Nancy Herrem
Do Craks, Bams, and Dots mystify you? Do you know when you are allowed to use a Joker? If not, that means you probably haven’t attended one of the classes provided by the Recreational Mah Jongg Club here in PebbleCreek.
Many arrived in PebbleCreek knowing how to play the game of Mah Jongg; in fact, some of them came out of the womb knowing how to play. Then there are those residents who never saw a Mah Jongg tile, let alone know how to play the game, but keep hearing about Mah Jongg games held within PebbleCreek.
Janet Day and the other founders of the Recreational Mah Jongg Club played together informally. They soon recognized how popular the game was becoming in PebbleCreek and the need for organized instruction. In 2009 the group started offering classes and then realized they needed a forum large enough to accommodate all the Mah Jongg players they were producing. To do this the Recreational Mah Jongg Club was approved by the HOA in 2010 with 56 members. This allowed them to reserve meeting rooms for large groups of players on a regular basis. And a good thing too, as the membership has grown to over 300. The mission of the Recreational Mah Jongg Club is to provide a place, for all interested residents, to play Mah Jongg twice a week, allowing for all levels of expertise, beginning, intermediate and expert.
Because of the large number of people who have expressed an interest in learning the game over the years, the club now offers four six-week classes each year. In the coming year the schedule for classes is January 14 to February 18, April 8 to May 13, July 15 to August 19 and October 14 to November 18. To date over 250 residents have taken the classes in the American version of Mah Jongg, which follows the rules set forth by the National Mah Jongg League located in New York, New York. Besides learning how to play the game, instruction also includes learning the difference between Mah Jongg League rules and table rules and this prepares you for play with any/all American Mah Jongg players wherever you may meet them.
To sign up for classes or to join the club, contact Janet Day at 623-535-0375 or at [email protected]. There is no cost for membership, but in addition to the classes the club provides the opportunity for those with similar interests to practice one’s skills by attending one of the scheduled game days, noon to 4:00 p.m., Monday or Wednesday in the Tuscany Falls Clubhouse.
In addition, the club has assumed the sponsorship of the annual Mah Jongg Tournament held in PebbleCreek every March. With the knowledge you achieve during the classes and the experience you gain during play with your peers you will soon feel confident enough for tournament play.