NMJL Card 2026: How to Read & Understand Your Card

The NMJL card is the foundation of American Mahjong. Released annually by the National Mah Jongg League, it lists all valid winning hands for the year. Learning to read the card is essential.

Card Notation

The card uses abbreviations: F=Flower, D=Dragon, W=Wind, N/E/S/W=specific winds, R/G=Red/Green dragon, 0=White/Soap dragon. Numbers represent tile values. C=Concealed hand.

Card Sections

Hands are organized by category: Year, Quints, Consecutive Run, 13579, Winds & Dragons, 369, and Singles & Pairs. Each section groups similar patterns together.