The Best Apps to Learn Mahjong Strategy

Most mahjong apps are mahjong solitaire — a tile-matching game with no relationship to the four-player game. The handful of apps that actually teach mahjong are worth knowing about, and worth keeping on your phone for the weeks between game days.

I Love Mahj (American)

The most thorough American mahjong trainer on the App Store. Walks through the NMJL card, the Charleston, exposures, and joker rules with practice hands you can replay. Worth the subscription.

Real Mah Jongg (American)

Live four-player play against humans, with a card lookup built in. Best for the player who already knows the rules and wants reps. The interface is dated; the matchmaking is excellent.

Mahjong Soul (Riichi)

If you are interested in Japanese Riichi mahjong, Mahjong Soul is the standard. The tutorial is patient, the visual design is anime-coded, and the strategy depth is enormous. It will not teach you American — but it will teach you how to think about a hand.

Kemono Mahjong (Chinese)

A clean Hong Kong / Cantonese mahjong client. Recommended for players who grew up watching Cantonese mahjong and want the muscle memory back without the family commentary.

Our practice rounds

We built a free practice course on this site that walks through tiles, the Charleston, the NMJL card, joker rules, and a coached round of play. Eight short chapters, no login, no app store.