239 Mahj News Open Play for Experienced Players

Join fellow Experienced Mahjong players for an afternoon of social play hosted by 239 Mahj NEWS volunteers. No meetup fee—just buy lunch.
About this Event

RSVP Required:

Space is limited to 24 players (6 tables). All attendees must reserve a spot through Eventbrite before attending and are encouraged be a member of our 239 Mahj News Facebook group to explore all of our fantastic community mahjong events! Before registering, please review the event guidelines to ensure this meetup is a good fit for your playing style (experienced players only) and that you understand our event expectations. Open play is from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm including a short lunch break.
Players are expected to arrive between 10:45 and 11:00 am to check in and place lunch orders; please use the side entrance of the restaurant (Pick-Up Entrance) if arriving before 11:00 am as the front doors will be locked until then.
This event is open to HopToi Mahjong (online tournament app) as well as open play. Please check RSVPs with your team to make sure players are also registered on Eventbrite since we cap our open plays at 24 seats. Or you may simply wait to register for your HopToi games when players are seated at the table with a flexible team list.

* Please note, other online tournaments are not accepted at this venue without host approval. Our limited capacity of 6 tables will not allow additional online tournament platforms for our open play as priority is given to all of our 239 Mahj News members booked for Open Play only. *
If your plans change, please cancel your RSVP using the link in your Eventbrite ticket confirmation email or by logging into your Eventbrite account directly so another member may take your spot; we will have a waitlist available. Please do not double book tickets, guests are required to register independently.

Restaurant Partnership:

There is no meetup fee, however, as a courtesy to our host venue, all participants are expected to purchase a delicious lunch while attending. Failure to do so may affect eligibility to participate in future Pop-Up events.

Pop-Up Event Guidelines & Expectations:

• Current NMJL Card and official NMJL rules will be used (The Charleston is allowed for tables of three with fourth "Bob"). Please bring your own NMJL card. We are not using "Big Cards" or like alternatives at this time to allow (by choice) table rotations.
• Intermediate/Advanced players only.
• Social play only; No money games, tournaments (except for HopToi Mahjong), or competitive prize play (however, we will issue bragging rights with cute little "rack charms" for winners). We are here to enjoy the elegant game of Mahjong and fun company!
• Food and beverages are not permitted on the Mahjong tables; "drink trays" will be provided during game play as to never place any beverages (including water bottles or personal containers) on mahjong tables. A separate dining area will be available for everyone to enjoy lunch.
• Kindly wash or sanitize your hands after eating before returning to the game tables to help keep the tiles and accessories clean and sanitary for everyone. Food oils are very damaging to tile finishes and paint. We value our volunteers' beautiful mahjong sets and provide a safe space for their use!
• Shufflers (or using your NMJL card) are not allowed to mix tiles, please shuffle or "wash" the tiles using your hands. Mahjong means "Sparrow" due to the chattering sound the tiles make during "washing", an ancient tradition showing respect for our tiles as gorgeous little works of art.
• Expect a variety of fun, unique, and non-traditional Mahjong sets. By attending, you acknowledge that traditional tiles will not be available.
• Please treat all tiles, racks, mats, pushers, and other game accessories with care and respect. At the end of the open play, it is very helpful to hostesses to rebuild the walls on your table before you leave (tile count short-cut!)

Social Expectations:

• Our goal is to create a fun, inclusive, and respectful social group.
• Please be kind, patient, and courteous to everyone, including fellow players and restaurant staff.
• Keep conversations welcoming and respectful. Please avoid politics, religion, and other divisive topics.
• Harassment, discrimination, or disrespectful behavior toward other members and restaurant staff will not be tolerated.
• If your plans change, please update your RSVP. No-shows will be kept track of and may result in ineligibility for future events. We understand life happens but we do have a cap on number of tables and active waitlist for fully booked events.
  

To accommodate up to 6 tables, we are looking for co-hostesses to supplement and share their fun, non-traditional sets consisting of:

• American Mahjong tiles of any design & dice
• 4 racks with pushers
• 1 playing mat

If you are interested in co-hostessing and sharing 1-3 fabulous NON-traditional sets from your collection, please email Mary Louise at [email protected]. As this group is for Experienced Players, we enjoy the challenge and fun of playing with a variety of mahjong sets as well as the more social vibe they bring to our tables.

Thank you for helping create a fun, welcoming, and respectful Mahjong community! Have any questions? Explore our Q&A below!

Sam, Mary Louise & Lori