Learn the Game of American Mahjong

Beginning January 13, 2026 (9:30-11:30 am) learn an exciting, friendly table game called American Mahjong. Then continuing on the following 3 Tuesdays (January 20th, 27th & February 3rd), from 9:30 to 11:30 am, continue learning the 'ins and outs' of the game. The game's popularity is growing! Challenge yourself to learn in 2026, the hottest game since dominos, poker, monopoly, etc. Who knows, you may become the National Champion of American Mahjong!

Cost is: $10.00 for each person for the 4 week series

Instructors: Cheryl Mulder and Linda Rouslek

Location: Plum Creek Art Center/Connie Mohr Gallery, 115 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, IA  50630

Limited class size of 8

Basics of the game:

It is a four-player tile game where players draw and discard tiles to form specific 14-tile hands shown on an annual scorecard, using racks, jokers, and special rules like the "Charleston" tile change, differing from Chinese Mahjong by its focus on these specific hands and added accessories. The goal is to be the first to declare "Mahjong" by matching tiles to a hand on the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card, a new version of which is released yearly, incorporating suits (Circles, Bamboos, Characters), winds, dragons, flowers, seasons, and jokers. 

Some history:

Joseph Park Babcock, a representative of the Standard Oil Company in Shanghai, was importing mahjong sets to the United States in great numbers by 1923. To increase interest in the game in the United States, he wrote and published new rules that became the American standard. When the National Mah Jongg League, Inc. published a volume of "Official American Rules" in 1935, the American style further morphed into a very distinct form.

American mah jongg tournament standards and rules were established in 1986, when the National Mah Jongg League and Mah Jongg Madness jointly conducted their first annual Mah Jongg Tournament at Sea. This tradition of championship tournaments at sea continued for over 34 years. Now there are American mah jongg tournaments conducted throughout the United States, and consist of players from America and Canada. Mah Jongg Madness conducts more than a dozen tournaments a year and an annual NMJL cruise culminates in the National Mah Jongg Convention in Las Vegas every March.

Tournaments are now played according to the Standardized National Mah Jongg Tournament Rules, which were codified and published in 2005. In 2011, Mah Jongg Master Points (MJMP) were established to post an individual's tournament scores. The MJMP website formulates the scores (awarding bonus points to the top 10 winners of an event), and ranking the individual players. There are 10 ranks for players, based on the accumulation of these points.

The basics and history are extrapolated from Wikpedia.