Setup

Game Setup Overview

Setting up a Mahjong game involves several important steps that ensure fair play and proper distribution of tiles.

Step 1: Determine Seating

Four players sit around a square table, each representing one of the four winds:

• East (Dealer) - Usually determined by drawing tiles or random selection
• South - To the right of East
• West - Across from East
• North - To the left of East

Step 2: Shuffle the Tiles

All 144 tiles are placed face-down on the table and thoroughly shuffled. Players mix the tiles together to ensure random distribution.

Step 3: Build the Wall

After shuffling, players work together to build a wall:

• Each player builds a row of 36 tiles (18 pairs of tiles stacked two high)
• The four rows are pushed together to form a square wall
• The wall should be uniform and stable

Step 4: Break the Wall

The East player (dealer) rolls dice to determine where to break the wall:

• Count the dice total and move that many stacks from the right end of the wall
• Break the wall at that point - this becomes the "dead wall" end
• The break point determines where tiles will be drawn from

Step 5: Deal the Tiles

Starting from the break point, tiles are dealt to each player:

• Each player receives 13 tiles (dealt in rounds of 4-4-4-1)
• East (dealer) receives 14 tiles (4-4-4-2)
• Tiles are drawn from the wall in a specific order

Step 6: Arrange Your Tiles

Once dealt, players arrange their tiles:

• Keep tiles face-down until all dealing is complete
• Organize tiles by suit and number
• Keep your tiles hidden from other players

Important Setup Rules

• The wall should be built carefully to prevent cheating
• All tiles must be properly shuffled before building the wall
• The dead wall (last 14 tiles) is reserved for special purposes
• East always goes first after setup is complete

Practice Tips

Use the interactive game above to practice the setup process. Understanding proper setup will make your games run smoothly and fairly.