Jokers are the wild cards of American mahjong, and they can make or break a hand. They are also where a lot of the game's strategy lives. This guide covers exactly how jokers work, what they cannot do, and how to use them well. If you are new, read how to play American mahjong first.
What a joker can do
A joker is wild, but only inside a group of three or more identical tiles, such as a pung of three or a kong of four. In those groups a joker can stand in for the tile you are missing. A standard set includes eight jokers, which is the American addition to the game.
What a joker cannot do
- A joker can never be a single tile.
- A joker can never be one half of a pair.
- You cannot call a discarded tile to pair it with a joker.
- You cannot call for a joker that someone discards.
In short, jokers are only useful where tiles repeat three or more times. A hand built on singles and pairs cannot use them there.
Swapping for a joker
One of the most useful moves in the game is the joker swap. If another player has exposed a group that contains a joker, and you hold the real tile that joker is standing in for, you may exchange your tile for that joker on your turn. This is a great way to collect jokers for your own hand, so it pays to watch the exposures around the table.
Jokers and concealed hands
Some hands on the card must be made concealed, meaning you build them without calling discards for exposures. You can still use jokers in a concealed hand, you simply draw your way there rather than calling. We explain the card in the American mahjong card explained.
Joker strategy
- Do not hoard them. A joker you never use scores nothing. Put them to work.
- Chase the better hand. Jokers give you flexibility to switch toward a hand with more groups of three or four, where they are most useful.
- Watch exposures. Every exposed group with a joker is a swap opportunity if you hold the real tile.
- Mind the jokerless bonus. Many cards reward hands made without any jokers, so sometimes the smart play is to save the joker for a different hand.
Frequently asked questions
How many jokers are in a set?
Eight. They are the tiles that make the set American rather than the standard 144 tile Chinese set.
Can a joker be a pair?
No. Jokers only work inside groups of three or more identical tiles, never as a single or a pair.
Can I take a joker from another player?
Yes, by swapping. If you hold the real tile a joker represents in an exposed group, you can exchange for it on your turn.
Want to learn the tiles behind the jokers? See American mahjong tiles explained.