How to Play Mahjong Solitaire

A complete beginner's guide โ€” rules, free tiles, matching mechanics, and winning strategy.

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The Core Rules

Basic Rules

  1. Find a Free Tile

    A tile is "free" when no tile is stacked on top of it AND at least one of its short sides (left or right) is open โ€” meaning no tile is immediately beside it on that side. Only free tiles can be selected.

  2. Match Identical Pairs

    Click any two free tiles that show the same symbol to remove them from the board. Both tiles must be free at the time you click them.

  3. Special Tiles โ€” Flowers & Seasons

    Flower tiles (4 unique designs) and Season tiles (4 unique designs) each match any other tile of the same type โ€” so any flower matches any other flower, and any season matches any other season. You don't need identical symbols for these.

  4. Win the Game

    Remove all 144 tiles from the board to win. The game is a success when the board is completely clear.

  5. Game Over

    If no free matching pairs remain on the board, the game ends. Use Shuffle to rearrange the remaining tiles for another chance, or Undo to backtrack to a better position.

Your Tools

A2Z Mahjong gives you three tools to help when you get stuck:

๐Ÿ’ก
Hint
Highlights one valid matching pair on the board. Doesn't make the move for you โ€” just shows you where to look.
โ†ฉ๏ธ
Undo
Reverses your last move, returning both tiles to the board. Use it as many times as you like with no penalty.
๐Ÿ”€
Shuffle
Rearranges the remaining tiles on the board while keeping the same layout structure. Useful when no pairs are available.

Winning Strategy

Think Before You Click

The most common mistake in Mahjong Solitaire is clicking the first pair you see. Before removing any pair, scan the board: will this move open up more tiles, or will it block tiles you'll need later?

Prioritize Upper Layers

Tiles on higher layers block all the tiles beneath them. When possible, remove upper-layer tiles first to unlock the lower layers. The game almost always becomes easier as you clear the top down.

Don't Ignore Edge Tiles

Edge tiles on the outer borders of the layout become free quickly. Clearing them often exposes interior stacks that were previously locked.

Unblock Pairs, Not Just Singles

If you can see one of a pair but the other is buried under two tiles, prioritize clearing those blocking tiles before removing the visible one. Removing the visible one first can make the second inaccessible.

Use Undo Aggressively

Unlike many puzzle games, there's no penalty for undoing moves in A2Z Mahjong. If you suspect you made a mistake, undo immediately rather than playing on and hoping for the best.

Which Layout Should I Start With?

If you're new to Mahjong Solitaire, begin with Cross or Butterfly โ€” both have many free tiles from the start and won't punish early mistakes as harshly. Once you're comfortable recognizing tile patterns quickly, graduate to Turtle and then Pyramid. The Fortress is best saved for when you've mastered the others.

Ready to Play?

Put It Into Practice

The rules make much more sense once you're playing. Start with Cross for the smoothest learning curve.

Play Cross โ€” Easiest Layout