Learn mahjong and classic card games
Meldhouse explains the games you play around a table with friends and family. Each game gets a clear guide with a picture for every step, plus a free tool, such as a score keeper or a hand counter, that you can use while you play.
A meld is a group of tiles or cards you lay down together. It is the idea that links mahjong, rummy, gin rummy and canasta, which is where the name comes from.
The games
Mahjong
The four-player tile game, in its American, Chinese and Japanese styles. Start here if your new group meets next week.
Cribbage
A two-player card game scored on a pegboard, with a hand counter that shows every point.
Gin rummy
Build sets and runs, cut your deadwood and knock before your opponent does.
Rummy
The family classic: lay down melds and be first to empty your hand.
Spades
A partnership trick-taking game where every round starts with a bid.
Canasta
A rummy game for partners, with big melds, wild cards and big scores.
Hearts
Avoid hearts and the queen of spades, or take them all and shoot the moon.
Mexican Train dominoes
Play off a central hub, build your own train and keep the Mexican train moving.
How the guides work
- Every guide opens by telling you the goal of the game in a few sentences.
- Each step of play has its own picture of the tiles, cards or table.
- Worked examples show real hands and scores, checked by the same code as the tools.
- Where groups play differently, the variant is labelled so you can agree on house rules.
- The tools run in your browser. There are no accounts and nothing to install.