A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg: How to Play the Game & Win

After seeing several friends post about playing Mah Jongg, I decided it was time to learn to play myself. This book was such an amazing guide. It really broke down the rules and basic information to make it easier to understand. I quickly learned the basics and met weekly with a couple of friends to start applying this new information. I can say this book is well-written and perfect for beginners. I recommend it to anyone that is wanting to start playing this great game. It is a great reference when I want to look up a rule or other information. I recommend this book to anyone new to the game, and especially to true beginners!

If you're intent on learning how to play Mah Jongg, this book is a great help. Yes, you can learn from other players, but if you still need remedial help (I did!), get this book. Author Elaine Sandberg writes plainly, in uncomplicated sentences. She has organized the chapters in the best possible way for learning. Each chapter has a summary and then a small quiz at the end. You need to do them, as they recap what you've learned and you can determine where you need to go back and re-read. Take her advice and set-up the hands. It will familiarize you with the various possibilities. I took it a step further. I set-up hands using this year's card (not the dated one she supplies at the back of her book). Then using the method she recommends (position tiles on rack by suits and numbers first, in ascending order; then look at the card, finding which section is the most opportune one with which to play your hand), choose the hand you want to play. I did this, but with a variation. I asked a knowledgeable Mah Jongg friend to come over and look at the four racks I'd set-up. I then explained to her why I chose to play the hands I'd selected. She listened, and then either agreed, or pointed out different ways to look at the tiles and play a different hand. Sometimes, it was within the same section, sometimes not. Using the book and a friend's help makes the lessons even more meaningful. The most important lessons I gleaned are: how to set-up the rack (to better select the hands); familiarize yourself with the 50 different possible hands; and (for a beginner) do not change hands mid-game. Allowing yourself to lose only strengthens your play, by seeing a hand through to its end. After you have gained confidence, try to switch hands if your original choice isn't working for you. Aside from Ms. Sandberg's book, the next best advice I can give you for learning is to play with kind, non-threatening players. Seasoned, no-nonsense, cutthroat players will not be patient and you will quickly become a Mah Jongg drop-out. My group is patient, willing to teach, and helps me to re-hash each hand I play at the end of every game. They are encouraging, supportive, and kind. Without them--and the book, I would have given up months ago. Really. So, get A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg.

Nice read. Good information for players.

I’ve just read the first few chapters, but so far I’m getting a good idea of what American Mah Jongg is about. My older sister has played MJ with her friends for decades, and I thought their clicking, stacking, and combining those tiles was fun to watch even if I didn’t know how to play the game. Now this book gives me a good idea of what all the fast hand movements with the colorful tiles was about. The book is simple and to the point, but it also shows that MJ requires quick thinking. I would have liked MJ to have a computer software that I can play MJ with, just like I play computer chess, bridge, Go, hearts, etc. Unless MJ is played online, the only MJ computer games I can find, are based on matching tile pairs. This book shows that MJ is much more than matching tile pairs. However, matching tile pairs helps to become familiar with the different tile names that the book talks about in the first 2 chapters. This book gives a good basic understanding of an over-all game of MJ.

Great introduction to the complexities of Mah Jongman. I had been learning under the tutelage of friends. They were very helpful and encouraging. I highly recommend this book. I won my first two games (without a coach) of Mah Jongman right after reading this book.

Well written, clear instructions. Easy for beginner to understand the game and use as a reference.

Well written and easy to look up needed information while playing.

My sister recommended this book to me, to assist in learning the game of Mahjong. The author of the book has years of experience and writes in a way to make it easy to follow along. It helps that I have a mahjong set, (which the author recommends), to follow along while reading and trying the examples. While I knew some of the basics, this book has enlightened me on so many aspects of the game as I am feeling more confident as I play. I recommend it.

Presenta las diversas formas de realizar el conteo de este bello juego. A los que no lo conozcan, les diría que el Mah Jongg es juego que permite desarrollar grandes habilidades lógicas, Combina lo que es el dominó con los juegos de naipes. Habitualmente los que lo conocemos y tenemos la posibilidad de contar con el juego nos enamoramos de él En particular les comento que en el caso de nuestra familia es el JUEGO POR EXCELENCIA, y cuando los que están lejos llegan a casa no pueden irse sin jugar algunos días este entretenido juego

Great book, very helpful.

Elaine Sandberg has been a Mah Jongg instructor for many years. Her instructions are clearly written and beautifully written to teach you how to play the game step-by-step. It is a game with four players. The first part is to learn how to identify the symbols on the tiles. The tiles are made up of three suits called Bams, Dots and Craks, four winds - North, South, East and West, three Dragons, Flowers and Jokers. At the back of the book, there is a game card which you can cut out. Elaine will teach you how to learn the hands of the card and to learn how to Select your hand to match the tiles you have drawn. Every year there is a new Game Card for that particular year. There are quizzes and answers at the end of each chapter to see if you understood what you have just learned. Also, at the end of the book you will find a glossary of Mah Jongg terms. Sandberg's Guide is an excellent guide to teach you how to play Mah Jongg, to refresh your memory after not playing for a time and to enable you to teach your friends. After reading the Guide, you will be able to join a group and play the game as I have. Mah Jongg is a relaxing, social and exciting game especially when you call out "Mah Jongg". Elaine Sandberg's A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg is a WINNER. I highly recommend it and give it FIVE STARS.

It was a gift for my sister, she really found it informative.

I like the illustrations of specific parts of the game. And there are quizzes at the end of each chapter so you know if you missed something, and can go back and reread it. It’s not a challenging read, but a good instruction book.