FAQs

We play by National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) rules as outlined in Mah Jongg Made Easy (2024) using the 2026 NMJL card. All players must have their 2026 card displayed during tournament play.

The rules in Mah Jongg Made Easy serve as the foundation for all play. Our tournament rules are an added layer on top — they address specific situations that arise in competitive, timed play and introduce penalties for certain behaviors that Mah Jongg Made Easy identifies but does not penalize. Please read both before arriving. 

Yes, please bring your 2026 NMJL card. 

You are not required to bring tiles — each tournament table will be stocked with traditional tiles. However, most players do bring their own tiles to tournaments, and you are welcome to play with your own set during Open Play sessions if you'd like.

If you have volunteered to play East, you are asked to bring a traditional tile set. If you do not own a traditional set, please let us know in advance and we will make one available for you.

Boutique tile sets are not permitted at tournament tables under any circumstances.

You are welcome to bring your tiles for Open Play. Open Play is a great opportunity to play with your own set in a relaxed, social setting.

Players should attempt to resolve disputes using the posted rules. If the table cannot reach a resolution, raise your hand and the tournament director will come to you. The tournament director's ruling is final.

Yes. Players may not look at any tile taken during a blind pass. A 10-point penalty will be assessed if this occurs.

If you touch a tile, it is yours. This applies to both picking from the wall and calling a discarded tile.

A player may call a discarded tile until the next player racks or discards their picked tile. When making an exposure, you must claim the discarded tile and place it on the flat part of your rack before adding tiles from your hand. The called tile must be placed on top of your rack for exposure — if it is placed in the sloped part of your rack, your hand will be called dead.

You must first pick and rack your tile before initiating a Joker exchange. Clearly state your request verbally and hand the symbol tile directly to the player holding the Joker. As a best practice, present the Joker on an open, palm-up hand. If a tile is placed on the table without a verbal exchange request, it is considered dead for exchange and may be called by other players for an exposure.

No. There is no penalty for misnaming a tile. That said, be certain visually before calling a tile for an exposure or for Mah Jongg — once called, it counts.

Electronic devices must be completely silenced during tournament play. If your phone, watch, etc. rings, beeps, chimes, or makes any noise at all during a round, your hand will be called dead. Unexpected sounds are genuinely disruptive to players at your table and others nearby who are actively concentrating. Please silence your phone before each round begins, without exception.

A wall game is declared and each player at the table receives 10 points. Play moves to the next game or round.

Each round of four games must be completed within one hour. If your table does not complete four games within the time limit, each player at the table receives a 10-point penalty. East is responsible for monitoring time at the table and reminding players of the limit throughout the round. A 15-minute warning will also be announced for the entire room. Other players at your table may encourage you to play more quickly. Because there is a penalty for not completing four hands, it is in everyone's interest to keep things moving. This is not meant unkindly. It is simply part of fair tournament play. Please review the full rules before arriving.

Do not advance to your next table until the tournament director has officially ended the current round.

Your player number — printed on your individual score sheet — tells you your starting table, your seat position, and how you rotate after each round. Here is how each position moves:

• East: remains in the same seat the entire tournament, facing the timer

• West: sits directly across from East and moves up two tables each round

• South: sits to the right of East and moves down one table each round

• North: sits to the left of East and moves up one table each round

Please note that we follow celestial directions, not compass directions. Do not move to your next table until the current round has officially ended.

Seating is fully pre-assigned. Your player number was generated randomly and determines your table, position, and rotation for the entire tournament. Everything you need is printed on your individual score sheet.

Seating is assigned by the tournament director to ensure fair and balanced table assignments across all rounds. But Open Play sessions are a wonderful opportunity to play alongside whoever you'd like!

Hands are valued as printed on the 2026 NMJL card. All scores must be recorded in pen, and a pen will be provided to you as part of your player's gift. Record a zero score with the letter X. East records all players' scores on the table scorecard after each hand. All players confirm and initial their scores at the end of each round. West initials East's score and brings the table scorecard to the tournament director for tallying.

The following bonus and penalty points are applied on top of card values:

• +10 for picking your own Mah Jongg tile

• +10 for a jokerless hand (excludes Singles and Pairs hands)

• +20 for a jokerless AND self-picked Mah Jongg tile

• +10 for each player in a wall game

• -10 for discarding the winning tile when the declarer has two or more exposures

• -10 for looking at a blind pass

• -10 for each player if four hands are not completed within the time limit

• 0 points for a hand called dead

Final standings are calculated from cumulative scores across all six rounds. The top five scores at the end of the tournament day determine placement prizes.

Mah Jongg! Galveston proudly provides cash prizes which are distributed on-site at the Awards Ceremony at the end of each tournament day. 

We also provide cash prizes to the highest score of each round, except for Round 6, which is an optional buy-in last chance round. 

Additionally, there will be three special hands in the morning session and three special hands in the afternoon session. The first person to mahj with one of the special hands in the sessions wins a cash prize.

We are excited to announce the following cash prices are available each tournament day:

• 1st Place — $500 

• 2nd Place — $400 

• 3rd Place — $300 

• 4th Place — $200 

• 5th Place — $100 

• Special Hand — $25 per occurrence 

• High Round — $25 per occurrence

For an optional $10 entry (cash or Venmo payments accepted), you can participate in the Last Chance Buy-In for Round 6 — an additional opportunity to win cash. To enter, write your name on the sign-up sheet before Round 6 begins. Sign-up details will be announced on tournament day.

Registration is available at MahJonggGalveston.com. When you register, you will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours. If spots are available, your confirmation will include your registration details and payment receipt — your spot is confirmed. If the tournament is already full at the time you register, you will automatically be added to the waitlist and notified by email if a spot becomes available. Spots are assigned in the order registration is received.

Yes, fully. If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to another player at no additional charge. Simply email us with the new attendee's name and contact information before the event.

Yes, as long as spots are available. Email us and we will get you taken care of.

If Mah Jongg! Galveston cancels the tournament for any reason — including a hurricane or severe weather threat — you will receive a full refund. Our strong preference in that situation is always to reschedule, and all payments would be honored for the new date. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled event, a full refund will be issued at that time.

If the tournament is not canceled by us and you make the personal decision not to travel — whether due to weather in your area, concerns about conditions along your route, or any other reason — the ticket is nonrefundable. However, it is fully transferable, meaning you may send someone in your place or sell your ticket at no additional charge.

We know this is a nuanced policy, but we want to be as fair as possible to everyone involved while also being able to plan and commit to our vendors, venue, and prizes.

We will notify all registered players by email as soon as a decision is made. We will also post updates on MahJonggGalveston.com and the Mah Jongg! Galveston Facebook group. We recommend adding our email address to your contacts so nothing goes to spam.

We monitor conditions closely and will make every effort to communicate a decision as early as possible — ideally 48 to 72 hours before the event — so that players and their families have adequate time to adjust travel plans.

The Summer TournamentS are held in the Garden Cay Room at Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center, 7 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554. The Garden Cay Room is accessible from the hotel lobby. Vendors will be set up in the lobby just outside the tournament room — a perfect spot to browse between rounds.

On the day of the tournamentS, a light breakfast will be available starting at 8:00am in the hotel lobby. Tournament room doors open at 8:30am — please do not enter the tournament room before 8:30am, as East players need time to set up their tile sets before play begins. Please be seated at your assigned table by 8:50am — the tournament begins promptly at 9:00am.

Yes, self parking is free at Moody Gardens or you may choose to use their valet service.

Tournament check-in is quick and simple. Packets will be available at Open Play in the Garden Cay Room on Thursday and Friday or the morning of your tournament. When you arrive, pick up your score sheet, name tag, and door prize ticket — and you're ready to go. 

Yes. Please use the designated space on the registration form to notify us of any specific accessibility needs and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Moody Gardens Hotel offers luggage storage for guests. Contact the front desk directly at 409-741-8484 to arrange.

All the rooms in the hotel were renovated in the November 2025. We recommend booking a room in the main tower of the hotel for the most convenient access to the tournament space and lobby.

Open Play is included with every tournament registration and takes place Thursday, August 20 and Friday, August 21 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at in the Garden Cay Room. It is a relaxed, social way to warm up, meet fellow players, and enjoy the full weekend.

Out Open Play sessions are very casual and relaxed. We offer three ways to play during Open Play sessions:

• Rotate East — at the end of a game, the East position moves to another table or waits until a position opens

• Private table — gather three friends for your own table and set your own stakes

• High Stakes table — join other players at a High Stakes table where the group sets the rules together at the start of the session

Open Play typically runs penny a point, so we recommend bringing quarters!

No sign-up needed. Simply show up during Open Play hours and jump in. High Stakes tables are open seating — players sit down together and set the rules at the start.

Y OKes! Open Play is open to the public. Friends and family who are not registered for the tournament are welcome to join you. More details on public Open Play access and pricing coming soon.

Open Play is fully included with your tournament registration at no additional charge.

We have a private Rollcall group exclusively for Summer TournamentS registered players — a great place to introduce yourself, ask questions, coordinate travel, and connect with the community before you ever sit down at a table. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mjgaug26. 

Absolutely. The Rollcall group is a great place to connect with other players who may be looking to share a room at Moody Gardens. Post in the group and see who's interested — many players make lasting friendships this way before the tournament even begins.

The Open Play sessions on Thursday and Friday evenings are the single best opportunity to meet your fellow players in a relaxed, social setting before tournament day. Choose to rotate East and you will play alongside a variety of players throughout the evening — by the time the tournament starts, familiar faces will be everywhere.

We are proud to support SMART Family Literacy. All proceeds from raffle tickets and the silent auction go directly to SMART Family Literacy and their important work in our community.

Call Moody Gardens Hotel directly at 409-683-1299 and use the code "Mahjong Tournament" to receive the special rate of $149.00 per night for a single or double room. We recommend booking a room in the main tower for the easiest access to the tournament space.

Please note: The minimum check-in age at Moody Gardens Hotel is 21.

Yes — the Garden Cay Room is located in the hotel lobby. You can walk from your room directly to the tournament floor.

We recommend booking early as rooms fill quickly around the tournament weekend. If the hotel is fully booked, contact us and we can suggest nearby alternatives.

Join our private Facebook Rollcall Group and post that you are looking for a roommate. It is a great way to split costs and arrive already knowing a fellow player.

Yes, with one important note: this is a timed, structured event with assigned seating and competitive scoring. It is a welcoming environment, but it does move at tournament pace. If you are comfortable with NMJL rules and can play steadily and independently, you will have a wonderful time. We recommend reviewing the full rules before you arrive.

Tournament pace means hands are played efficiently and without extended delays. Players are expected to be ready to draw, pass, and call without prolonged deliberation. Four hands must be completed within one hour. A 15-minute warning is announced before each round closes and East monitors time at the table throughout each round.

East monitors the time and will remind the table of the limit as needed. Other players at the table may also encourage faster play — because there is a penalty for not completing four hands within the time limit, it is in everyone's interest to keep things moving. This is not meant unkindly — it is simply part of fair tournament play. Pace expectations will be covered in the introduction before each round so everyone starts on the same page.

This event is best suited for players who are confident in NMJL rules and comfortable playing independently at a steady pace. If you are still learning the game, we would love to see you at an Open Play session first to build your skills and confidence before registering for a tournament. 

If you are new to tournament play or simply want to feel more confident before tournament day, we encourage you to enroll in our Tournament Prep class.

Tournament Prep is designed specifically to walk you through all the nuances of tournament play — including the rules, rotations, scoring, and penalties particular to Mah Jongg! Galveston tournaments. You will have the opportunity to practice full rounds in a simulated tournament setting so you can experience the pace, the format, and the flow before it counts. The goal is simple: to send you into tournament day feeling prepared, confident, and ready to play.

Classes are offered on a limited basis in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Make sure you are on the mailing list to be the first to know when enrollment opens — spots fill quickly!