Mahjong Rotation Rules: Playing with 5 to 8+ Players

Here's a funny thing about American Mahjong. The official game is four players, no exceptions. But almost every regular group I've ever seen has five or six people who come most weeks. So someone has to sit out, and the way you handle that sitting-out problem either keeps the group healthy or kills it.

Below are the rotation patterns that actually work for groups of 5 through 16. Pick one, communicate it, and stick with it. For groups smaller than 4, jump to the three-player rules guide instead.

5-Player Rotation: 1 Sits, 4 Play

Whoever finished the previous hand as East sits out the next one. Each player sits exactly once across 5 hands and is East exactly once.

6-Player Rotation: 2 Sit, 4 Play

Number players 1 to 6 and rotate sit-out positions by 1 each hand. Across 6 hands, each player sits exactly twice.

7-8 Player Rotations

Same rotate-one-position-per-hand pattern. With 8 players, consider 2 tables of 4 instead.

Multi-Table Setup: 8 to 16+ Players

2 tables of 4 (8 players): 2 separate games
2 tables of 5 (10 players): each uses 5-player rotation
3 tables of 4 (12 players): common league setup
4 tables of 4 (16 players): tournament territory

House Rule Variations

Skip rotation by volunteer (newer players, those needing breaks)
Winner stays at the table
Sitter scores (use our printable score sheet)
Round-robin tables (mix every 4 hands)
Beginner-friendly skill-matched tables

Common Rotation Mistakes

Letting strong players hog the table.
Forgetting who sat out last (track it explicitly).
Ignoring skill level mix.
Running too long without breaks.
Letting rotation discipline slide late in the night.

Going deeper

Three-player rules: how to play with fewer than 4
How to host a mahjong night: full party planning
Printable score sheet: useful for the rotating scorekeeper
Mahjong etiquette: how to be a good sitter and host
Find mahjong players near you: build your group
American Mahjong rules: standard 4-player ruleset