Learning Mahjong

There's no doubt that mahjong is having a moment. The game that I've known about since I was a kid, and have played for years, and taught for over eight years, has become 'a thing' in the last few years. Once a niche game that moms, grandmothers, and aunties taught their friends and younger generations, has now morphed into an entire industry, and a game played by everyone: women, men, teens, kids, and whole families.

Mahjong used to be played on kitchen tables or tiny card tables (they were much smaller!) dragged out of closets and wedged between the settee and the wing chair. There was barely room for your NMJL card. The tiny bowls of bridge mix and the ashtrays (ick!) teetered on folding TV tables stuffed into any available space. 

Now we play in dedicated game rooms, mahjong parlors, and on floating mats in swimming pools! There are mahjong retreats, cruises, and tournaments everywhere, all the time. You can spend a week at an upscale spa in Mexico and learn to play mahjong taught by well-known American instructors. Mahjong salons or parlors are popping up all over the country, including in small towns in rural communities. There are mahjong events sponsored by restaurants, bookstores, and even furniture stores. You can't throw a proverbial stick without hitting someone who plays mahjong.

Our mothers and grandmothers who played had one set of traditional Chinese tiles that were adapted to the American version of the game. Now there are dozens and dozens of companies that offer colorful contemporary tiles in whatever design and theme you can dream of. And it's not at all unusual to have more than one set of tiles. Or to be a collector of tiles. Think Carrie Bradshaw, but with mahjong tiles instead of shoes. Each set loved and revered more than the next. Curated and displayed with pride. 

And…it doesn't stop with the tiles. Picture this: mats in fabulous colors and patterns to coordinate with each of your sets of tiles. Or perhaps just one set of tiles, with an assortment of mats to switch up depending on the season, or your mood. And racks. If you have multiple sets of tiles, chances are pretty good you'll have multiple sets of racks. 

But wait, there's more. There's no end to the mahjong swag! Tile shufflers, score cards, dice, dice bowls, line finders, cordless table lamps, stationery, pens, socks, sweaters, aprons, hats, and jewelry. And the bags: Tote bags, tile bags, rack bags, bags for your card, change purses for your coins. You get the picture- an entire industry.

So, it's no surprise that professional mahjong instructors would be a part of the industry. People who know the game inside and out. People who have the ability to share that knowledge in a logical, organized, and helpful way. People who have the patience to walk newbies through the maze of learning without losing their sense of humor or the fun of the game. It is, after all, a game!

And still, this is where knickers are often twisted. For some reason, opening your wallet for all of the mahjong goodies feels logical, but paying for lessons hits people differently. It used to be that one person would teach another, and that was that. So, why pay for lessons if your neighbor can teach you for free? 

Why indeed. 

For the same reason your neighbor could offer to teach you to play golf, but you'd likely take a lesson from the course pro. For the same reason you pay a trainer at the gym to help you develop a workout that suits your individual needs. For the same reason you'd take an art class, or a quilting class, or a cooking class. There's a lot to be said for learning from someone who not only has the skill but also knows how to teach it.

When I learned to play I was taught by a friend. She learned to play from a friend who taught her. With no disrespect whatsoever to the friend who taught me, some information was incomplete, and some of it was simply incorrect.  It wasn't until I chose to learn more, dig deeper, that I discovered what I didn't know! And to this day, I have never once taught a person with previous knowledge of the game who didn't say, "Oh, I didn't know that!", more than a couple of times. There's a lot to know!

If you don't think people should have to pay to learn, you're in luck. There are always people willing to help. There are libraries and community centers that often hold informal play and lessons. But yeah, experienced teachers are an important part of this booming industry. And there's a really good reason why.