🧨️ Happy Mah Jongg Monday!️
AROUND THE TABLE by Dottie
Hello. This is Marlene (Dottie's favorite cousin).
Dottie agreed to let me take the column on one condition, which was that I keep it under three hundred words. I wrote a letter to the National Mah Jongg League last week. I’m sharing it here because it’s what I would’ve said at our Wednesday table if Dottie hadn’t changed the subject.
Dear National Mah Jongg League,
I have been playing your game for forty-one years. I have bought your card every spring. I have memorized every hand and your rules and the specific texture of the paper you print on. I’m the kind of customer you do not need to worry about losing.
I'm writing today about the 2026 card.
I cannot get it to behave. My own table played six games recently and five were wall games. We're not beginners. There are four of us, with more than a hundred years of Mah Jongg among us. The hands feel like they are competing for the same tiles in a way they have not in years past. I don’t know if this is by design or by accident. I would dearly love to know.
I am not asking you to apologize, or to recall it, or to do anything but tell me whether the problem is the card or whether it’s us.
I've included a self-addressed stamped envelope for your response, although I am not expecting one. I have been writing you letters since 2009.
Yours regardless,
Marlene
That was the letter. Dottie did not get around to signing it. I mailed it anyway.
Here’s a quick preview of today’s issue. Scroll down to read each section in full.
💡 Table Wisdom — When staying quiet is the smartest play.
🖐🏻 A Hand to Play — Which three tiles would you pass first?
🎁 Winning Picks — Beach and pool gear that makes the day easier.
🎥 Max's Minute — Is this 13579 hand legal?
🌟 In the News — A WSJ reporter takes on Mah Jongg in 30 days.
❓ Ask Auntie — Is cheering for your own win rude?
📸 Spotlight — An engagement, new players, and a game at sea.
🎂 Birthdays — This week's AMJA members.
🙋🏻♀️ Free Practice Sessions — See if we called your name.
🏁 Milestones — Progress inside TheWinningHand app.
… and more!
💡 Table Wisdom
Staying "Silent"
Silence protects your strategy and keeps the table focused. Every comment reveals something, even when you don’t mean to. Strong players listen closely, so staying quiet becomes a real advantage.
Here are some times when silence is particularly “golden:”
During the Charleston
Players need full concentration while shaping their hands. Keep the table calm so everyone can focus on their passes. This early silence helps you read the game's developing flow.
During a Tile Call
A short pause after each discard is essential. Talking can drown out the call or delay it. That delay may allow the next player to pick and rack, closing the window for a valid claim. Quiet moments keep the process fair for everyone.
When Mah Jongg Is Called
Stop talking right away. Let the table verify the hand and acknowledge the win.
Avoid “Table Talk” During Play
Comments about needing a Dot or avoiding a Dragon give away too much. Even casual remarks help others narrow your hand.
Key Takeaway: Use silence to track discards, watch exposures, and stay flexible. It sharpens your decisions and reduces avoidable mistakes.
🖐🏻 A Hand to Play
Last Week’s 🖐🏻 Hand to Play Results:
4,434 Insiders Played, 64% chose right.
👉 See the correct answer & explanation here.
The Charleston shapes your entire game, and your first pass sets the tone. Your goal is simple. Keep tiles that support a strong direction and release the ones that do nothing for your early options.
Look at your starting hand and decide which three tiles help you the least. Focus on the Sections you can realistically build.
Then ask yourself one clear question: Which three tiles give me the least chance of forming a solid hand?
Make your choice, cast your vote, and see how your strategy compares with other players. The comparison is part of the learning.
🀄 Tile Spotlight: Today’s Hand to Play uses Mah Jongg Maven’s tiles.
Which three tiles would you pass at the beginning of the Charleston?
From sun protection to sand-free towels, these picks make your next pool or beach day way easier (and way more fun).
🏖️ Sand-Free Towels
No more bringing the beach home. These lightweight towels repel sand, dry fast, and pack small—perfect for beach bags. Grab one here →
📱 Waterproof Phone Pouches
Snap photos, scroll, or stream by the pool—without worrying about splashes. These pouches keep your phone safe and dry. Stay splash-proof →
👒 Sun Hats
A cute hat and sun protection? Yes please. These picks keep you shaded without sacrificing style. Pick your favorite →
☀️ Spray Sunscreen
Skip the mess. This spray goes on evenly, dries fast, and keeps your skin protected while you soak up the sun. Stock up here →
🧊 Collapsible Coolers
Cold drinks, no bulk. These foldable coolers are lightweight, roomy, and easy to stash when empty. Keep it cool →
Soak it up. With the right gear, beach and pool days stay simple, fun, and low-stress. Don’t forget your shades!
(As an Amazon Associate, The Mah Jongg Insider earns from qualifying purchases.)
This week’s top questions:
1️⃣ Can you play 13579, Line 4 like this? 113579 5555 5555
2️⃣ Do the consecutive numbers in Winds & Dragons Line 2 need to be the same suit as the Kong of Dragons?
Max’s 1-minute answer is ready.
🎥 [Click to watch]
Have a question for Max?
🎤 [Click to leave a voicemail]
🌟 WSJ’s Jamie Waters spent 30 days exploring the game—from the downtown scene to a five-star retreat—to find out why the 19th-century game is booming. Watch as he tries to master Mah Jongg in 30 days.
⬅️ Last Week’s Question
Auntie, I enjoy my group except for two women: one still does not know rules after years, the other refuses to chat and only names tiles. I try not to sit with them. Any advice?
- Lynn
🥠 Auntie’s Advice 🥠
🗨 My friend, there is nothing wrong with trying not to sit with certain players. You’re simply managing how you want to experience your time at the table.
I suspect the discomfort comes from thinking you shouldn’t feel that way. But not every player will be a good fit for you, and that’s normal. One may slow the game. Another may prefer silence. Neither is wrong, just different.
You don’t need to fix them or force yourself to enjoy every combination. Sit where you can, and when you can’t, accept it as part of the group.
It doesn't sound like you’re being unkind. You’re being honest about what works for you.
📢 Readers’ Responses 📢
🗨 Sounds like you have it figured out. You always wind up playing with people who play differently than you. It's hard to make a slow player play faster and hard to make a person who does not talk, talk. Hopefully, the slow player will pick it up. You might suggest she do some playing on online Mah Jongg sites to get more familiar with the card and speed up.
The non-talker might be trying just to keep up. Hopefully, with patience, they will both progress.
- Gail S.
🗨 Both players become irritating to others after a while. I don't believe you can change anyone else in this situation (which I have experienced and tried to express). I moved on to a different group.
- Judith M.
🗨 Ah, personalities. People can be frustrating; we all are not alike. It's only a matter of hours. Hopefully, your table moves people midway through. Enjoy the people there. Those who want to talk, talk; those who don't may be concentrating.
As far as rules, we all are not perfect. Mistakes in calling tiles, rotation, or passing, etc. 🤷♀️ Play on or move on.
- Tracy S.
Whose response do you like best?
➡️ This Week’s Question
One woman loudly cheers for herself when she wins. No one else does. Is it rude?
- Judy
🤗 Want to share your advice?
🤔 Have a Mah Jongg manners or table moment dilemma?
📩 Send it to Auntie: [email protected]
📸 Get in the Spotlight
Here's a picture of four of us playing Mah Jongg on our boat on a recent sailing trip in Greece.
- Emily B.
Hi there! We'd love to be featured in the Mah Jongg Insider. We are a group of Mah Jonggers in Chicago. Recently, two of our players, Matt and Tracey, got engaged! (The two on the far right). We also had 3 friends join us who were interested in learning Mah Jongg for the first time.
- Lauren G.
📸 Share your Mah Jongg moments!
Send us a photo and a quick note — big wins, themed nights, or fun group shots — for a chance to be featured.
📩 Email: [email protected]
🎂 This Week’s Birthdays
The American Mah Jongg Association would like to wish these members a very Happy Birthday!
June 8
Brenda M. (NC), Maria M. (PA), Sheila M. (NC), Susan S. (KS)
June 9
Beverly S. (KY), Bobbi S. (VA), Jo Anne H. (FL)
June 10
Angie P. (FL), Ashlen K. (NJ), Kathie K. (NC), Tammy R. (HI)
June 11
Claudia K. (NY), Janet C. (MN), Sabrina T. (OK)
June 12
Karen H. (CO), Kathleen D. (CO)
June 13
Barbara H. (DE), Fred F. (CA), Jeri K. (KS), Shiori S. (CA)
June 14
Helaine K. (NY), Judi T. (AE), Mary M. (TN), Mary Jo P. (NE)
If your name is Bonnie, enjoy a FREE Practice Session 🙋🏻♀️ on us!*
*Just reply to this email by this Friday at midnight—your email name must match!
🏁 Milestones
These milestones come from players using TheWinningHand, the practice app included with membership in the American Mah Jongg Association. [Join Here]
10,000+ members use it in different ways: To warm up. To stay sharp. Or simply to spend more time with the game you already love.
🔥🔥🔥 300 games played
Cindy Jackson
🔥🔥 200 games played
Janet Gulden
Charlotte Irish
Marna Wensil
🔥 100 games played
Renee Quinton
Jeanne Smith
Tera Bounds
Erin Beuka
Mary McCoy
👏 The more you play, the better your game gets.
🎥 New to TheWinningHand app?
Short videos walk through each game mode:
➕ Hand Builder | ☑️ Finish the Hand | 🔃 Scrambled Hand | 💃🏻 Charleston
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