Mahjong Solitaire Layouts
We don't have hundreds of boards. We have 10, each with a different shape and its own way of playing, and we've measured how hard each one is.
Play Mahjong SolitaireWhich Layout Should I Play?
- New to the game, or on a phone: Little Temple. It's small, with the largest tiles.
- The traditional game: Turtle.
- A forgiving full-size game: Diamond.
- A real challenge: Fortress, Bridge or Stairs.
All Layouts, Easiest First
Sorted by how often a bot playing at random wins at Medium difficulty.
Little Temple72 tiles · 3 layers · 8×6 · 64.5% random-play winsHalf the tiles of a full board. Quick games with larger tiles on phones.Diamond136 tiles · 4 layers · 12×10 · 49.7% random-play winsTapered rows forming a diamond. The most forgiving full-size board.Butterfly144 tiles · 3 layers · 12×8 · 39.9% random-play winsTapered wings either side of a tall, narrow body.Pyramid144 tiles · 4 layers · 12×8 · 39.8% random-play winsA stepped pyramid, and the main board on this site.Turtle144 tiles · 5 layers · 15×8 · 37.9% random-play winsThe traditional shape: a domed shell, side wings and one tile on the peak.Garden96 tiles · 3 layers · 10×6 · 35.9% random-play winsA flat bed with three raised mounds. A shorter game at 96 tiles.Cross144 tiles · 3 layers · 12×10 · 34.7% random-play winsFour arms meeting at a raised center block.Fortress136 tiles · 4 layers · 12×8 · 27.8% random-play winsFour corner towers, four tiles high, around a walled courtyard.Bridge144 tiles · 4 layers · 14×6 · 27.3% random-play winsTwo big towers joined by a narrow two-row span.Stairs144 tiles · 3 layers · 12×6 · 26.5% random-play winsThree broad steps climbing to one side. Few free tiles at the start.
How Layout and Difficulty Work Together
You can play any layout at any difficulty using the menu above the board. They affect different things: the layout is the shape of the stack, and the difficulty decides how the tiles are arranged on it, how many shuffles you get and whether free tiles are highlighted. The difficulty data shows every combination.