If you're new to the game or just new to hosting, it can feel a bit scary to host your first Mahjong game. This post will walk you through the basics for hosting your first game, what you really need, what folks are expecting, and some quick tips to make the whole thing a bit mess stressful!
First of all, my hostess rule of thumb for everyone is "Host what feels comfortable for YOU!" If you aren't a cook, you can still host a great dinner! If you don't have fancy dishes or barware, you can still host a great party! If you love to cook but don't feel like an expert Mahjong host, trust me you can still host a great game night! If you don't have ALL the supplies, you can still be the hostess!
My father in law always says, "It's not what's on the plate, it's who's in the seats," when it comes to hosting and I think that is such an important thing to remember. It can be so easy to talk ourselves out of hosting an event because we want it to be Pinterest perfect, but think back to the events you have attended recently--do you remember the plates? Do you remember the handwritten placecards? Most likely, the answer to these questions is 'no.' You remember who was there and the fun you had chatting and being together. The same goes for any event you host.
To start out, what do you actually NEED to host a Mahjong game? I like to ensure I have the following basics for hosting:
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Table and chairs for all the people you've invited (don't forget to include yourself in the counts!)
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4 racks with pushers
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4 NMJL Cards (you can absolutely have your friends each bring their own!)
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1 Set of American Mahjong tiles (you can use Chinese tiles, but it will take some getting used to and may cause a bit of confusion for your group at first.)
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A few snacks and drink options
Let's dig into these basics and what we recommend:
Table and Chairs: Don't feel like you need to buy a special game table or mahjong table at first--though there are definitely some fun options out there. Your kitchen table works great! If you only have a rectangular table for mahjong, don't stress, just seat two players on each long side and turn your racks to make a diamond shape so each player can see her rack without seeing her neighbor's rack. We love these folding game tables for how inexpensive and portable they are--we may or may not keep one in the trunk of the car at all times and have another couple stashed under the bed, but as always this is a no-judgement zone!
Racks with Pushers: Yes, mahjong can be played without the racks. In Chinese mahjong, there aren't racks at all--they stand their tiles up and their tiles are a bit fatter to make that easy. In a pinch, you can certainly do this with our tiles, though we do prefer to play with the racks and pushers because it just makes the whole game a bit easier and less messy. We love these ones with the extra length to accommodate our larger, pretty tiles!
NMJL Cards: In American Mahjong/Mah Jongg, we play standardized hands that are printed in the National Mah Jongg League's card. A new card is released every year, though as long as your whole group is playing with the same card, you can definitely play older cards. (We have even played our birth year cards at birthday parties--it's very fun to see what hands looked like 30-40 years ago!) If you're looking for some help playing from the NMJL card, check out this blog post here!
Set of American Mahjong Tiles: It will be easier to play with American Mahjong tiles if you're playing American Mahjong because the tiles differ from their Chinese counterparts--American Mahjong sets have at least 152 tiles in the set and include numbered tiles within the suits, flowers, jokers, and no seasons. Chinese tiles only have 144 tile, no jokers, no numbers on the suited tiles, and do include seasons. You can play American Mahjong on Chinese tiles, but it will be a more difficult game and may confuse your guests.
Snacks: Serve what you feel comfortable making. If you love to cook, pull out all the stops and serve what you love to make. If you are less comfortable cooking, here's what we recommend for an evening game: Grab a couple of dips with some crackers, pita chips, and veggies. Put out a bowl of mixed nuts and a couple of bowls of m&ms.
Drinks: Again, serve what you feel comfortable making. If you are a true mixologist then have at it and do a full cocktail menu, but if you are a little less comfy behind the bar, pop open a bottle of wine or put out some spiked seltzers and call it a night! Be sure to have some non-alcoholic options too--some folks like to keep their wits sharp when playing while others live for the Bird Bam Cheers!