The Mahjong Club was formed about three-and-a-half years ago and meets in the Sedona Community Center at 2615 Melody Lane weekly on Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Tudor Room. The weekly games are free to play.
“We play American mahjong, which is different from Chinese mahjong,” Club Founder Jeanine Bottrell said. “Everyone that wants to play has to purchase the card from the National Mahjong League once a year, and they’re $15, and we have our tiles, and you have to match a hand with your tiles to a hand that’s on the card. … The Chinese mahjong, it’s more like a rummy-type game, where the American mahjong, we have jokers.”
Developed in the 19th century China, mahjong is played by four players using a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols.
Bottrell, a retired nurse, relocated from northern Michigan about four years ago. For the first six months, the group met at her home, forming a core group of players before later relocating to the community center where it has been since.
“We had 20 people playing last week,” Bottrell said. “We get a lot of snowbirds that come. So it fluctuates. In the summer, there’s fewer people, and a lot of them have been playing for a really long time, and it’s kind of competitive … and if somebody wants to learn, I agreed that I would teach them.”
Bottrell also teaches first timers how to play the game free of charge.
“You just have to be able to see and read to play, and a lot of us bring our own sets. So we have all that, and you just have to be willing to learn,” Bottrell said.
The Mahgong Club is also hosting its third annual fundraising tournament on Wednesday, March 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the community center with a $15 entry fee with snacks and prizes.
“It’s just little mahjong-related type prizes, and each of the participants keeps track of their games,” Bottrell said. “Whoever has the most games gets to pick a prize first, and then as we go down the list, they get to pick a prize. I’m hoping this year we have more people.”
“Whether you know how to play or have always wanted to learn, come join this fun group and have fun playing,” SCC’s website reads. “This is a community event and there is no charge, other than you have to have fun.”
For more information about the Mahjong Club contact Bottrell at jadamsbottrell@gmail.com.
