You Can’t Learn Mah Jongg in Three Hours

Last week I had some students in my advanced Beginner class who were very new players. They were very smart young women who had not taken beginner Mah Jongg from me. They had taken from someone who offered a class that amounted to three hours to learn how to play the whole game.

In all due respect to whomever this teacher is, a group of people can’t learn to play Mah Jongg well in three hours. When I teach Mah Jongg the first three hours are dedicated to learning the tiles, how to read the card and assemble hands. After 25 years of teaching I have come to know that the hardest thing to learn is how to read the card and identify possible hands. The more someone understands that right up front the faster they will master the game.

Skimping on learning the basics means it takes you ten times longer to become a proficient player. One needs to practice the game basics with a teacher guiding you if you are going to be able to play on your own with any confidence.

Don’t try and take short cuts. Learn from someone who is willing to put in the time to teach you in a systematic way. Sitting next to an experienced player does not mean you will absorb how to play. There are too many rules and exceptions to rules to learn that way.

Plan on a good nine hours of investment to just understand the basics of the game. After you have those down, play as much as you can. Practice is the key, then you will be ready to learn more advanced concepts.