This blog post is dedicated to the late Grace Gustin, and her favorite flower. My goodness, is it that time again?  I haven't posted for a year?!?  Well, it doesn't mean I wasn't playing or doing all things mahjongg. I did a lot of teaching this year, and my students have expressed a lot of trepidation regarding the change to the new card, and asked how to transition.  My advice is when the new ca ..read more

The cards are on their way! The new card is here and at first glance I have to say it looks...well...hard!  The hands look familiar, but subtly changed in ways that will affect play for sure.  One thing that stands out is all hands with flowers have either two or four flowers.  On its face that seems traditional, but there are some new patterns to unravel.  Take out your 2022 card and see how 2023 compares: 2023 - (Three's make a difference!) The "bonus" hand is gone from this section, relegated back to its proper place in singles and pairs, leaving us with four ..read more

I had written a post about this back in 2018, and while most things are the same, some things need to be updated. First and foremost, however is the timing. Now is the time to buy the 2023 card. The longer you wait, the later you will receive your card and you will be very upset when everyone has the card before you. The first mailing of the new card goes out the last week in March, and your order must be received by early February in order to make that first mailing, so don’t dally.  Many of you have ordered from collectors who sell cards for the benefit of a charitable organization. T ..read more

The 2022 card has dropped! Thanks to the National Mah Jongg League for its work in getting out the 2022 card on time.  The making, printing and mailing of this card was not without its challenges, given the supply line and labor shortages that business are facing.  But for us players, the challenge is - 2022!  From a mahjongg player's perspective, 2022 is VERY challenging, given the fact that one must use three two's in the same suit to make the year.  There have not been many instances where three identical tiles had to be used in a year hand: 1888 (well...), 1999, 2000 ..read more

 Mahjongg Jeopardy! While you are waiting for your newsletter to arrive (due to supply chain issues, they will be mailed out mid-January), enjoy a round of Mahjongg Jeopardy!  Play solo (No Team) or screenshare on Zoom just for fun.  And don't forget to order the 2022 card from the League at www.nationalmahjonggleague.org.  Do it right away so you will get it in the first mailing ..read more

  Someone posted this hand on the Modern Mahjongg site saying she had been dealt four jokers and was set at the Charleston.  She had made the bottom quint on the 2021 card.  When I saw it, I realized that it could also be the sixth hand down in consecutive run.  Luckily, she had made no exposures and declared mahj as the quint, or else would have cheated herself out of 15 points.   Then, later that day when I was playing, I also had four jokers -  It made me a little crazy.  I knew I was set, but for what hand?  Did I need: a flower? a two ..read more

 Thank goodness we can put away 2020 for good!  The 2021 card has been released and is making its way to mailboxes far and wide.  And since it is still a violation of copyright protection for me to show the inside of the card, I will continue my tradition (since 2015) of posting a summary of the changes.  This is not an analysis, per se, but a description.  I understand there will be many who will analyze the card, and their impressions will soon be available online, and, of course, you can do your own analysis when you get the card and when you actually start playin ..read more

  The last week in March is almost here, and we all know what that means:  The new card will soon be on its way.  This year is like no other, as the card is coming just as people are starting to (very cautiously) come back to the playing table.  We can put aside the 2020 card and start anew, resting assured that the game of mahjongg will be waiting, unchanged, from the last time we played.  Will we remember all the protocols and rules?  How will it feel to touch and mix the tiles?  Will we still have what it takes to win?  Will we still play online?&nb ..read more

 Thank you all for filling out the "Mahjongg Family Feud" survey.  I found the easiest way to convey the results was to do a video, so this post is a "vlog" as opposed to a "blog".  Enjoy ..read more

  The National Mah Jongg League has sent out their annual bulletin, which includes the renewal notice.  Please note the price of the card has increased.  The 2021 standard-sized card is $9, while the large print version is $10. If you have ordered your card directly from the League in the past, or you have ordered from a Collector who has provided your name and address to the League, you are considered a member, and your bulletin is on the way.  The bulletin contains an order form if you wish to renew your membership (order a new card) by mail.  However, with the mai ..read more