the 2024 card (2025 hasn’t come out yet). These are all hands that I found myself playing often, so I figured they would be ones that he could easily try to go for. I’m thrilled to say that my plan worked, and now he’s totally hooked on the game. We play Siamese Mahjong, a two player version of the game, but you could also use these cards to play with four players. Think of these starter cards as a teaching tool for adults and even kids that are wanting to get into the game, with the goal to eventually make your way to the standard NMJL card.

I’ve included the images below, so feel free to print them out and try it out yourself. You can also access a digital version on Canva HERE. I used my at home laminator to laminate them, and we also have loved using these sticky highlighter strips to mark the lines that we’re going for.