Tiles on the Bluff
I learned American mahjong rules in June, an activity I thought would be a breeze since we have played a Chinese mahjong variation at home for decades. It turns out I quickly realized I had to forget everything I thought I knew and to learn the American variant from scratch. But I immediately fell in love and think American mahjong is much more challenging and fun than the other.
So in July I was ready to start a little group up in Green Bluff, calling it Tiles on the Bluff (because everything needs a name and logo around here!)
We have a great group of about 12 neighbors who I all taught from scratch and who now gather at my house every Wednesday night for open play. It has been really amazing to see everyone learn and improve! We typically have from 8-11 players on a given week, so our house is basically permanently set up as a makeshift mahjong parlor. I actually don’t get to play very much (as I am still typically teaching or coaching), but this is slowly changing as everyone is getting their groove. I meet with another group in Spokane Valley to play a few times a month for hostess-free play. But this really is a fun game. The tables are so colorful and fun, and like I said - the game itself can be a real THINKER.
Here’s a few random pictures of the action.
Montana and Steve join in when they can. I take pictures of everyone’s first mahjong with the group, and here is Montana’s moment. We also have a little gong that everyone has to ring every time they get a mahjong. And you can see a little container that holds tiny trinkets that are basically mahjong trophies. It’s amazing how motivating a tiny plastic duck can be!
The photos all get printed and pinned on this little board.
Look at that concentration!
One of my favorite things about the American mahjong version is that you can play with 4-, 3-, or 2-players. There are adaptations for each that do a pretty good job of creating fun game play. In this photo you can also see one of my handouts - the professor in me can’t help herself.
Smeary photo, but happy players!
I now have tile setups for 5 mahjong tables, though 4 at a time is the most I have ever used. This is my latest - a cute mushroom theme. You can spend $700 JUST on a set of cute mahjong tiles, but I just get mine from Amazon for a fraction of that. The white/red ceramic mushroom is a dice holder - a CRITICAL part of every mahjong table!
I don’t do snacks, but I always set up a cute beverage bar with a selection of wines, teas, and lemonades.
This group also gives me a reason to refresh my flowers every Wednesday!
