Mahjong Dragon, a long layout for patient players
Mahjong Dragon is a mahjong solitaire layout shaped like a long, coiled dragon. The body runs in two wide rows along the top and bottom of the table, the head and tail curl round at the sides, and a raised spine sits on the upper layers. There are 108 tiles in three layers. As in every tile-matching mahjong game, you clear the table by removing matching pairs of free tiles until nothing is left.
The rules are the same as in our classic Mahjong Solitaire. Only the shape of the stack changes, and that changes how you plan. In the classic turtle most tiles sit in one big block. The dragon is long and narrow, so each row blocks many tiles at once, and the order in which you open the rows matters more.
How to play Mahjong Dragon
- Find the free tiles. A tile is free when no tile lies on top of it and at least one of its long sides, left or right, is open. Blocked tiles look slightly darker.
- Match a pair. Tap a free tile, then an identical free tile. Both leave the table with a small pop.
- Flowers and seasons. The four flower tiles (plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo) all match each other, and so do the four season tiles.
- Keep going until the table is empty. If you run out of free pairs, press Shuffle. The remaining tiles are re-dealt in an order that can still be cleared.
Strategy for the dragon layout
Open the long rows from their ends. Every row in the dragon’s body is long, so the tiles in the middle stay blocked until one end is cleared. Take the end tiles first and work towards the middle, one row at a time.
Clear the spine when you can. The top layer runs along the middle of each body row. Each spine tile covers a tile below it, and until the spine is gone those tiles cannot move. Match spine tiles as soon as you see their partners.
Count the copies. Each tile appears four times. If two copies are already gone and the other two sit on top of each other, you will need to free the lower one by taking the upper one with some other partner. Spot these traps early.
Use hints wisely. The Hint button shows one open pair. It is useful when you are stuck, but try to find your own moves first: part of the fun is seeing the board open up.
Why play different mahjong layouts?
Players who have cleared the classic turtle many times often look for new shapes, because each layout creates its own puzzles. A long layout like the dragon rewards planning along rows. A tall one like the Mahjong Pyramid is about digging down through layers. A spread-out one like the Butterfly gives you many free tiles at the start but hides a tricky middle.
Features
- Unlimited deals, each one winnable.
- Hint, Undo and Shuffle, with no limits.
- Real mahjong tile faces and a traditional pattern on the table.
- Full screen on computers and tablets. On phones the game turns sideways for bigger tiles.
Want more? Try the classic Mahjong Solitaire, the new Daily Mahjong puzzle, or Big Tiles Mahjong if you prefer larger, easier-to-read tiles.
How to play Mahjong Dragon
- The tiles form a long, coiled dragon in three layers. Remove them in matching pairs.
- A tile is free when nothing lies on top of it and its left or right side is open.
- Identical tiles match. Any two flowers match, and any two seasons match.
- Tap a free tile, then its partner. If no pair is left, press Shuffle to re-deal the remaining tiles.
Mahjong Dragon tips
Work from both ends
The dragon's head and tail are the long rows at the edges. Their end tiles are free from the start, so they are your first supply of pairs.
Lift the spine early
The raised spine on the top layer covers two rows below it. Clear the top tiles as soon as you can match them.
Leave one copy in reserve
When three copies of a tile are free, take the pair that frees the most tiles and keep the third for later.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles are in Mahjong Dragon?
The dragon layout uses 108 tiles in three layers. It is shorter than the classic 144-tile turtle but wider, so it feels different to play.
Can every Dragon deal be won?
Yes. Each deal is built from a real winning order, so there is always a way to clear it. Shuffle re-deals the remaining tiles the same way.
Is Mahjong Dragon harder than the classic layout?
It has fewer tiles, but the long rows block each other more, so it plays at a similar difficulty. Most games take 5 to 10 minutes.
