What is Mahjong?

Mahjong is a tile-based game that originated in China and has taken on many forms around the world—from the dramatic final scene in Crazy Rich Asians to fast-paced versions played in Hong Kong, Japan, and beyond.

At Mahj in Bloom, I teach American Mahjong—the style most commonly played in the U.S. It’s a four-player game that blends strategy, memory, and luck, using 152 tiles, racks, and a special card from the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). Expect a mix of mental gymnastics and satisfying clicks, with just the right amount of friendly chaos.

Mahj 101 covers the essentials: tile types, the NMJL card, the Charleston, and how to build your first hand.
Mahj 102 is your next move: we’ll build on what you’ve learned and focus on gameplay flow, strategy, and next-level confidence.

You’ll walk away from your first lesson with a solid grasp of the rules, how the game flows, and (yes!) you’ll play a full hand or two. That said, most players find that two sessions help things really click—especially when it comes to the Charleston, spotting hands, and making strategic moves. It’s a lot at first, but don’t worry—I’ve got you.

Nope! I provide the essentials: tiles, racks, mats, NMJL cards, and handouts. For private lessons and groups, we will discuss the table setup that best suits your group and space. Just bring yourself—and maybe a drink if you’re the sip-while-you-slay type.

Absolutely. Most of my students are brand new to the game. Mahj 101 is designed to walk you through the basics step by step—no experience required.

Each lesson is about 2.5 hours. Bootcamps (which combine 101 + 102) run about 5 hours with a short break.

Yes please! Most of my classes are private groups and a great way to get started. I offer private and group lessons for birthdays, corporate team-building, clubs, or just because. Use the booking form and select Special Event/Collab or shoot me a DM/email to chat details.

I’ve partnered with some of my favorite brands (like Oh My Mahjong and more!) to bring you the cutest, sassiest, and most functional Mahjong gear out there. While I don’t stock products myself (yet 👀), you can shop through my links to snag everything from tiles to table must-haves. Almost everything I share has a discount code for you! Supporting Mahj in Bloom while upgrading your setup? Win-win.

The ultimate goal is to ensure your group gets personalized attention and practical gameplay for the most effective learning. But, the answer depends. It takes four players to play, however, I can teach up to eight people per table. If your group has a few more or less, we can make it work! We’ll chat about it upon receiving your booking request

Shoot me a message or email—I’m always happy to chat. ✨