The question I get most before a class is whether mahjong is too complicated. It isn't. If you can count to nine, you can play American Mahjong.

This class runs two and a half hours, and you'll play a real game before you leave.

This class is for you if:

• You've never touched a tile and you're starting from zero

• You played once years ago and none of it stuck

• You've watched friends play and quietly decided you'd never catch up

• You own a set that's still sitting in its box

I teach using my Mahjong Made Simple method, which means I leave out everything you don't need on day one. You'll have tiles in your hands in the first fifteen minutes, not a lecture.

What you'll learn:

• The basic rules and rhythm of American Mahjong

• How to read the National Mah Jongg League card

• Tile names, suits, and the strategies that help when you're new

• How to set up, deal, and start playing on your own

$68 per person for the full 2.5 hours. Everyone plays, nobody watches from the side. No equipment needed, I bring the tiles and everything else. You don’t need a group, but tell a friend, and you can learn together.

The St. Pete Beach Public Library gives us a calm, bright space with no rush to clear out. Free parking.

Register below. If this date doesn't work, there's another on the calendar.