Mahjong is a game played on a numbered square board, called the "table cloth". Each player has thirteen tiles which represent different values, and plays these tiles in order to make a combination of at least three tiles that equal the same number. To win, a player must be the first to make a combination with the highest value.
The game starts with the dealer, or "host", rolling the dice to determine the starting player. This player then rolls again to determine who is the last player to begin. The other three players then roll in a clockwise motion to determine the order of play.
To begin the game, the host draws sixteen tiles from the main pile, leaving sixteen tiles on the table. The players then pick their own tile, continuing in the same order. After all players have taken their tiles, the host creates the "River" board with the remaining tiles.