Do exposures have to be in card order?
By Jerry Chen. Checked and updated November 1, 2026
Short answer: no
Not during play. Most players set exposures out in the order they made them, with a gap between groups.
The detail
During play, keeping exposures out of card order gives other players fewer clues about your hand.
Gaps between exposed groups are needed so everyone can see which tiles belong together.
When you declare Mah Jongg with a concealed hand and lay it out wrongly, you may rearrange it and collect, according to the League's 2019 newsletter.
Sources
These follow standard National Mah Jongg League rules. House rules vary; agree on them before you play.
Related questions
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See more questions in Calling discards and exposures, the complete rules, or all 52 rule questions.