中 American Mahjong · NMJL Style · Made for iPad

Finally feel confident
at the Mahjong table.

American Mahjong is hard. Tile Wise makes it learnable — structured lessons and 30+ quizzes, then two ways to play a full game on your iPad: a coached learning simulator that shows your best hands and which tiles to keep or pass, and a full game simulator against three AI opponents. Built for players who want to sit down with friends and actually know what they're doing.

Join the Waitlist → See What's Inside

Coming soon to the App Store — 7-day free trial at launch

Inside the App

See exactly what you're getting.

Built for iPad. Everything works offline.

Tile Wise Charleston Practice screen showing tile rack with pass direction tabs and Strategy Tip

Charleston Practice

Step through every pass — Right, Across, Left — with color-coded tiles and a Strategy Tip at each stage.

Tile Wise Daily Practice complete screen showing 3 of 5 correct, a daily streak, and today's review topics

Daily Practice

5 targeted questions every day. Build a streak and watch your weak spots disappear.

Tile Wise Master Assessment screen — 50 questions across 14 topics, score per topic area, strengths and weak spots, and links to review misses

Master Assessment

50 questions, 14 categories. See your score by topic and get direct links to review.

Tile Wise Play a Game table — your hand at the bottom, three AI opponents seated around an emerald felt table, and the shared discard pile in the center

Play a Full Game

Two ways to play against three AI opponents — a coached learning simulator and a full game simulator — with full Charleston, calling, and real NMJL rules.

Tile Wise quiz results popup showing 5/21 correct with Next Lesson button

Smart Quizzes

See your score, read why you missed it, and jump straight to the next lesson — all from the results popup.

← swipe to see more

What is Tile Wise?

The American Mahjong app built for players who want to stop guessing at the table.

Tile Wise teaches American Mahjong (NMJL-style rules) through structured lessons, adaptive quizzes, and a personal coach that tracks your progress across 14 topic areas — then lets you put it all into play. Sit at a full table and play complete games two ways: a coached learning simulator that suggests your best hands and tags every tile keep or pass, and a full game simulator for the real, unassisted experience. Built specifically for the National Mah Jongg League card — the version played by American social groups. Everything works offline on your iPad. No account required. Your data never leaves your device.

Features

Everything you need to get good.

Not just rules — a full system that meets you where you are and builds your game over time.

Daily Practice

5 targeted questions every day, weighted toward your weakest areas. Build a streak and watch your game improve.

Master Assessment

50 questions across all 14 topics. See your score by category — with direct links to review anything below 70%.

Pre-Game Refresh

5 rule reminders before you sit down — drawn from your weakest categories. Ready in under 60 seconds.

Charleston Drill

Practice the most strategic part of the game in isolation. Deal, pass, and get coached on every decision.

Coached Learning Simulator

Play a complete game with a coach beside you — it ranks your best hands, shows what each one still needs, and tags every tile keep, maybe, or pass as you draw and discard.

Full Game Simulator

When you're ready for the real thing, play a full hand against 3 AI opponents with no hints — Charleston, Pung, Kong, Jokers, and real NMJL scoring on a clean, immersive table.

Ask Tile Wise

Type any rule question and get an instant plain-language answer. Fully offline — no AI subscription needed.

Performance History

Track quiz scores, daily streaks, and assessment grades over time. See exactly where you're improving.

My Card Builder

Enter your current NMJL card. The Coach and Simulation validate your hands against what you're actually playing.

30+ Quizzes

Every NMJL topic covered — tiles, the Charleston, Joker rules, strategy, scoring, and more. Answers shuffle every time so you learn the concepts, not the order.

How It Works

From beginner to confident player.

A structured learning path — or explore by topic. The Coach guides you either way.

Learn the Foundations

Tiles, hand patterns, Joker rules, the Charleston, Flowers, scoring — every NMJL rule explained with quizzes after each topic.

Practice Every Day

5 daily questions weighted to your weak spots. The streak keeps the habit going.

Drill the Charleston

Deal tiles and run the 3-pass Charleston with the Coach telling you which hands to target and which tiles to pass.

Play Full Games

Sit at the table against AI opponents — first with the coached learning simulator guiding your hands and discards, then on your own in the full game simulator when you're ready.

Liz Corbin, founder of Tile Wise and Liz Corbin Designs

From the Founder

I built this because I couldn't find what I needed.

"American Mah Jongg is so difficult, and yet the joy of finally sitting down and playing with confidence is completely worth it."

As both a designer and a Mah Jongg fan, I was genuinely disappointed with the training and simulation options available. Nothing out there matched the depth the game actually requires, especially for American Mah Jongg. You need to learn tiles, the Charleston, Joker rules, reading the card, and strategy just to feel comfortable at the table for the first time.

I built Tile Wise to train myself, my friends, and my family. So many people would love to join their friends and play, but they lack the fundamentals to feel confident as a beginner and there is no easy on-ramp. The learning curve is real, and most people give up before they ever get to experience how fun this game actually is.

My goal was simple: an app that meets players wherever they are, whether a complete beginner or an experienced player with gaps, and gives them the tools to grow their understanding of the game in a way that is actually easy and enjoyable to use.

— Liz Corbin Creator of Tile Wise & Owner of Liz Corbin Designs

Who It's For

Built for American Mahjong players at every level.

Whether you're learning for the first time or finally getting good enough to stop making mistakes.

Complete Beginners

Start at zero. Tiles, suits, the deal, the Charleston — explained before you ever play a hand.

Players Who Forget Rules

Pre-Game Refresh gives you 5 targeted reminders before you sit down — whatever you most often forget.

Intermediate Players

Master Assessment finds your exact gaps. Strategy lessons on defensive play, reading the table, and more fill them in.

Regular NMJL Players

Enter your current NMJL card for coaching against your actual hands. Daily Practice keeps your game sharp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about American Mahjong and Tile Wise.

What is American Mahjong (NMJL)?+

American Mahjong (Mah Jongg) is a tile-based game played according to rules published annually by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). Players build 14-tile hands matching patterns on a card updated each January. Key features: the Charleston tile-passing ritual, Joker wildcards, and Flower tiles used where the card calls for them (no dead wall or replacement in the American game). Most popular in U.S. women's social groups.

Can Jokers be used in pairs?+

No — never. Jokers cannot substitute in a pair in any hand, section, or card year. Pairs require exactly 2 real, matching tiles. Jokers may only substitute in sets of 3 or more. They are also banned from Singles & Pairs hands entirely and cannot act as Flowers.

What order does the Charleston go?+

The First Charleston (mandatory): Right → Across → Left. Remember ROLLOR: Right-Over-Left, Left-Over-Right. The Second Charleston (optional, any player can decline): Left → Across → Right. A Courtesy Pass of 1–3 tiles may follow.

Does Tile Wise work with my current NMJL card?+

Yes — through My Card Builder. Type in your hand notations and the Coach recommends hands from your actual card. The Game Simulation also validates Mahjong declarations against your entered hands. The app ships with a fictional Practice Card for training, but entering your real card makes all coaching specific to what you're playing.

What's the difference between the learning simulator and the full game?+

Both play a complete NMJL hand against three AI opponents. The Coached Learning Simulator adds a coach panel that ranks the best hands for the tiles you're holding, shows what each hand still needs, and tags every tile keep, maybe, or pass — ideal while you're learning. The Full Game Simulator turns the coaching off for the real, unassisted experience. You pick your mode — and which card to play against — before each game.

Does Tile Wise work offline?+

Yes, completely. Tile Wise has no servers and requires no internet connection. All content, quizzes, both game simulators, and Ask Tile Wise are fully on-device. Your data — scores, streaks, card entries — never leaves your iPad.

How much does Tile Wise cost?+

7-day free trial with full access. Then $12.99/month or $99.99/year (about $8.33/month — save 36%). All subscriptions managed through Apple. Cancel any time from your iPad Settings.

Pricing

Start free. Stay as long as you're learning.

7-day free trial with full access. Cancel any time.

Monthly

$12.99

per month

  • All 30+ quizzes & content
  • Daily Practice + streaks
  • Master Assessment
  • Coached + full game simulators
  • Charleston Drill
  • Ask Tile Wise chatbot
  • My Card Builder
Join the Waitlist
Best Value — Save $56/year

Annual

$99.99

per year — just $8.33/month

  • Everything in Monthly
  • Save 36% vs monthly
  • All 30+ quizzes & content
  • Daily Practice + streaks
  • Master Assessment
  • Coached + full game simulators
  • Charleston Drill + Ask Tile Wise
Join the Waitlist

Available on iPad (iPadOS 17+). Subscriptions through Apple. Cancel any time in Settings → Subscriptions.

中

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Ready when you are.

Coming soon to the App Store. Join the waitlist and we'll send you a link the day it goes live.

Coming soon to the App Store

iPad  ·  iPadOS 17+  ·  7-day free trial