Annual refresher
New NMJL card class
Every spring (late March or April), the National Mah Jongg League releases a brand-new card, and every single hand changes overnight. My new-card class is an annual refresher for existing players and groups in the Milwaukee area: we walk the new card together, section by section, so your first game on it feels like your fiftieth.
Why a class at all
New card, new game, every year
The annual card swap is the best thing about American mahjong: the game never gets stale, and last year’s expert is this year’s student. But those first few weeks on a new card (say, the 2026 card) can feel like starting over. Squinting at unfamiliar hands mid-game is how favorite pastimes quietly fizzle. An hour or two of guided walkthrough saves your table a month of confusion.
The class
What we cover
The full walkthrough
We read the new card together, top to bottom: every category, every new pattern, and the notation quirks that trip people up.
What changed, by category
Which sections got harder, which got friendlier, where the concealed hands moved, and what quietly disappeared since last year.
Hands to try first
My picks for the most learnable, most winnable hands on the new card, so you sit down to your first game with a plan instead of a prayer.
This class is for players who already know the game. If you’re brand new, start with group lessons instead. Existing groups can book a private new-card session for their whole table, and my guides are a good between-class companion.
Save your seat
Get on the new-card list
Tell me you’re interested in the new card class (mention it in the message below) and I’ll reach out when spring dates firm up. Groups welcome.