Mahjong for Beginners in Tampa Bay: Where to Start
How to pick your first step, depending on your schedule and who you'd like to learn with
Most beginners I meet have been circling mahjong for a while. A friend plays, their feed is full of it, and they keep saying they'll learn someday.
If someday is starting to sound like now, here's how to choose where to begin in Tampa Bay.
First, the worries
You don't need to speak Chinese, and you don't need to be good at math. If you can count to 9, you can learn this game.
You also don't need a group of three friends before you start. Most women come to my classes on their own, and that's often how they find their group.
If you'd like to test the water: Taste of Mahjong
Taste of Mahjong is a 90-minute introduction on Thursday mornings at Perry's Porch in downtown St. Pete. It's $28 and includes a matcha or coffee.
It's for the woman who wants to see whether she likes the game before she commits an afternoon. You'll meet the tiles and get a feel for how mahjong works.
If you'd like to play a real game: Mahjong 101
Mahjong 101 is my full class for complete beginners. It runs 2.5 hours, costs $68, and you play a real game before you leave.
I teach it at Dillard's Tyrone Square, Paloma House, the St. Pete Beach Public Library, Pour & Décor, and AR Workshop St. Petersburg. Here's what a first class looks like, from the tiles to your first game.
If you're learning with friends: a private lesson
If you already have a group, I can teach all of you together, at my home in Gulfport or at your place. I bring the tiles and mats, so nobody has to host anything but the snacks.
This is also the easiest way to start if your group wants to keep playing together afterward. You learn the same way, at the same pace, and you leave ready for your first game night.
If the bridge is the problem: Zoom
Tampa Bay traffic is its own kind of Charleston. If getting across the water is what's keeping you home, my Zoom group class is the full hands-on version, two hours, $68.
If you don't have a set, I send a printable set of all 152 tiles you can print on cardstock. Everyone learns the same way, and everyone plays a real game by the end.
After your first class
Once you know the basics, you'll want a table. My free open plays in St. Pete have a Starting Out table for newer players, and my post on free open play has the days and times.
If it takes you a few games to feel steady, that's normal. Mahjong 102 is there for returning beginners when you want to go from playing to playing well.
Pick your first step
Look at the options above and choose the one that fits your next free afternoon, not your ideal one. Then find a date on my calendar and book it while you still feel brave.
