Printable Mahjong
Sometimes you want Mahjong Solitaire away from a screen. A printable or blank Mahjong layout is a simple diagram that shows where each tile sits, so you can build a game with a real set of mahjong tiles. This page explains what those layouts are, who they help, and how to set up the classic board by hand. When you would rather just play, you can always play free in your browser instead.
Heads up: Mahjong.now does not offer a downloadable PDF yet. This page shows you how to set up and play Mahjong Solitaire with real tiles, plus links to play every layout online.
What a printable Mahjong layout is
A printable layout is just a map of the board before you start: where each tile goes, and which tiles sit on top of others to make the higher layers. Some people print the map and place real tiles on top of it. Others only need it to remember how the shape is built. Either way, the goal is the same, to make setting up a physical Mahjong Solitaire board quick and correct. Because these boards stack up to several layers high, a diagram is far easier to follow than trying to remember the shape tile by tile.
Who wants a printable layout
- Teaching kids. A clear diagram helps a child see where each tile belongs while they learn the free-tile rule.
- Playing offline. On a plane, a porch, or anywhere without a device, a real tile set and a layout map are all you need.
- Learning the shapes. Building a layout by hand once or twice is the fastest way to understand how the Turtle or Pyramid stacks up.
How to set up Mahjong Solitaire with a real set
Here is the classic Turtle setup, the shape most people mean when they say "Mahjong". You need one full mahjong set of 144 tiles (three suits, Winds, Dragons, Flowers and Seasons).
- Shuffle all 144 tiles face down and mix them well.
- Build the bottom layer first: lay a wide, flat rectangle of tiles face up as the base of the shell, leaving the shape a little longer than it is tall.
- Stack the middle layers on top, each one smaller and centered, so the mound rises toward a tall ridge down the middle.
- Place a single crowning tile at the peak, and set one lone tile poking out on the left and one on the right, the turtle's head and tail.
- Check that every layer sits squarely on the tiles below, so it is clear which tiles are covered and which have an open side.
- To play, remove matching pairs of free tiles - a tile is free when nothing covers it and its left or right side is open - until the whole shell is cleared.
New to the rules? The full walkthrough for every layout lives on the Mahjong rules hub.
Mahjong layouts at a glance
Different layouts use different numbers of tiles and stack to different heights. Here is how a few common ones compare.
| Layout | Tiles | Layers | Shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turtle | 144 | 5 | Wide turtle-shell mound |
| Pyramid | 120 | 5 | Stepped four-sided pyramid |
| Fortress | 128 | 4 | Walled block with a raised keep |
| Dragon | 144 | 4 | Long coiling body with a spine |
Or just play in your browser
No printer and no tile set handy? Every layout builds itself for you online, for free, with no download. Try the Turtle, Pyramid, or Dragon and the site handles the shuffle, the stacking, and the rules for you, and guarantees every board is solvable.
Printable Mahjong FAQ
Do you have a printable Mahjong PDF?
Not yet. For now, this page gives you the shapes and a step-by-step setup so you can build a board with a real mahjong set, or you can play the full layouts free online.
What layout does classic Mahjong Solitaire use?
Classic Mahjong Solitaire uses the Turtle: all 144 tiles piled into a wide, symmetric mound five layers tall at the center, with a single crowning tile and one tile poking out on each side.
Can I teach kids Mahjong Solitaire with a printed layout?
Yes. A simple diagram of the tiles and layers makes it easy for kids to see where each tile goes and to understand which tiles are free. Start with an open layout like the Turtle or Cat, where there are usually several matches to find. The rules hub keeps every layout in plain English.