Mahjong Solitaire is a single-player puzzle. You match and remove pairs of identical tiles until the board is empty or no move remains. This article spells out the rules used on this site and in most variants. For a quick start, see how to play; for tile types, see Mahjong tiles guide and terminology.
When a Tile Is Free
A tile can be played only if it is free: nothing is on top of it (partially or fully), and it has at least one long side (left or right) not blocked by the layout. Tiles under others or with both sides blocked cannot be selected. Only free tiles can be matched. For the mechanics of matching, see tile matching; for the broader Mahjong rules context, see our rules guide.
What Counts as a Match
Two tiles match if they are identical: same suit and rank (e.g. two Bamboo 7s), or same honor (two East Winds, two Red Dragons). Flowers and seasons usually match any tile in their group (any flower with any flower, any season with any season). You select one free tile, then another; if they match, both are removed. For suit and honor details, see Mahjong tiles guide.
Winning and Losing
You win when every tile is removed. You lose (without reshuffle) when no free matching pair exists—a deadlock. Some implementations offer one or more reshuffles to try again. Strategy is about which pairs to remove so you avoid deadlocks; see strategy tips and winning strategies. These rules keep the game simple and suitable for beginners.