Rules and beginner strategy
How to play Mahjong Solitaire
Mahjong Solitaire is a single-player matching game. It uses Mahjong-style tiles, but its rules are different from the four-player game of Mahjong. The aim is to remove every tile by choosing matching pairs that are open.
Which tiles are open?
A tile can be selected when no tile covers it and at least one of its long left or right sides is free. A tile surrounded on both sides is blocked even if its picture is visible. ArcPuzzle labels unavailable tiles and only allows legal selections.
How a turn works
- Choose an open tile.
- Find another open tile with the same symbol.
- Choose the matching tile to remove the pair.
- Look again: removing a pair may open tiles underneath.
Beginner strategy
- Remove tiles from the tallest stacks and longest rows when possible; these moves often expose more choices.
- When three matching tiles are open, compare what each pair would uncover before selecting one.
- Avoid clearing an isolated pair if another matching tile is blocking several pieces.
- Scan the whole board after every few moves instead of repeatedly choosing the first visible match.
When to use undo or shuffle
Undo is useful when a move exposes fewer tiles than expected. A shuffle changes the arrangement of remaining tiles when no useful pair is visible. These are play aids, not penalties, and there is no countdown.
Mahjong Solitaire terms
- Open tile
- A selectable tile with no cover and one free long side.
- Pair
- Two open tiles with matching symbols.
- Layout
- The stacked shape in which the tiles are arranged.
- Blocked tile
- A tile covered or enclosed on both long sides.