Breaking Down the 2025 NMJL Card:
Key Numbers & Trends

Analysis by Philippe and Julie, ilovemahj.com
Published March, 27th 2025

Introduction

The new 2025 National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card has arrived, and as always, we're diving right in to analyze the patterns, sections, and trends that shape this year's hands. This initial analysis provides a quick and dirty breakdown of the card, giving you a numbers-driven snapshot of what's in store for players this year.

Keep in mind that the data in this article is based on the total number of hands, including all expanded permutations - not just the way they're written on the card. This approach provides a more precise analysis of the card's structure and balance. (Curious why this matters? Click here to learn more.)

We'll be back in the coming weeks with a deeper, more strategic analysis, but for now, let's dig into the numbers and see what this year's card has in store!

Overall numbers

Number of hands as written on the card: 71
Total number of playable hands: 1002
Number of non-concealed hands: 864 (86.23%)
Number of concealed hands: 138 (13.77%)

Number of hands per section

The table below details the TOTAL number of hands in each section of the card.
Section Number of hands Percentage
Consecutive Run 29129.04%
Winds-Dragons 19519.46%
Quints 16516.47%
Any Like Numbers 818.08%
13579 787.78%
2468 666.59%
Singles and Pairs 545.39%
369 515.09%
2025 212.1%

Number of hands that include a given tile

The table below shows how many hands include at least one instance of a given tile.
Tile Number of hands Percentage
1 Bam 818.08%
2 Bam 12812.77%
3 Bam 16916.87%
4 Bam 15014.97%
5 Bam 18318.26%
6 Bam 18118.06%
7 Bam 14214.17%
8 Bam 11010.98%
9 Bam 10410.38%
1 Crak 818.08%
2 Crak 12812.77%
3 Crak 16916.87%
4 Crak 15014.97%
5 Crak 18318.26%
6 Crak 18118.06%
7 Crak 14214.17%
8 Crak 11010.98%
9 Crak 10410.38%
1 Dot 818.08%
2 Dot 12812.77%
3 Dot 16916.87%
4 Dot 15014.97%
5 Dot 18318.26%
6 Dot 18118.06%
7 Dot 14214.17%
8 Dot 11010.98%
9 Dot 10410.38%
Red Dragon 20420.36%
Soap 23623.55%
Green Dragon 20420.36%
Flower 52352.2%
North 999.88%
East 939.28%
West 939.28%
South 999.88%

Top 10 from the table above.
Tile Number of hands Percentage
Flower 52352.2%
Soap 23623.55%
Red Dragon 20420.36%
Green Dragon 20420.36%
5 Bam 18318.26%
5 Crak 18318.26%
5 Dot 18318.26%
6 Bam 18118.06%
6 Crak 18118.06%
6 Dot 18118.06%

Total number of each tile

Below is the number of times a given tile appears in the TOTAL number of hands on the card, and the percentage this represents of the total.
This percentage basically illustrates how "in-demand" each tile is this year and, therefore, how much competition there is likely to be for a particular tile.
Tile Number Percentage
1 6094.34%
2 9847.01%
3 13089.32%
4 11588.25%
5 13809.84%
6 144010.27%
7 11528.21%
8 9186.54%
9 9216.57%
Red Dragon 5523.93%
Soap 6124.36%
Green Dragon 5523.93%
Flower 13299.47%
North 2972.12%
East 2551.82%
West 2591.85%
South 3022.15%

Below is the same list ordered by count.
Tile Number Percentage
6 144010.27%
5 13809.84%
Flower 13299.47%
3 13089.32%
4 11588.25%
7 11528.21%
2 9847.01%
9 9216.57%
8 9186.54%
Soap 6124.36%
1 6094.34%
Red Dragon 5523.93%
Green Dragon 5523.93%
South 3022.15%
North 2972.12%
West 2591.85%
East 2551.82%

Number of variations for a given card hand

Below is the number of actual playable hands for each hand written on the card. Hands are labeled as section/line. The section is abbreviated by its initials and when the card shows 2 variations for a particular hand, the first one will be marked a and the second b.
Card hand Number of playable hands
2025/1 6
2025/2 6
2025/3 6
2025/4 3
2468/1a 3
2468/1b 6
2468/2a 6
2468/2b 6
2468/3 3
2468/4 12
2468/5 3
2468/6 3
2468/7 12
2468/8 12
ALN/1 27
ALN/2 27
ALN/3 27
Q/1 42
Q/2 96
Q/3 27
CR/1a 3
CR/1b 3
CR/2a 18
CR/2b 36
CR/3a 21
CR/3b 42
CR/4 30
CR/5 21
CR/6 21
CR/7 75
CR/8 21
13579/1a 3
13579/1b 6
13579/2a 6
13579/2b 6
13579/3a 3
13579/3b 3
13579/4 6
13579/5a 3
13579/5b 6
13579/6a 3
13579/6b 3
13579/7a 6
13579/7b 6
13579/8 6
13579/9a 6
13579/9b 6
WD/1a 1
WD/1b 1
WD/2 126
WD/3 1
WD/4 3
WD/5 30
WD/6 24
WD/7a 3
WD/7b 3
WD/8 3
369/1a 6
369/1b 6
369/2a 3
369/2b 6
369/3 9
369/4 6
369/5 9
369/6 6
SP/1 18
SP/2 3
SP/3 9
SP/4 8
SP/5 15
SP/6 1

Number of hands that include a given type of grouping

Below we show the number of hands (and percentage of the 1002 total hands) that include each type of grouping.
Includes Number of hands Percentage
Single(s) 427 42.61%
Pair(s) 718 71.66%
Pung(s) 606 60.48%
Kong(s) 822 82.04%
Quint(s) 165 16.47%

Number of hands that include a given pattern

Below is the popularity of each hand pattern. The numbers represent the size of the grouping (eg: 3|4|3|4 = pung|kong|pung|kong).
Pattern Number of hands Percentage
2|1|1|1|2|3|4 126 12.57%
5|4|5 96 9.58%
3|4|3|4 93 9.28%
4|4|2|4 63 6.29%
4|1|2|3|4 54 5.39%
2|3|4|5 42 4.19%
3|1|1|1|4|4 39 3.89%
2|4|4|4 33 3.29%
2|2|2|2|2|2|2 32 3.19%
2|3|3|3|3 30 2.99%
2|4|1|4|1|2 27 2.69%
4|2|3|3|2 27 2.69%
2|5|2|5 27 2.69%
3|3|4|2|2 27 2.69%
2|2|3|4|3 21 2.1%
2|1|2|3|1|2|3 21 2.1%
4|1|1|1|1|3|3 18 1.8%
2|1|1|2|2|2|2|2 18 1.8%
2|3|4|3|2 15 1.5%
2|1|1|1|1|4|4 15 1.5%
1|2|1|1|1|4|4 15 1.5%
1|1|2|1|1|4|4 15 1.5%
1|1|1|2|1|4|4 15 1.5%
1|1|1|1|2|4|4 15 1.5%
4|3|4|3 15 1.5%
2|2|2|2|3|3 12 1.2%
2|3|1|1|1|1|3|2 12 1.2%
2|2|2|3|3|2 12 1.2%
2|2|2|4|4 9 0.9%
1|1|1|1|3|3|4 6 0.6%
4|4|4|1|1 6 0.6%
4|2|2|2|4 6 0.6%
3|4|1|1|1|4 6 0.6%
2|3|1|3|1|3|1 6 0.6%
3|2|2|3|4 4 0.4%
2|3|2|3|4 3 0.3%
3|4|3|2|2 3 0.3%
4|3|1|1|1|1|3 3 0.3%
2|3|3|2|1|1|1|1 3 0.3%
3|2|2|3|1|1|1|1 3 0.3%
2|2|3|3|4 3 0.3%
2|1|1|1|1|2|1|1|1|1|2 3 0.3%
4|3|3|4 1 0.1%
3|4|4|3 1 0.1%
2|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1 1 0.1%

Card hands that follow a given pattern

Pattern Card Hands
3|4|3|4 2025/2, 2468/1a, 2468/1b, CR/2a, CR/2b, 13579/2a, 13579/2b, 369/1a, 369/1b
2|4|4|4 2468/2a, 2468/2b, 2468/7, 369/2a, 369/2b
2|3|4|3|2 CR/1a, CR/1b, 13579/1a, 13579/1b
4|3|4|3 13579/3a, 13579/3b, 369/3
3|1|1|1|4|4 CR/4, 13579/5a, 13579/5b
3|3|4|2|2 CR/6, 13579/6a, 13579/6b
2|3|1|1|1|1|3|2 13579/7a, 13579/7b
2|2|2|3|3|2 13579/9a, 13579/9b
2|2|2|2|2|2|2 SP/3, SP/4, SP/5
4|1|1|1|1|3|3 2025/1, 2468/4
2|3|3|3|3 2025/4, ALN/3
3|2|2|3|4 2468/5, WD/3
4|4|2|4 CR/3a, CR/3b
4|1|2|3|4 WD/5, WD/6
4|4|4|1|1 13579/4
4|2|2|2|4 13579/8
1|1|1|1|3|3|4 2025/3
2|3|2|3|4 2468/3
3|4|3|2|2 2468/6
2|2|2|2|3|3 2468/8
2|4|1|4|1|2 ALN/1
4|2|3|3|2 ALN/2
4|3|3|4 WD/1a
3|4|4|3 WD/1b
2|3|3|2|1|1|1|1 WD/7a
3|2|2|3|1|1|1|1 WD/7b
3|4|1|1|1|4 369/4
2|2|2|4|4 369/5
2|3|1|3|1|3|1 369/6
2|2|3|4|3 CR/5
2|1|1|1|1|4|4 CR/7
1|2|1|1|1|4|4 CR/7
1|1|2|1|1|4|4 CR/7
1|1|1|2|1|4|4 CR/7
1|1|1|1|2|4|4 CR/7
2|1|2|3|1|2|3 CR/8
2|1|1|1|2|3|4 WD/2
4|3|1|1|1|1|3 WD/4
2|2|3|3|4 WD/8
2|1|1|2|2|2|2|2 SP/1
2|1|1|1|1|2|1|1|1|1|2 SP/2
2|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1 SP/6
2|3|4|5 Q/1
5|4|5 Q/2
2|5|2|5 Q/3

Card hands matching a given exposure

Exposures Card Hands
Kong of 9s 23 hands: ALN/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7, 13579/2b, 13579/3b, 13579/4, 13579/5a, 13579/5b, 13579/6b, 13579/8, 369/1a, 369/1b, 369/2a, 369/2b, 369/3, 369/4, 369/5
Kong of 6s 19 hands: 2468/2a, 2468/2b, 2468/7, ALN/1, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7, 369/1a, 369/1b, 369/2a, 369/2b, 369/3, 369/5
Kong of 5s 17 hands: 2025/2, ALN/1, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7, 13579/1a, 13579/1b, 13579/2a, 13579/3a, 13579/3b, 13579/6a
Pung of 3s 15 hands: ALN/2, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, 13579/1a, 13579/1b, 13579/2a, 13579/3a, 13579/6a, 13579/7a, WD/5, 369/1a, 369/1b
Kong of 3s 16 hands: ALN/1, Q/1, CR/1a, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7, 13579/2a, 369/2a, 369/2b, 369/3, 369/4, 369/5
Pung of 2s 15 hands: 2025/1, 2025/2, 2025/3, 2468/1a, 2468/1b, 2468/4, 2468/6, ALN/2, Q/1, CR/1a, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, WD/6
Pung of 6s 15 hands: 2468/1a, 2468/1b, 2468/4, 2468/5, 2468/6, ALN/2, Q/1, CR/1b, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, WD/6, 369/1a, 369/1b
Kong of 4s 15 hands: 2468/1a, 2468/1b, 2468/2a, 2468/6, 2468/7, ALN/1, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7
Kong of 8s 15 hands: 2468/1a, 2468/1b, 2468/2b, 2468/5, 2468/7, ALN/1, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7
Pung of 7s 13 hands: ALN/2, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, 13579/1a, 13579/1b, 13579/2b, 13579/3b, 13579/6b, 13579/7b, WD/5
Kong of 7s 14 hands: ALN/1, Q/1, CR/1b, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/4, CR/5, CR/6, CR/7, 13579/2b, 13579/5a, 13579/5b
Pung of 5s 11 hands: 2025/1, 2025/3, ALN/2, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, 13579/2b, 13579/6b, WD/5
Kong of 2s 10 hands: 2468/2a, 2468/2b, 2468/7, ALN/1, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/7
Pung of 4s 10 hands: 2468/3, 2468/4, ALN/2, Q/1, CR/1a, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, WD/6
Pung of 8s 9 hands: 2468/3, 2468/4, ALN/2, CR/1b, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/5, CR/6, WD/6
Pung of 1s 8 hands: ALN/2, Q/1, CR/2a, CR/2b, CR/6, 13579/2a, 13579/6a, WD/5
Kong of 1s 7 hands: ALN/1, CR/3a, CR/3b, CR/7, 13579/3a, 13579/4, 13579/8
Kong of Flowers 7 hands: 2025/1, 2468/4, ALN/2, CR/3a, CR/3b, 13579/4, WD/4
Pung of Flowers 6 hands: 2468/5, CR/4, 13579/5a, 13579/5b, WD/3, 369/4
Pung of Soaps 6 hands: CR/5, 13579/3a, 13579/3b, WD/2, WD/4, 369/3
Pung of Green Dragons 6 hands: CR/5, 13579/3a, 13579/3b, WD/2, WD/4, 369/3
Pung of Red Dragons 6 hands: CR/5, 13579/3a, 13579/3b, WD/2, WD/4, 369/3
Kong of Soaps 5 hands: 2025/2, 2025/3, 2468/3, 2468/7, WD/2
Kong of Green Dragons 4 hands: 2025/3, 2468/3, 2468/7, WD/2
Kong of Red Dragons 4 hands: 2025/3, 2468/3, 2468/7, WD/2
Kong of Souths 4 hands: Q/2, WD/1a, WD/3, WD/5
Pung of Wests 3 hands: WD/1a, WD/3, WD/7a
Kong of Norths 3 hands: Q/2, WD/1a, WD/5
Kong of Easts 3 hands: Q/2, WD/1b, WD/6
Kong of Wests 3 hands: Q/2, WD/1b, WD/6
Quint of 3s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 4s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 5s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 6s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 7s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 8s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 9s 3 hands: Q/1, Q/2, Q/3
Pung of Easts 2 hands: WD/1a, WD/7a
Pung of Norths 2 hands: WD/1b, WD/7b
Pung of Souths 2 hands: WD/1b, WD/7b
Pung of 9s 2 hands: ALN/2, WD/5
Quint of 1s 2 hands: Q/2, Q/3
Quint of 2s 2 hands: Q/2, Q/3

Number of hands that include a given number of suits

The data below shows the number of hands (and percentage of the 1002 total hands) that include a given number of suits.
Number of suits Number of hands Percentage
0 3 0.3%
1 209 20.86%
2 132 13.17%
3 658 65.67%

Exposure overlap

In this table, we show the number of hands that include a given exposure. Note that since we're discussing exposures, concealed hands are not included.
Hand Number of hands Percentage
Kong of 6s 117 11.68%
Kong of Flowers 117 11.68%
Kong of 5s 108 10.78%
Kong of 9s 102 10.18%
Kong of 4s 90 8.98%
Kong of 7s 90 8.98%
Pung of 3s 81 8.08%
Kong of 3s 81 8.08%
Pung of 6s 75 7.49%
Kong of 8s 72 7.19%
Pung of 2s 66 6.59%
Pung of 5s 60 5.99%
Pung of 7s 60 5.99%
Pung of Red Dragons 59 5.89%
Pung of Soaps 59 5.89%
Pung of Green Dragons 59 5.89%
Kong of Souths 56 5.59%
Kong of Soaps 55 5.49%
Kong of Norths 55 5.49%
Pung of 4s 51 5.09%
Kong of Red Dragons 49 4.89%
Kong of Green Dragons 49 4.89%
Pung of Flowers 49 4.89%
Kong of Easts 49 4.89%
Kong of Wests 49 4.89%
Kong of 2s 48 4.79%
Pung of 1s 36 3.59%
Quint of 3s 33 3.29%
Quint of 4s 33 3.29%
Quint of 5s 33 3.29%
Quint of 6s 33 3.29%
Quint of 7s 33 3.29%
Pung of 8s 33 3.29%
Quint of 8s 33 3.29%
Kong of 1s 30 2.99%
Quint of 2s 27 2.69%
Quint of 9s 21 2.1%
Quint of 1s 15 1.5%
Pung of 9s 9 0.9%
Pung of Wests 5 0.5%
Pung of Norths 4 0.4%
Pung of Easts 4 0.4%
Pung of Souths 4 0.4%
Quint of Red Dragons 0 0%
Quint of Soaps 0 0%
Quint of Green Dragons 0 0%
Quint of Flowers 0 0%
Quint of Norths 0 0%
Quint of Easts 0 0%
Quint of Wests 0 0%
Quint of Souths 0 0%

Tiles that don't appear as a single tile

Flower

Hand Overlap

The following table shows hands that have a lot of tiles in common - therefore have good switching possibilities. Note that for some hands the number of tiles in common (ie the overlap) will only be true when certain numbers are being used.

# Hands Overlaping tiles
1 2025/1 - ALN/212
2 2025/2 - 2025/312
3 ALN/1 - Q/312
4 CR/1a - CR/2a12
5 CR/1b - CR/2a12
6 WD/1a - WD/1b12
7 WD/7a - WD/7b12
8 2025/1 - 2468/411
9 2025/1 - ALN/111
10 2025/1 - ALN/311
11 2025/4 - 2468/711
12 2025/4 - ALN/311
13 2468/1a - 2468/511
14 2468/4 - ALN/211
15 2468/7 - ALN/311
16 ALN/1 - ALN/211
17 ALN/1 - ALN/311
18 ALN/2 - ALN/311
19 ALN/2 - Q/311
20 ALN/3 - SP/611
21 Q/1 - CR/3b11
22 Q/1 - CR/411
23 CR/3a - 13579/5a11
24 CR/3b - 13579/5b11
25 CR/6 - 13579/6a11
26 CR/6 - 13579/6b11
27 CR/7 - 369/511
28 WD/1a - WD/311
29 369/1a - 369/1b11
30 369/2b - 369/611
31 2025/1 - 2025/410
32 2025/1 - Q/310
33 2025/1 - SP/610
34 2025/2 - 2468/710
35 2025/4 - SP/610
36 2468/1a - 2468/310
37 2468/1a - 2468/610
38 2468/2a - 2468/2b10
39 2468/2a - CR/3b10
40 2468/2b - CR/3b10
41 2468/4 - 2468/810
42 2468/5 - CR/3a10
43 2468/6 - 2468/810
44 2468/7 - ALN/110
45 2468/7 - Q/310
46 2468/8 - CR/710
47 ALN/1 - CR/710
48 ALN/1 - 369/310
49 ALN/1 - 369/510
50 ALN/3 - Q/310
51 Q/3 - CR/710
52 Q/3 - 369/510
53 CR/2a - CR/3a10
54 CR/2a - CR/610
55 CR/3a - CR/510
56 CR/3b - CR/410
57 CR/8 - SP/410
58 13579/1a - SP/510
59 13579/2a - 13579/7a10
60 13579/2b - 13579/7b10
61 13579/3a - 13579/6a10
62 13579/3b - 13579/6b10
63 WD/1a - WD/7a10
64 WD/1a - WD/7b10
65 WD/1a - WD/810
66 WD/1b - WD/310
67 WD/1b - WD/7a10
68 WD/1b - WD/7b10
69 WD/1b - WD/810
70 WD/3 - WD/810
71 WD/7a - WD/810
72 WD/7b - WD/810
73 369/1b - 369/2b10
74 369/2a - 369/410
75 369/5 - SP/310

We hope you enjoyed geeking out with us on our initial analysis of the 2025 card. Please feel free to use any of the data above, we only ask that you give credit to ilovemahj.com.

The data provided in this article is freely available for use, sharing, and adaptation. However, we kindly ask that you provide proper credit by citing the original source. Thank you for acknowledging our work!

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Philippe & Julie
ilovemahj.com