You might be thinking…”The Survival Guide is totally awesome” (and you’d be right 😉) “But I can’t carry it around to refer to all the time, especially at the table”
Don’t worry, I have you covered! Here is a handy Cheat Sheet that can be downloaded in 2 sizes.
The Tipsy Tile · Newbie Edition
The Mahjong
Down & Dirty Cheat Sheet
Down & Dirty Cheat Sheet
What You Can’t Forget.
🀄
🎴
🀄
🎴
① Reading the Card
“The card is not decoration. It’s the whole game. Let’s decode it.”
X
Exposed Hand
You CAN call discards & show sets face-up on your rack.
C
Concealed Hand
Wall tiles only. No calling discards. Secret & mysterious. 🤫
1
1 Color
All tiles same suit
2
2 Colors
Two different suits
3
3 Colors
Three different suits
Any
Any Color
Your choice of suit
Always read the parentheses
They explain hand requirements & exceptions. Don’t skip them.
Card changes every year
Make sure you’re playing the current NMJL card. Last year’s is a whole different game.
② The Charleston
“Before a tile is played, you’re already strategizing. That’s the move.”
➡️
1st Right
›
⬆️
Over
›
⬅️
1st Left
👁️ Blind OK
›
⬅️
2nd Left
›
⬆️
Over
›
➡️
2nd Right
👁️ Blind OK
👁️ The Blind Pass — 1st Left & 2nd Right only
Pass 3 tiles each time — except on a Blind Pass, where you may pass one or more tiles you just received without looking at them first. This lets you protect your own rack by recycling tiles straight through rather than giving away tiles you actually want to keep.
③ How a Turn Works
“This order is sacred. No skipping. No rushing. We’re ladies, not speed-runners.”
1
Pick
Ooh, what
did I get?
did I get?
›
2
Decide
Sip and
think
think
›
3
Rack or Expose
Show it
off!
off!
›
4
Discard
Darling, it’s not
in the bag
in the bag
💡 Tile hits the sloped rack? It’s yours. No take-backs — even if you panic.
④ Direction of Play
“Two directions. One table. Zero excuses.”
↻
Clockwise
to the left
Pushing out wall tiles
N
E
S
W
🀄
↺
Counter-Clockwise
to the right
Drawing tiles each turn
Dealing before Charleston
Everything else
Memory trick: Walls go left (like you’re pushing them away). Everything else — turns, dealing, the flow — travels right.
⑤ Jokers & Calling
“Powerful. Picky. Absolutely worth understanding.”
✓
Jokers CAN go in…
✓
Pungs — 3 of a kind✓
Kongs — 4 of a kind✓
Quints — 5 of a kind✕
Jokers CANNOT go in…
✕
Singles or Pairs✕
Runs (123, NEWS, 2468…)✕
Called from a discard