I have taken a beginners class and then played 5 times with other students.
I am now playing against robots online.
I really am not very good and it is becoming discouraging.
Does anyone here play? Any hints to offer?
My group will regroup in late June.
There’s a lot of luck and you have to match flexibility with planning. When your hand is dealt, it’s good to make a tentative plan, but be willing to modify as the hand evolves over time (assuming you’re talking about traditional mah Jong and not just matching one tile to another on the computer game). I used to okay with the kids (when they were younger) and we have several sets but haven’t played in ages.
I learned to play American mah jongg a couple of years ago with a group of friends and we try to play pretty regularly (at least once a week). All I can say is that the more you play, the easier it gets, especially as you become more familiar with the hands on the card. However, like @HImom said, luck is definitely involved and it’s really important to have some flexibility. Also, it helps a lot to have Jokers in your hand. Without them, even more luck is required to win!
I recently started playing online against robots on myjongg dot net and it has been really helpful in getting even more practice. OP, is that the site you’ve been using?
I have only played the Chinese version and we don’t use jokers, so I’m unfamiliar with them. I haven’t played in ages.
Mom2ji, yes. This is where I am playing on line. I know that it is helping learn the 2017 card.
I hate playing a hand without jokers!
This site is nice as a player can go slow or fast.
I guess I feel discouraged when I play 30 hand and win two!
I have not had lessons about or know how the betting and scoring goes yet.
I am just about over making really stupid mistakes :)>-
Don’t worry - you’ll get there. I’ve never played online so don’t know how that works at all, but learning the card is very important so when you look at your tiles you know which hands are possible from the beginning and then can re-evaluate with each subsequent pass.
You can go to sloperama . Com (get rid of spaces) and use their “find players” forum to search for other people in your area who play. As others have stated, the more you play, the easier it gets. There is also a weekly strategy column that is very helpful and often has exercises for you to try (for example, what would you pass or what tile is “hot”).
@oregon101 have you read the book A Beginner’s Guide to American Mah Jongg? I highly recommend it. I found it really helpful when I first started to play and it has a chapter on strategies. I still refer to it once in awhile.
Thanks everyone.
I had forgotten about sloperama so will look again. They do not have anyone (that I can find)
in Oregon listed. I will look for the weekly startegy column.
I have read that book Mom2ji. I think I am just discouraged that my learning curve is so slow!
I had put a notice in Next Door and had a few replies for late Spring players so I will post again.
The groups that open to the public are, every single one, just for advanced here. Which at this point I may
never be ^#(^ .
Playing online has been good in that you can take your time responding. Not realistic but comforting.
I’ve been playing for just over a year now.
I’ve found that the rewards and pleasure rarely have to do with actually winning.
Sometimes it’s a just a great choice on which hand to play, and sometimes it’s just getting
together with like-minded people and exercising the grey matter.
I was lucky in that the people I took my beginners class with were all interested in forming a group.
The advantage has been that we’re all at the same experience level.
I couldn’t have asked for nicer people and we now have a standing game on Thursday evenings.
Is it possible for you to convince a couple of your friends to take the beginners class as well? That way you
can form a larger group with folks that you know who are not ‘sharks,’ and there’s always someone available.
As an aside, in my group we talk a lot about both strategy and philosophy. The other thing we do is to de-brief our hands and choices after most games, sharing our thought processes. Although that makes it easier (for me, anyways) to play defensively with these people, it rarely matters as the tiles are always different. I find it consistently interesting to see the choices people make and I always learn a bit more.
We’ve developed a a saying when things just don’t go to plan – “I’m having a sad Mah Jongg moment…”
I love your last line!
I have been playing with some students from my class.
HMM…they are nice but they are not “my people”.
One is crazy competitive.
I just want to be better!! 
I am in a weekly group. I have only been playing for around four years and the group has been together for about 20. I absolutely love it and look forward to the game each week. I think that it’s important to like the people you play with. Ours is more like a social group and sometimes there is more talking than playing. No one is competitive and we are always happy for whomever wins.
In our group, although we’ve gotten considerably better during the past year, it’s always a win when it’s not a wall game and we, too celebrate the winners. I could certainly see where an unforgiving computer opponent would make you feel discouraged, as part of the joy is the social interaction and learning process.
Update: I posted on NextDoor and have had 20 people respond!
One offered to teach and we will be meeting at her home this Thursday.
Some have played a little and some are new.
We will see how it goes.
But thanks to those who responded here.
Good reminder that I need to find people who I am comfortable with and
so far I have not found those folks. But with this many I think there is a good
chance that I will be part of a group pretty soon.
Have fun. Bring snacks…
Oregon and Mom2jl you are to blame for the hours and hours I have spent playing since you turned me on to the mahjong website! I’ve been playing for about six months or so with a beginner group, but it’s so helpful to learn new patterns and try some of the harder combinations on the computer, as well as taking as much time as you need without feeling like everyone is waiting. Many of my friends winter in Florida and they all have a wonderful time playing at their community centers.
Yes, Lassie3–time flies!
The group was great! Such a different teaching style than my teacher from my class.
This gal told everyone what the tiles mean and then had them just start playing. There were
who experienced players directing each table.
Everyone loved it and did a good job.
We are meeting for the next 5 weeks and then in Sept. we will have a regular time
and space every week.
I was so much more comfortable with this group. Cannot put my finger on why.
Also, this teacher corrected a number of things that the other ladies insisted were
the rules and I suspected they were wrong. I am vindicated :)>-.
Great news @oregon101! I’m really glad you found a group you feel comfortable with. And @Lassie3, I’m addicted to that site, especially when I’m unable to get together with the regular group I play with.