Do you know how to play mahjong? if so...

[Pam in CT]

... how did you learn?

 

My extended family includes both a branch of Singaporean Chinese and also a lot of Jews, the two segments of the US population that have long embraced it... but although my husband's Upper West Side grandmother played weekly well into her mid-nineties, for serious stakes LOL... the ONLY person in all the branches who currently knows how to play is my SIL's mother, who still lives in Singapore but is soon to arrive for her first visit since COVID.

I have vague fantasies (mostly fueled by Mrs Maisel and Crazy Rich Asians, lol) about the unifying potential of the game in an upcoming extended-family VRBO vacation, and I bought the tiles; but I've watched a few youtubes trying to learn and IT IS CRAZY.

So if you learned how to play... suggestions?

Edited August 3, 2022 by Pam in CT
excess words

[vonfirmath]

Just now, Pam in CT said:

... how did you learn?

 

My extended family includes both a lot of a branch of Singaporean Chinese and also a lot of Jews, the two segments of the US population that have long embraced it... but although my husband's Upper West Side grandmother played weekly well into her mid-nineties, for serious stakes LOL... the ONLY person in all the branches who currently knows how to play is my SIL's mother, who still lives in Singapore but is soon to arrive for her first visit since COVID.

I have vague fantasies (mostly fueled by Mrs Maisel and Crazy Rich Asians, lol) about the unifying potential of the game in an upcoming extended-family VRBO vacation, and I bought the tiles; but I've watched a few youtubes trying to learn and IT IS CRAZY.

So if you learned how to play... suggestions?

I had friends in Washington state that had played at their university and taught me those rules.

We learned by playing. With a list of special hands once I understood what special hands were.

[Arcadia]

Both my husband and I learned as very young kids. There is American style mahjong and Hong Kong style mahjong. Singapore plays Hong Kong style mahjong, link to instructions. 

http://aimj.altervista.org/extraregolamenti/hongkong-mahjong-rules.pdf

Edited August 3, 2022 by Arcadia

[Beth S]

Fun fact = Our Friends of the Library group has a rare Mah-Jongg instructional book for sale.
100% proceeds benefit our local public library in western KY.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304539317166

Edited August 3, 2022 by Beth S

[elegantlion]

My SO knows how to play and it's on the list for him to teach me and ds. 

[desertflower]

I learned by playing.  It's real easy to pick up.  It's been a few years, but I think you are given some tiles and have to match 3 or 4 (or perhaps both?) same tiles or consecutive tiles.  Lay them out as you get them.  Grab a tile and throw one out.  We played casually. 

Perhaps your current library will have something? 

[Grace Hopper]

Years ago I bought an inexpensive set (certainly the American version?) at Target or similar sort of store. We did not know how to play but figured there would be instructions inside. They were so poorly written that we never did figure out how to play. I think that game set is still in a closet somewhere. 
 

Very cool book, @Beth S!

I hope you find the info you need, @Pam in CT, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun for your gathering. 

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

... how did you learn?

I learned several years ago at my local adult center. The version we play is from the National Mah Jongg League and requires the use of a card (per player) that changes annually. It uses a mah jongg set with 152 tiles. This is likely the version of mah jongg that your Jewish relatives played.

Your Singaporean Chinese family might likely play a version which uses 144 tiles. The big difference between the two sets is that the American set includes eight jokers.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

A couple of books I can recommend:

American Mah Jongg for Everyone: The Complete Beginner's Guide by Gregg Swain and Toby Salk 

A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg: How to Play the Game & Win by Elaine Sandberg 

Be aware though that there is a steep learning curve. The game is more like bridge than Monopoly in learning how to play.

Regards,

Kareni

[Spy Car]

I don't.

But boy does the mention of Mah-Jongg bring back a flood of memories of the Jewish ladies in my neighborhood engaging in some pretty serious play.

That was definitely a thing.

Bill

[Danae]

I played frequently with my (then) boyfriend’s family in high school, but haven’t played since.  I don’t recall it being hard to pick up, so I’m guessing learning by playing with people who already know is a good way to learn.

[Pam in CT]

re picking it up by PLAYING it

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

I learned several years ago at my local adult center. The version we play is from the National Mah Jongg League and requires the use of a card (per player) that chances annually. It uses a mah jongg set with 152 tiles. This is likely the version of mah jongg that your Jewish relatives played.

Your Singaporean Chinese family might likely play a version which uses 144 tiles. The big difference between the two sets is that the American set includes eight jokers.

Regards,

Kareni

See, this is what I'm longing for. 

We play a lot of games, but most of the time we pick up a new one someone already knows how to play.  It's inevitably easier to just start-by-doing than to stare baffled at instructions (and the particular set of tiles I got, the instructions might just as well be in Chinese, for all I'm able to decipher them. Pretty, though...)

And I'm somewhat dismayed by the revelation that the Jewish American version of the game has different rules than the Chinese version, although it also figures, and also if it's just jokers we can manage through that.

I just wish I could find some real-life people I could learn from, instead of a book! 

[Arcadia]

38 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

 

I just wish I could find some real-life people I could learn from, instead of a book! 

If you know any elders at senior center who speak cantonese, very high chance they would be able to play mahjong and you can learn to play. My MIL plays computer based mahjong (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/麻將-明星3缺1-gametower/9wzdncrfjb44?activetab=pivot:overviewtab) since real life mahjong needs four players for optimal play. It is a loud game due to the sound of tiles, and we jokingly called it “dry swimming”.
I don’t know which set you got but link is a typical Chinese set and people have a few sets for family gatherings since it is four to a set. https://www.ymimports.com/collections/mahjong/products/fx-cm004-a

[wathe]

We play Hong Kong style as a family.   DH grew up playing with his family of origin, and grandparents have taught our kids.  Our family version is somewhat watered down in that we focus on winning hands and leave out the gambling aspect.

We sometimes Skype a long distance grandparent into our game.

As far as I can tell American style mah-jong and Hong Kong mah-jong are very different.  

There must be some computer-based tutorials that would be better than reading instructions?

Obviously, the best way to learn would be to find a group who will teach you .   Community Center?  That could be hard during a pandemic though.

Edited August 3, 2022 by wathe

[vonfirmath]

8 minutes ago, wathe said:

We play Hong Kong style as a family.   DH grew up playing with his family of origin, and grandparents have taught our kids.  Our family version is somewhat watered down in that we focus on winning hands and leave out the gambling aspect.

We sometimes Skype a long distance grandparent into our game.

As far as I can tell American style mah-jong and Hong Kong mah-jong are very different.  

There must be some computer-based tutorials that would be better than reading instructions?

Obviously, the best way to learn would be to find a group who will teach you .   Community Center?  That could be hard during a pandemic though.

I was actually thinking the Hong Kong style rules Arcadia posted above seems very like the way I was taught to play -- except for scoring there were doubles involved. But the same pattern of play, special hands, etc.

 

[Pam in CT]

PEOPLE I FOUND AN IRL CLASS!!!!

[where's that party dance emoticon when you need it]

 

Run by Continuing Ed in an adjacent town.  It will not *quite* fill my *immediate* desire for *instant* satisfaction; as it is a) not in my own town (but it's within striking distance) and, more to the point, b) the class I found finished last week (sigh). 

But if they ran it in July, presumably they will run it again.

Look, look, look! 

https://adults.westportcontinuinged.com/CourseCatalog/ScheduleView.asp?ScheduleId=4753

[wathe]

52 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

I was actually thinking the Hong Kong style rules Arcadia posted above seems very like the way I was taught to play -- except for scoring there were doubles involved. But the same pattern of play, special hands, etc.

 

Similar but different enough to be distinctly different games , I think.  Both are rummy style games with similar tile sets.  But I couldn’t play American style with my Hong Kong set .  It doesn’t have enough tiles.  No jokers. No racks.  

[vonfirmath]

1 minute ago, wathe said:

Similar but different enough to be distinctly different games , I think.  Both are rummy style games with similar tile sets.  But I couldn’t play American style with my Hong Kong set .  It doesn’t have enough tiles.  No jokers. No racks.  

The way I learned to play did not have racks. I don't remember if they had jokers or not.

 

[Kareni]

@Pam in CT, yay for finding a class! Since the listing mentions 152 tiles, I am guessing it will be the version that I play. I hope you'll have a chance to sign up soon.

Regards,

Kareni

[Arcadia]

If you don’t have a square table for mahjong, you might want to invest in a mahjong table e.g. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XPN9VDB/

I saw automatic mahjong tables on YouTube. Not something I would want to buy but the video was a fun watch.

 

[wathe]

You’ll want to make sure that the set you have/ acquire matches the style you will play.  

We have 3 sets:

a cheapie acrylic set that we picked up at an Asian grocery store.  It’s a workhorse, and the one we take camping 

an older Chinese see that doesn’t have any Arabic numerals or Roman letters on it.  You have to be able to read Chinese numerals 1-9 to be able to use it

and an exquisite bamboo and bone set from 1960’s Hong Kong that we inherited from DHs mother.

they are all Hong Kong style sets.  Couldn’t play American style with any of them.

[ikslo]

I learned on my computer. I got really good at it on a bar top gambling unit at a pub in Lancaster, PA. Sometimes I made enough to pay my tab!

I have a sneaking suspicion this is not the “authentic” game of which you speak, however. 😆

But thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[Pam in CT]

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

If you don’t have a square table for mahjong, you might want to invest in a mahjong table e.g. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XPN9VDB/

I saw automatic mahjong tables on YouTube. Not something I would want to buy but the video was a fun watch.

 

OMG That is MESMERIZING.

 

I think... we'll make do with the foldable card table though...

[Arcadia]

14 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

I think... we'll make do with the foldable card table though...

There is such a thing called mahjong paper in Singapore and Malaysia 🤣 It is usually 31” x 31” or 34” by 34”. 

https://stationeryworld.com.sg/mahjong-paper-34-x-34-inch-roll-of-50

https://www.pacificwise.com.my/cartquickpro/catalog_product/view/id/2405

[Pam in CT]

re mahjong paper

40 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

There is such a thing called mahjong paper in Singapore and Malaysia 🤣 It is usually 31” x 31” or 34” by 34”. 

https://stationeryworld.com.sg/mahjong-paper-34-x-34-inch-roll-of-50

https://www.pacificwise.com.my/cartquickpro/catalog_product/view/id/2405

and its purpose is to... dampen the sound of the tiles?  Protect the table from scuffing and chipping from the tiles?

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

re mahjong paper

and its purpose is to... dampen the sound of the tiles?  Protect the table from scuffing and chipping from the tiles?

It doesn’t dampen the sound of the tiles.  Part of the fun is the “noise”. It is more to provide a smoother surface since most people would use any foldable square table they own which may or may not be smooth. I think you need something like the billiard/pool table felt material to dampen the sound.

[Jane in NC]

The woman who taught American style Mahjong in a continuing ed type community program was contacted by a friend who arranged for us to have four private small group lessons in her home. Then we were invited to attend the local Mahjong group's Monday lunch out. Basically they arrange to take over a room in a restaurant on an otherwise quiet afternoon. Play, eat, play some more.

Not my preferred game but I am glad I was introduced to Mahjong culture because it really is a thing. In those prepandemic days, our instructor told us about the Mahjong themed cruises she went on, the serious fundraisers she would organize for the temple... 

[Brittany1116]

I learned in approximately third grade in the GT program. I am passively teaching my kids with a free app. Neither of them cares much for it but it's nostalgic for me. 

[Froste]

Hey there! Yes, I know how to play mahjong. I learned it from my family and friends who were already enthusiasts. They patiently taught me the rules and strategies, and I practiced through both traditional and digital versions.

[Grace Hopper]

I know this is an old thread resurrected but @Pam in CT I would love to hear an update. 
 

I need to do something to keep challenging my brain muscles! Just before the pandemic dh and I took a bridge class so we could go back to that but I’m definitely open to other options. 

[Rosla]

I often play online games and saw on ทางเข้าUFABET that mahjong is pretty popular, but I've never tried it. 

It seems that this game is pretty exciting. I need to learn the rules and give it a try. 

Playing games is one of my hobbies, though there are times when I need to find a new good one because I got tired of those I often play. Mahjong seems to be a good variant.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Rosla

[Clarita]

I learned by playing with family. I never learned how to keep score. At family celebrations there was a serious adult tables, less serious adult tables, and a teens table. Teens and kids can play in the not serious adult tables and the teens tables. You had to be approved to go to the serious adult tables. Neither my mom nor I ever graduated. Apparently for a time my dad was forbidden because he was too good, but by the time I came around he would refuse to play because it was gambling and he had huge issues and trauma surrounding gambling. (The serious table involved money. The not serious table involved little to no money.)

[Kidlit]

On 8/3/2022 at 12:06 PM, Spy Car said:

I don't.

But boy does the mention of Mah-Jongg bring back a flood of memories of the Jewish ladies in my neighborhood engaging in some pretty serious play.

That was definitely a thing.

Bill

And it's mentioned in several kids' books, and it always made me wonder about it. 

[kathyl]

I see this is an old thread, but I learned how to play a few years ago and I love it!

Our son-in-law taught us.  He's 1/4 Chinese + 1/4 Portuguese, (from Macau, China), + 1/2 white.  His Chinese grandmother taught him when he was little, and he's played all his life.  He taught dd, and the two of them taught me and dh when we visited them once.  Probably Hong Kong rules?

Dh and I play with just the 2 of us, but it probably would be more exciting with 4 people.  I'd like to find a Mahjong club kind of like the old bridge clubs our parents played in when we were growing up.

 

[KungFuPanda]

I’ve never played, but my mother does. She plays on the computer so she must have learned online. 

[elegantlion]

So and I started playing since this thread was originally posted. We've had several game nights with ds. It's quite fun and SO has us started with basic rule first. 

[Pam in CT]

7 hours ago, Grace Hopper said:

I know this is an old thread resurrected but @Pam in CT I would love to hear an update. 
 

I need to do something to keep challenging my brain muscles! Just before the pandemic dh and I took a bridge class so we could go back to that but I’m definitely open to other options. 

Oh, man, this is dredging up a LOT.  Since the OP we did do an extended fam VRBO and I lugged up the tiles, but then 2/3 of us got COVID and the rest tried to stay separate, which put a definite damper on things; and then I sort of lost my oomph and still haven't taken the class or learned. Thanks for the reminder.  And glad to hear that other boardies enjoy it!

[Grace Hopper]

Just now, Pam in CT said:

Oh, man, this is dredging up a LOT.  Since the OP we did do an extended fam VRBO and I lugged up the tiles, but then 2/3 of us got COVID and the rest tried to stay separate, which put a definite damper on things; and then I sort of lost my oomph and still haven't taken the class or learned. Thanks for the reminder.  And glad to hear that other boardies enjoy it!

Oh no! Sorry your trip didn’t go as hoped. 
 

I see others mentioning they/their fam learned by playing online. I’ll look at that route. 

[Katy]

Only online. I find it relaxing. If I had to get dressed and go somewhere, less so.

[Kareni]

Since the time the thread began, my husband has learned to play (the National Mah Jongg League version). A friend and I taught him at home, but he now plays weekly at the adult center, too. We also play a two handed version at home.

Regards,

Kareni