How many people do you need to play mahjong?
American mahjong is standard with four players. Three can play by skipping the Charleston or adding a ghost player, two can play Siamese mahjong, and one person can practice solo with real tiles.
Four players
The standard game, with the full Charleston.
Three players
Skip the Charleston (the League's way) or add a ghost player.
Two players
Siamese mahjong: each player builds two hands at once.
One player
Solo practice: draw 13, choose a hand, run a mock Charleston and play it out.
Which should you choose?
If you can, play with four: it's the game the card is written for and the Charleston works as intended. Three works well for a regular group that's one short. Two-player Siamese and solo practice are best for learning and for filling the time between games.
Common questions
Can you play mahjong with 5 players?
Five people can share a table by rotating: one player sits out each hand, often acting as a helper or scorekeeper. Only four play at once.
Can 2 people play American mahjong?
Yes, with the Siamese variation, where each player builds two hands at once.
Is it better to play with 3 or 4?
Four is the standard game. Three works, but you skip the Charleston or add a ghost player.