Snippet 20240128 January Highlights and Future Happenings
Mahj Life Snippets is my version of a blog post. On the last Sunday of each month, a new one will be posted with this month’s highlights and future happenings. An email blast will be sent to notify subscribers any time a new snippet is published. If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe by clicking the button below!
The schedule for recurring YouTube videos and livestreams is published on the events page.
This Month’s Highlights
Community NEWS
The National Mah Jongg League published a new edition of Mah Jongg Made Easy (MJME). The copyright says 2023 but they are calling it the 2024 edition. There are word/phrase changes and some content has been restructured (i.e., moved, combined, omitted). There are several errors and conflicts with previous rulings in MJME 2020 and bulletins. All the wiki articles that have been affected by the changes have been updated. If you have not received your copy and you want to get up to speed, here are wiki articles that may help:
- Hoptoi’s Release Notes on MJME 2024(Article 226)
- Rules Not in MJME (Article 00)
- Penalty-Free Rules (Article 195)
The league has been contacted by many community members asking for clarifications. I will continue to update affected wiki articles as I hear about the changes. I’ve been told that the league will post clarifications and corrections on their FAQ page.
If you don’t have MJME and need to confirm a guideline or rule, use the Mahj Life wiki, a free and searchable on-demand collection of articles with guidelines, rules, strategies, teaching tips, and more!
YouTube Channel
Consider joining as a channel member to show your support and enjoy perks! Read more on the Get Involved page.
Help Wanted
Subscribers… if you would like to be at the Group Let’s Play Livestream table, apply here.
Channel Members… if you would like to help in another way, consider joining the Mod Squad to help moderate live chat. Learn More!
Let’s Play Livestream Schedule
National Mah Jongg League
Nitty-Gritty BASICS
Fundamental strategies with gameplay commentary
Mondays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Nitty-Gritty PRIMETIME
Advanced strategies with gameplay commentary
Mondays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM ET
OBSESSED*
Hot-seat coaching with gameplay commentary
Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Simply Social
Hang out with gameplay commentary
Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM ET
*Available to Tier 2 OBSESSED channel members. For details, visit the Get Involved page.
Added the American Mah Jongg Skills and Strategies Matrix (AMJ S2 Matrix) in a wiki article with the next and last dates by topic with links (Article 210)
Nitty-Gritty BASICS
Fundamentals
- How to Pick a Hand
- Style of Play, Fixed vs. Adaptive
- Exercising Charleston Options
- Planning Discards SIMPLIFY
- Hands of Least Resistance SIMPLIFY
- Critical Thinking
- Test Your Instincts
- Overwhelm Minimizers
- Red Flags
- Widespread Tips
- High-Risk Sabotage
- Skill Builders
Nitty-Gritty PRIMETIME
Advanced
- Game Theory Mindset
- Style of Play, Profiling Players
- Hoptoi’s Strategy by Wall
- Planning Discards OPTIMIZE & SABOTAGE
- Hands of Least Resistance EXPEDITE
- Intel Gathering
- Speed to Ready
- Joker Tactics
- Reading Hands
- Wait Patterns
- Calculating Risks
- Competitive Play (marathons)
Wright-Patterson Mah Jongg
The online game for Wright-Patterson Mah Jongg players has been released for public beta testing! If you would like to try it, you will need to register because it is a separate platform: https://wpmahjongg.com/#/. If you use Facebook, please consider joining this group to communicate with the developer and players: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3113000165510306/. Please post issues and feature requests on the Facebook group or send a direct email to [email protected].
WPMJ Nitty-Gritty Let’s Play Livestream has resumed. They occur on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Eastern Time on the Mahj Life YouTube channel https://studio.youtube.com/channel/@MAHJLIFE
Mod Squad
If you would like to help monitor chat during livestreams, consider volunteering as a moderator. Click to apply!
Speaking GIGs
November 2023
NONE THIS MONTH
If you want to see videos of past events, please visit Michele’s Speaking Engagements page.
Instructor Guild
New Members
The Mahj Life Instructor Guild is growing! Heartfelt thanks and shoutout to our new members:
- Dottie Tighe New Hanover County, NC
- Anonymous (1)
If you are new to mah jongg or already know how to play and just want to build your skills search the directory to find an instructor near you!
If you are an aspiring or current instructor, consider joining the guild!
Merit Program for Instructors
The Merit Program for Instructors (MPI) is designed to provide a means for American mah jongg instructors to test their knowledge of the game with the potential to earn microcredentials. Congratulations to these instructors for their achievements.
AMJ Quest Rules Trek Microbadge
- Several instructors are on the trek!
If you are an aspiring or current instructor, consider joining the Mahj Life Instructor Guild so you can participate in the Merit Program for Instructors to show that you have the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as an American mah jongg instructor.
Changes to the Wiki
New
GLOSSARY (Article 999)
HOPTOI’S RELEASE NOTES FOR MAH JONGG MADE EASY 2024 (Article 226)
Updated
All wiki articles with a rule source of MJME have been updated to the 2024 edition.
RULES NOT IN MAH JONGG MADE EASY (Article 00 )
THE IOU – WHEN MULTIPLE PLAYERS WANT TO PASS BLIND (Article152 )
TWO PLAYERS WANT THE SAME DISCARD FOR MAH JONGG (Article 92)
TWO PLAYERS WANT THE SAME DISCARD FOR EXPOSURE (Article 93)
NEXT PLAYER AFTER PLAYER PICKED OUT OF TURN (Article 209)
New Merch
Check out this index to find merch that resonates with you: https://mahjlife.com/merch-index/
Future Happenings
Speaking GIGs
February 2024
02/17/2024 IN-PERSON GIG Atlanta Evergreen Resort, Stone Mountain, GA; I’m so excited about this local event! I saw a comment on 12/28/2023 from Mah Jongg Maven saying that there are only about six seats left. If you have been thinking of going to the event, buy your ticket today!
Title: Introduction to Hong Kong Mahjong
Registration: https://mahjlife.com/events/in-person-all-inclusive-social-mah-jongg-retreat-february-16-18-2024/
April 2024
04/24/2024 VIRTUAL GIG Mah Jongg Maven
Title: Ready, Set, Grow! Mah Jongg Maven 2024 NMJL Card Review
Registration: https://mahjlife.com/events/mah-jongg-maven-2024-nmjl-card-review/
May 2024
05/04/2024 IN-PERSON GIG Hollywood, FL
Title: NMJL Card Tips
Registration: PENDING
December 2024
12/03/2024 IN-PERSON GIG Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS in La Jolla, CA
Title: Learn-Lunch-Play with Michele Frizzell
Registration: PENDING
FOR MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS, VISIT HTTPS://WWW.LFJCC.ORG/ABOUT/COMMUNITYCALENDAR.ASPX
12/05/2024 IN-PERSON GIG Merage JCC in Irvine, CA
Title: Mah Jongg Day with Michele Frizzell and Holiday Boutique
Registration: PENDING
FOR MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS, VISIT HTTPS://WWW.JCCOC.ORG/PAGES/COMMUNITY-CULTURE/