Well, Apparently I Teach Mahjong Now…

If you had told me a year ago that I would soon be playing Mahjong three or four days a week and getting ready to teach other people how to play, I probably would have had some questions.

Mainly: What is a Charleston, and why am I doing it four times a week?

But here we are.

I've been a teacher in one form or another for most of my career. I love taking something that feels complicated, breaking it into manageable pieces, and watching that moment when someone suddenly gets it.

And then I found Mahjong.

It turns out the teacher part of my brain and the Mahjong-loving part of my brain are very happy together.

It Escalated Quickly

I haven't been playing Mahjong for decades. In fact, I'm still relatively new to the game myself — which might be exactly why I remember so clearly what it feels like to look at that NMJL card for the first time and think:

There are words here. And colors. And numbers. Surely they mean something.

But I kept playing.

And playing.

And… playing.

These days, I'm usually at a Mahjong table three to four days a week. I'm meeting new people, playing with different sets, learning from more experienced players, making questionable Charleston decisions, and discovering that there's always something new to learn.

Somewhere along the way, I also started helping other beginners.

And I loved it.

So, I'm Adding Gather & Play to The Winning Hand

I'm excited (and maybe just a tiny bit nervous) to officially start offering beginner American Mahjong experiences through The Winning Hand — hosted game nights, private group lessons, and event rentals.

My goal isn't to turn anyone into a Mahjong expert overnight.

I want to make that first step easier.

If you've been curious about Mahjong but feel intimidated…

If your friends play and you're tired of having no idea what they're talking about…

If you bought the pretty tiles first and figured you'd worry about learning the game later…

You're my people.

We'll learn the tiles. We'll tackle the card. We'll survive the Charleston. We'll play some hands. We'll make mistakes.

And eventually, you'll have that moment when you look down at your rack and realize:

WAIT. I actually know what I'm doing.

At least until someone throws the tile you desperately needed.

Then you'll officially understand Mahjong.

Come Learn With Me

Gather & Play is here, with options for hosted game nights, private group lessons, and event rentals — all designed to get more people around the Mahjong table.

• ✦No experience required.
• ✦No judgment.
• ✦And absolutely no expectation that you'll know the difference between a Bam and a Crack when you walk through the door.

After all, every Mahjong player started with absolutely no idea what they were doing.

Some of us just got a little obsessed afterward.

Come learn the game. Build your confidence. Find your people.

Gather beautifully. Play memorably.