Mouse
- Click: select a tile
- Click a matching open tile: remove the pair
- Hint/Undo/Shuffle buttons (if provided)
Overview 
Mahjong Solitaire
마작 솔리테어
Match open pairs of tiles to clear the stacked layout—one layer at a time.
Relaxing at first glance, but the order you remove tiles can decide everything.
Tile-matchingSolitairePuzzle
Goal & Core Rules
Remove all tiles by repeatedly matching and removing pairs of ‘open’ identical tiles.
- Tiles are stacked in layers; only ‘open’ tiles can be removed.
- A tile is typically open if no tile covers it and at least one side (left or right) is free.
- Remove tiles in identical pairs (special flower/season rules may vary by implementation).
- You win by removing all tiles; you lose if no legal open pairs remain.
Controls
Keyboard
- Tab/Arrow keys: move focus (if supported)
- Enter: select/remove (if supported)
- H: hint / U: undo (if supported)
Touch
- Tap: select a tile
- Tap a matching open tile: remove the pair
- Hint/Undo/Shuffle buttons (if provided)
Beginner Tips
- Focus on freeing tiles, not just making any match—opening new moves is key.
- Clear top layers early to reveal more options below.
- Avoid removing a tile if it ‘locks’ its twin under other tiles.
Advanced Tips
- Prefer moves that increase the number of open tiles and reduce bottlenecks.
- Track rare tiles (e.g., a single exposed pair) and protect access until you’re ready.
- When multiple matches exist, choose the one that exposes the most new tiles.
Origins & History
Mahjong solitaire is a single-player matching game that uses mahjong tiles but is otherwise unrelated to the four-player game mahjong. The computer game ‘Shanghai’ (1986) helped popularize the genre.
Timeline
- 1986 ‘Shanghai’, a mahjong solitaire video game by Activision, is released and becomes widely known.
Notable People
- Brodie Lockard Programmer credited on the 1986 game ‘Shanghai’
FAQ
Is this the same as traditional mahjong?
No. Mahjong solitaire uses the tiles but plays as a single-player matching puzzle with different rules.
What does ‘open tile’ mean?
Usually a tile with no tile on top and at least one side (left or right) free so it can slide out.
Do flowers/seasons have special matching?
Some versions allow any flower to match any flower, and any season to match any season—check your implementation’s rules.