Joker
A wild tile that can substitute for any tile in a group of three or more in American Mahjong.
Definition
A Joker is a wild tile unique to American Mahjong. There are eight Jokers in a standard American set. A Joker can stand in for any tile within a group of three or more (pung, kong, quint, or sextet). Jokers cannot be used in pairs or singles, and they cannot be used in Singles and Pairs hands on the NMJL card.
How It Works in Gameplay
Jokers are among the most valuable tiles in your hand because of their flexibility. They let you complete groups without waiting for specific tiles. If an opponent has an exposed group containing a Joker, you may swap: on your turn, if you hold the natural tile the Joker is replacing, you can exchange it for the Joker and add the Joker to your hand. This is called a "Joker exchange" and is a key strategic move.
Example
You need a kong of 4 Craks (four 4 Craks) but only have two. You also hold two Jokers. You can use both Jokers alongside your two natural 4 Craks to form the kong. Later, another player might hold a 4 Crak and swap it into your exposed kong to steal one of your Jokers for their own hand.
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