Frequently Asked Questions

What is head bump (截糊)?

Head bump (截糊): when multiple players can legally win on a discard, the nearest claiming seat after the discarder in turn order wins, regardless of faan.

Everything you need to know about Table Mahjong.

General

• Is Table Mahjong free to play?
  Yes. The full game is free: solo, private rooms with friends and Quick Match. Google ads on the website help keep it free, and a hand is never paused for an ad. An optional Table Mahjong Plus membership adds table design extras (see below); it never changes how the game plays.
• Does Table Mahjong show ads?
  Yes. The tablemahjong.com website shows ads through Google AdSense; that is what keeps the game free. There are no ad breaks between hands and you never have to watch an ad to keep playing. Visitors in the EEA, UK and Switzerland see a consent prompt first. Our privacy policy explains the cookies involved, and you can turn off personalised ads at adssettings.google.com.
• Do I need to create an account?
  No account is required. Open tablemahjong.com in any browser and start playing immediately. No email, no password, no sign-up flow.
• Do I need to download anything?
  No. Table Mahjong runs entirely in your web browser using WebGL. Nothing is downloaded or installed on your device.
• What devices does Table Mahjong support?
  Table Mahjong works on any modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone. If your browser supports WebGL (which most do), you can play.

Table Mahjong Plus

• What is Table Mahjong Plus?
  An optional membership for people who love a beautiful table: the Create your vibe studio with up to 4 saved designs, premium mats, table objects, lanterns and backdrops, your own photo uploads, and host vibes your friends see in private rooms. The Halloween pack (objects, mats, backdrops and effects) is included with Table Mahjong Plus.
• How much does it cost?
  Table Mahjong Plus is coming soon; new purchases are currently unavailable. Planned pricing is $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year (US dollars). Any applicable tax is shown at checkout before you pay. See the Table Mahjong Plus page for plan details.
• How do I pay, and does it renew?
  When the store opens, payment will be by card or other methods shown at checkout through Stripe, in US dollars; we never see your card number. Your plan renews automatically each month or year until you cancel.
• How do I cancel or get a refund?
  Refunds are available within 3 days of a new purchase: email hello@tablemahjong.com. You can cancel anytime from Manage membership on tablemahjong.com (web), which opens the Stripe customer portal: there’s no further billing, and you keep Table Mahjong Plus until the end of the period you’ve paid for. Accidental or duplicate charges are always refunded. A refund ends access funded by the refunded invoice once cumulative refunds cover the full charge. A partial refund keeps access for the paid period. Opening a payment dispute suspends Stripe membership access and cancels the disputed subscription and future renewals. A win restores otherwise-valid paid access without restarting billing. Renewal charges are not refundable except accidental or duplicate charges; cancel before the renewal date to avoid the next charge. A real person reads every message.
• What happens to my vibes and uploads if I cancel?
  Nothing is deleted. Saved designs and uploaded photos stay saved. Premium studio features, mats, backdrops and Halloween pack items lock when membership ends; the table falls back to the default look except for saved photos and existing room vibes described here. Your saved choices return when you rejoin. Existing photos remain selectable locally on your device; member-only account and room use is locked until you rejoin. Grandfathered photos keep their existing status. New uploads require membership. A host vibe you already shared in a room stays visible in that room, but new rooms won’t get it. Rejoin and everything comes back.

Free early access

• Is early access really free? Will I be charged?
  Yes, it’s free and no card is needed. Early access never turns into a paid subscription by itself; you’re only charged if you choose to subscribe later and complete checkout. Paid Plus is coming soon: $4.99/month or $29.99/year plus applicable tax.
• What happens when early access ends?
  Early access stays open until paid Plus launches. We’ll tell you at least 14 days before it ends, in the app, and by email if you’ve opted in. Your designs are saved. If early access ends, they’ll be locked until you subscribe, then they come right back. In game, your table uses the free look until you subscribe. Early access is one-time: once it ends for your account, subscribing to Plus brings your saved designs right back.

Gameplay & Rules

• What Mahjong rules does Table Mahjong use?
  Table Mahjong uses Hong Kong / Cantonese Mahjong rules with faan-based scoring. A winning hand requires four sets and a pair with a minimum of three faan. Flower and Season bonus tiles are included. See the full rules guide for details.
• What is faan scoring?
  Faan is the Hong Kong Mahjong scoring unit. Each special combination or condition in your winning hand adds faan. More faan means opponents pay more. A standard game requires at least 3 faan to win. Special hands like All Pong (3 faan) or Pure One-Suit (7 faan) earn more. Limit hands (13+ faan) pay the maximum.
• What is a Chicken Hand?
  A Chicken Hand (雞糊) is a winning hand worth fewer than 3 faan — it has no special combinations. In standard Hong Kong rules it is a valid win but pays only the minimum. Table Mahjong handles this automatically.
• I am new to Mahjong. Where should I start?
  Read the How to Play guide for a beginner overview, then try Solo mode in the game. AI opponents are forgiving and the interface shows claim options automatically so you will not miss a Pong.

Multiplayer & Rooms

• Can I play with friends?
  Yes. Use Create Room to generate a private room link. Share the link with up to three friends — they click it and join instantly with no account needed. Any empty seats are filled by AI. See the multiplayer guide.
• How do I share a room link?
  After creating a room, a unique link is shown at the top of the lobby. Copy it and paste it into any chat, text, or email. Anyone with the link can join immediately.
• What happens if a player disconnects?
  An AI player automatically takes over the disconnected seat so the round continues uninterrupted. The human player can rejoin using the same room link and reclaim their seat.
• What is Quick Match?
  Quick Match seats you at a table with other online players, free. If fewer than four people are around, AI players fill the empty seats so the game starts promptly. You can also play solo against AI or invite friends to a private room.
• Is there a solo mode for playing alone?
  Yes. Solo mode seats you against three AI opponents. It is the best way to learn and practice at your own pace without coordinating schedules with other people.

Can children play?

With parental permission, children may play solo or join private invite rooms as guests. Confirmed under-13 players cannot use Quick Match, text chat in any room (including private rooms), or photo avatars anywhere. Voice/video, purchases, account sign-in, photo uploads and push subscriptions are also unavailable to under-13 players when age screening is enabled. Parental permission does not unlock these features. For unknown-age players, photo avatars are replaced with a standard avatar in public rooms and Quick Match. See our Privacy Policy for age screening details.

Technical

• The 3D table is not loading. What should I do?
  Table Mahjong requires WebGL, which is enabled by default in all modern browsers. If the table does not load, try refreshing the page, disabling browser extensions (especially GPU blockers), or switching to Chrome or Firefox.
• Does Table Mahjong work on mobile phones?
  Yes. The game is playable on mobile browsers. For the best experience, a larger screen (tablet or desktop) is recommended because Mahjong involves viewing 13+ tiles at once.
• Is there an Android or iOS app?
  Table Mahjong is currently a browser-first experience. A mobile app may come in the future. For now, add the site to your home screen from your mobile browser for an app-like shortcut.