How can I practice American mahjong by myself, without a group?
Use a practice app that drills one decision at a time, then deal yourself hands at home. Mahj Trainer is a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android built for practice between games: five-minute drills on reading a rack, choosing Charleston passes and keep-or-throw calls, with the reason shown after every answer.
It needs no opponents, no account and no internet connection, so practice fits wherever you have five minutes.
What can you practice alone in Mahj Trainer?
Four free rooms, each a short drill on one skill:
- The Tile Room: flashcards on every tile family, then a 16-question quiz on the rules new players mix up, such as which dragon goes with which suit and what jokers can do.
- The Card Room: flashcards on the card's sections, then racks of 13 tiles where you name the section they are chasing.
- The Charleston Room: practice deals where you pick three tiles to pass and compare with the coach. More on the Charleston practice page.
- The Table Room: keep-or-throw calls and table rules: when to hold a flower, when to swap for an exposed joker, which discards are safe.
Three more things are free for everyone:
- Play a Hand, once a day: thirteen tiles off a real 152-tile wall. You commit to a section, then draw and discard for twelve turns while the coach grades every throw and shows the arithmetic. There are no bots, so every grade comes from your tiles alone.
- The daily Mahj Minute (iPhone and iPad): five questions a day that add up to a monthly challenge score.
- A searchable reference: a glossary and a page for every card section, one tap from the home screen.
Streaks and per-room progress show which skill needs work, and a quick mixed session brings back the questions you missed first.
How do you practice with your own tiles?
If you own a set and a current card, three exercises work well alone:
- Pick a section. Deal yourself 13 tiles, then find the two or three sections of your card the tiles lean toward. Note what each would still need.
- Run the Charleston. From the same deal, choose three tiles to pass right, then across, then left, saying out loud why each tile goes.
- Play one rack. Build a wall, draw and discard toward one hand, and switch only when a tile clearly points somewhere better.
The free guides to reading the card and how to play cover the rules behind each exercise.
What if you want full games against the computer?
Mahj Trainer does not play full games. For whole hands against bots, Maylee and American Mahjong Practice are the closest fits, and Mahjong 4 Friends plays against bots or friends. For games with real people online, the National Mah Jongg League runs NMJL Online. Many players pair a bot-game app with a drill app. The app comparison has the details.
Practice without a table
Four free rooms and one free hand a day. No account, works offline.
Questions
Can you practice American mahjong alone?
Yes. A drill app such as Mahj Trainer lets you practice reading racks, Charleston passes and discards with no other players, and you can deal yourself practice hands at home with your own set and card.
Is there a free app to practice American mahjong by yourself?
Yes. Mahj Trainer is free to download, and its four beginner rooms and one Play a Hand a day are free with no subscription.
Does Mahj Trainer work offline?
Yes. Every drill works with no network connection, and progress stays on your device.
Do I need to know the rules before practicing alone?
It helps to know the basics. The app includes a six-page How to Play primer, and the site has a free beginner guide to the rules.
Related
- Is there an app to practice the mahjong Charleston?
- A free American mahjong app with no subscription
- A mahjong quiz app that explains every answer
- How to play American Mah Jongg
Mahj Trainer is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Mah Jongg League. For official hands and values, use the current NMJL card. Details were checked in October 2026 and may change.