Free Online Mahjong Solitaire
Match pairs of identical tiles until the board is clear. Every deal can be solved, free tiles are highlighted, and your game is saved automatically.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Always solvable
- Full screen
100% private — Everything is processed directly in your browser: your files, voice, and image are never sent to Chatzam's servers.
How to play mahjong solitaire
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Spot the free tiles
A tile is free when nothing sits on top of it and at least one side, left or right, is open. Blocked tiles are dimmed, so you can see at a glance which ones you can play.
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Tap two matching tiles
Tap a free tile: it lifts up with a yellow outline. Then tap another free tile with the same picture and both disappear. Any two flowers match each other, and so do any two seasons.
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Clear the board
Keep going until all 144 tiles are gone. Stuck? Ask for a hint, undo as many moves as you like, or shuffle the remaining tiles.
Comfortable mahjong on your phone or computer
Always solvable
Every deal is built by removing pairs in reverse, so a solution always exists. A bad run of moves can still trap you, but the deal itself never will.
Three layouts
The classic Turtle (87 tiles on the bottom layer, 5 levels), the wide, low Pyramid and the more open Cross. Each layout keeps its own best time.
Hint, undo, shuffle
The hint looks for a sequence of moves that clears the board and shows you the first one; if it can't find one, it shows the pair that frees the most tiles. Undo without limits, or shuffle the remaining tiles: the new shuffle stays solvable, unless the last tiles are stacked on top of each other (then you need to undo).
Easy to read, always saved
Tiles designed to stay sharp even on a small phone, adjustable zoom with scrolling, full screen, automatic pause when you switch tabs, and your game picks up where you left off.
Mahjong solitaire rules
Mahjong solitaire is a one-player game played with 144 tiles stacked on a board. Unlike four-player Chinese or American mahjong (with drawing, discarding and building hands), there is no opponent and no hand to build here: the goal is to remove every tile, two at a time. You can only remove two tiles that are free and identical. A tile is free if nothing is on top of it and it could slide left or right, meaning at least one of its two sides is empty. The tiles come in three suits numbered 1 to 9 (bamboo, circles, characters), plus four winds, three dragons, four flowers and four seasons. Each numbered tile, wind and dragon comes in four copies; all flowers match each other, and so do all seasons, even though their pictures differ.
The Turtle layout and the other boards
The Turtle is the best-known mahjong solitaire layout: a large base of 87 tiles, three narrower levels (36, 16 and then 4 tiles) and one tile on top, with a single tile on the left and two on the right like a head and a tail. It is well balanced and can often be won with a bit of method. The Pyramid, 14 tiles wide and 3 levels high, is the toughest: its long rows only open from the ends, so clear them early. The Cross, with its arms and center line, is all about choosing which arm to start with. Switch layouts in the settings below the board; a best time is kept for each one.
Tips to win at mahjong solitaire
Focus first on tiles that block many others: the ones at the top of the stacks and the ones locking long rows. When several copies of the same picture are left, remove the pair that frees the most tiles, not the closest one. Watch out for two identical tiles stacked on top of each other: remove the top one with another copy and save the last copy for the one underneath. If you match the other two together, that stack can never be cleared without a shuffle. Flowers and seasons have only one copy each, but they match within their group, which makes them a great way out of a tight spot. If no move is left, the playable pairs counter drops to zero: undo a few moves or shuffle.
Free mahjong, no download or sign-up
This mahjong game runs right in your browser on computer, tablet and phone, with no app to install and no account to create. Play with your finger, your mouse or your keyboard: U undoes, H gives a hint, S shuffles and P pauses. Your current game, your stats and your best times are stored on your device. Full screen gives you more room on a small screen, and the Large or Extra large size makes the tiles bigger, with horizontal scrolling if they don't fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you win at mahjong solitaire?
Remove every pair of free, identical tiles until the board is empty. Start with tiles on the upper levels, since they block others, and use the Hint button when you're unsure: it shows the first move of a solution when it finds one. Undo is unlimited, so trying an idea costs nothing.
What is a free tile?
A tile is free if no tile sits on top of it and its left or right side is open. In this game, blocked tiles are dimmed (the "Highlight free tiles" option, on by default), and the "Playable pairs" counter tells you how many moves are possible.
Can every deal be solved?
Yes, every deal is built so that at least one sequence of moves clears it. Some sequences do lead to a dead end, though: if you're stuck, undo a few moves or shuffle the remaining tiles (the shuffle stays solvable, unless the last tiles are stacked on top of each other: then you need to undo). Undoing never makes a game unsolvable. After a shuffle, Undo puts back the removed pairs without reversing the shuffle; "Replay this deal" brings back the original deal, which is always solvable.
Can I match two different flowers or two different seasons?
Yes. The four flowers form one group and the four seasons another: any two free flowers match, and so do any two free seasons. A flower does not match a season.
How is this different from four-player mahjong?
Classic mahjong, Chinese or American, is played by four people around a table, drawing and discarding tiles to build hands. Mahjong solitaire uses the same tiles but none of those rules: you play alone and simply match identical pairs. This tool offers solitaire only.
Is my game saved?
Yes, automatically, in your device's browser: you'll find your current game, your stats and your best times when you come back. If you clear the site's data, they are lost, and they don't follow you to another device. The timer pauses when the tab is no longer visible.