Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Learn how to Setup the game Chinese Mahjong (Cantonese Style) quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules. For the rest of the gameplay rules, check out this video: youtu.be/EPxPzlGuqNw
Use the code TRIPLESCMJ5 for 5% off all Mahjong sets from Yellow Mountain imports. You can find the exact Chinese Mahjong set used in this video at the links below.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
amazon.com - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-US
amazon.ca - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-CA
amazon.co.uk - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-UK
amazon mx - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-MX
amazon.de - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-DE
amazon.fr - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-FR
amazon.it - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-IT
amazon.es - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-ES
amazon.nl - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-NL
amazon.pl - games.ymimports.com/mahjong-PL
amazon br - https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B002Q8UR3Y
RULES:
The tiles are divided into 3 groups. The first group is called “suits”, which include “circles”, also called “dots”, “Bamboos”, also called “bams”, and “characters”, also called “craks”. There are 4 copies of each tile in this group. The 2nd group is called “Honors”, which include “winds” and “dragons”. There are 4 copies of each tile in this group. The 3rd group is “Flowers” and “Seasons”. There is 1 copy of each tile in this group. If players agree, or if you’re learning the game for the first time, you may remove the Flower and Seasons tiles.
The seating arrangement is categorized in the following compass directions based on the Chinese style: East, South, West, North. To determine the seating arrangement, take 1 wind tile of each direction, mix them up, and each player takes one to determine where they sit. Give the wind indicator to the player sitting in East. They will be the first dealer.
Place all the tiles facedown on the table and mix them up. If your game has blank tiles, set them aside as they are extras and will not be used. Players take the mixed up tiles and stack them into a wall two tiles high and 18 tiles long, forming a square. Players may use a rack if they desire.
The dealer rolls two dice and, beginning with themselves and counting the players in a counter-clockwise direction, they count off the total. Wherever they end up is the side where the wall will be broken. The player on that side then rolls both dice and adds the value to the dealer’s roll, then the dealer counts off the number of tiles on that wall from right to left to determine where to break the wall, taking the next two columns into their hand. The tiles to the right of the break are called the “dead wall”, while all the other tiles are called the “live wall”.
Continuing counter-clockwise from the dealer, each player takes sets of 4 tiles from the live wall, starting from the break, until all players have 12 tiles. The dealer then takes 2 additional tiles, giving them 14, while everyone else only takes 1, giving each of them 13. The dealer can choose to either take the first two tiles or to only take one and let everyone else take one before taking their second.
Learn how to Setup the game Chinese Mahjong (Cantonese Style) quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules. For the rest of the gameplay rules, check out this video: youtu.be/EPxPzlGuqNw
Use the code TRIPLESCMJ5 for 5% off all Mahjong sets from Yellow Mountain imports. You can find the exact Chinese Mahjong set used in this video at the links below.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
amazon.com - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-US
amazon.ca - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-CA
amazon.co.uk - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-UK
amazon mx - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-MX
amazon.de - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-DE
amazon.fr - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-FR
amazon.it - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-IT
amazon.es - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-ES
amazon.nl - games.ymimports.com/chinese-mahjong-NL
amazon.pl - games.ymimports.com/mahjong-PL
amazon br - https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B002Q8UR3Y
RULES:
The tiles are divided into 3 groups. The first group is called “suits”, which include “circles”, also called “dots”, “Bamboos”, also called “bams”, and “characters”, also called “craks”. There are 4 copies of each tile in this group. The 2nd group is called “Honors”, which include “winds” and “dragons”. There are 4 copies of each tile in this group. The 3rd group is “Flowers” and “Seasons”. There is 1 copy of each tile in this group. If players agree, or if you’re learning the game for the first time, you may remove the Flower and Seasons tiles.
The seating arrangement is categorized in the following compass directions based on the Chinese style: East, South, West, North. To determine the seating arrangement, take 1 wind tile of each direction, mix them up, and each player takes one to determine where they sit. Give the wind indicator to the player sitting in East. They will be the first dealer.
Place all the tiles facedown on the table and mix them up. If your game has blank tiles, set them aside as they are extras and will not be used. Players take the mixed up tiles and stack them into a wall two tiles high and 18 tiles long, forming a square. Players may use a rack if they desire.
The dealer rolls two dice and, beginning with themselves and counting the players in a counter-clockwise direction, they count off the total. Wherever they end up is the side where the wall will be broken. The player on that side then rolls both dice and adds the value to the dealer’s roll, then the dealer counts off the number of tiles on that wall from right to left to determine where to break the wall, taking the next two columns into their hand. The tiles to the right of the break are called the “dead wall”, while all the other tiles are called the “live wall”.
Continuing counter-clockwise from the dealer, each player takes sets of 4 tiles from the live wall, starting from the break, until all players have 12 tiles. The dealer then takes 2 additional tiles, giving them 14, while everyone else only takes 1, giving each of them 13. The dealer can choose to either take the first two tiles or to only take one and let everyone else take one before taking their second.
