How many pairs are in Mahjong Solitaire?

The number of pairs is just the tile count cut in half. With 144 tiles in a full board, that lands on a tidy 72 pairs every time you win.

Quick answer: A full board has 72 pairs. Since a standard mahjong set is 144 tiles and you remove them two at a time, a completed game clears exactly 72 matching pairs. Smaller layouts use fewer tiles, but they always use an even number so every tile has a partner.

The math

Tiles always come out two at a time, so the number of pairs is half the number of tiles. A full 144-tile layout is 144 divided by 2, which is 72 pairs. Clear all 72 and the board is empty and the game is won.

Where the pairs come from

Because a mahjong set has four copies of most tiles, those copies form two pairs each. The bonus tiles are different: the four Flowers make two pairs among themselves, and the four Seasons make two more, since any Flower or Season can match within its group. It all still adds up to 72 pairs.

Smaller layouts

Not every layout uses the full 144. Some smaller shapes use fewer tiles for a quicker game, but the count is always even so nothing is ever left without a partner. See how the 144 tiles break down in how many tiles are in mahjong.

Clear all 72 pairs

Related questions

How many tiles are in a mahjong set?

A standard mahjong set has 144 tiles, which is exactly 72 matching pairs in Mahjong Solitaire. That total breaks down into 108 suit tiles, 16 Wind tiles, 12 Dragon tiles, and 8 bonus tiles (4 Flowers and 4 Seasons).

How do matching tiles work?

Most tiles match only another tile that looks exactly the same, such as two Bamboo 3s or two West Winds. The special case is bonus tiles: any Flower matches any other Flower, and any Season matches any other Season, even if the pictures differ.

How many mahjong tile types are there?

There are 42 different tile designs in a standard mahjong set. That is 27 suit designs (three suits numbered 1 to 9), four Winds, three Dragons, and eight unique bonus tiles (four Flowers and four Seasons). With four copies of most tiles, the designs add up to 144 tiles.

What are Flower and Season tiles?

Flowers and Seasons are the 8 bonus tiles in a mahjong set: 4 Flower tiles and 4 Season tiles. Unlike every other tile, they do not need an exact twin. Any Flower matches any other Flower, and any Season matches any other Season.