Think the 2026 Card Is Completely Different? Think Again
If you’ve been mourning your favorite hands from the 2025 National Mah Jongg League card, you’re not alone. At first glance, the 2026 card can feel like a completely different game.
But once you start breaking it down, you’ll notice something surprising: many of your go-to hands didn’t disappear, they just evolved. And when you can recognize those patterns, the overwhelm fades and your confidence comes right back.
Here are three examples from the 2025 card and how they translate to 2026.
Important Reminders
-A Pung is three of the same tile. A Kong is four of the same tile
-When single numbers are listed together (e.g., 1234, 113579. 2468, 3369), they are considered single tiles; Jokers may not be used
Dragons Back From Extinction
2025: FF 123 DD DDD DDDD
2026: 1234 DDD DDD DDDD
This Winds and Dragons hand may be your new BFF. It’s similar to the 2025 version, but easier, since you don’t need to make two pairs (FF and DD). Instead, you’ll build a longer run (four consecutive numbers instead of three). And just like before, the numbers don’t have to match the Dragon colors.
2026 Hand At a Glance
1234 DDD DDD DDDD
Any four consecutive numbers in the same suit
The run may be in any suit; it does not have to match the Dragons shown
A Pung of Dragons in one suit
A Pung of Dragons in another suit
A Kong of Dragons in the third suit
Jokers may be used in the Pungs and Kong
Jokers may not be used in the run of four consecutive numbers
Your Favorite Hand, Reincarnated
2025: FFFF 2468 222 222
2026: FFF 2468 FFF 2222
For many of us, the 2025 2468 hand was a favorite. The 2026 version has very similar bones: Flowers, a grouping of 2468 in one suit, and matching 2s, 4s, 6s, or 8s in the opposite suit. The main difference is that the 2026 version has more Flowers (two separate Pungs) and only one Kong in an opposite suit.
2026 Hand At a Glance
FFF 2468 FFF 2222
Six Flowers, divided into two separate Pungs (must be kept separate; only three may be exposed at a time)
A 2, 4, 6, and 8 in one suit
A Kong of 2s, 4s, 6s, or 8s in an opposing suit
Jokers may be used in the Flower Pungs and the Kong
Jokers may not be used in 2468
Paranormal Floating Pairs
2025: 112345 1111 1111
2026: 113579 1111 1111 and FF 3369 3333 3333
113579 1111 1111
This "floating pair" hand confused a lot of people in 2025, but once we got the hang of it, it became a favorite. The 2026 13579 version is nearly identical to the 2025 consecutive run hand. Instead of five consecutive numbers (with a required floating pair), you’ll use 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Any one of those numbers can serve as the floating pair. And just like in 2025, the two Kongs must match the number of the floating pair, in opposing suits.
2026 Hand At a Glance
113579 1111 1111
A grouping of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 in one suit; one of these must be a floating pair (11, 33, 55, 77, or 99)
Two Kongs of that same floating pair number, in opposite suits
Jokers may be used in the Kongs
Jokers may not be used in 113579
FF 3369 3333 3333
There’s another hand on the 2026 card that’s similar to last year’s floating pair hand. This 369 version adds a pair of Flowers and uses only three numbers. The 3, 6, and 9 must be in one suit; any one of those three numbers can be the floating pair. And once again, we have two Kongs that match the floating pair in opposite suits. Same concept as last year, with a few small tweaks.
2026 Hand At a Glance
FF 3369 3333 3333
A pair of Flowers
A grouping of 3, 6, and 9 in one suit; one must be the floating pair (33, 66, or 99)
Two Kongs of that same number, in opposite suits
Jokers may be used in the Kongs
Jokers may not be used in 3369
Keep following We Mahj as we continue to break down the 2026 NMJL card. And if you haven’t ordered your 2026 card yet, visit the NMJL website to place your order.