Mahjong, bridge and canasta lessons at home in Glen Ridge, NJ

A chess opponent every week

For a lot of older chess players, the problem isn't learning the game. It's that nobody plays anymore. The friend from the train who used to play on the commute retired to Arizona, and online chess just isn't the same. A Home Happenings pro shows up, sets up the board and plays a real game.

Some pros teach as well, going over the game afterward and pointing out where things turned. Others just play. Ask in a message which kind of opponent they are before booking.

Chess games also make for good conversation. Between moves people talk about the news, the grandkids, the old neighborhood. For a parent who lives alone, that hour across the board can be one of the most social of the week.

Bridge for a table of four

Bridge needs four players. You gather the table, maybe a couple who live on your street and an old friend from the Glen Ridge Country Club days, and the pro teaches. For lapsed players, a few sessions on bidding conventions can bring it all back. For beginners it takes longer, but the people who stick with it often play for decades.

The pro can play as the fourth hand while people are learning, or sit out and coach. That's something to work out in a message beforehand.

Mahjong and Canasta

Mahjong and Canasta both need four players, and you set up the table: friends, neighbors, family. The pro brings the tiles or cards and teaches. Both games require booking at least four visits, because one session isn't enough to really learn, and the group needs a few weeks to find its rhythm.

The Glen Ridge Senior/Community Center is a natural place to find other players, since that's where a lot of retired residents meet. If someone there mentions they used to play, invite them over.

Once a table has its four players and has learned the basics, some groups keep the pro on weekly to keep the game moving and settle disputes about the rules. Others start hosting on their own and book the pro now and then for a refresher.

Booking and cost

Pros set their own rate from $50 to $150 an hour, with visits of 1, 1.5 or 2 hours. A Bridge lesson or a chess game usually runs 1.5 hours. For a group, one booking covers the whole table, and the families often split it among themselves. A $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee are added at checkout, and the pro's note after each visit says what was covered.

Cancelling is free up to 3 days before the visit, which helps when four people's schedules have to line up. Between 3 days and 12 hours, 50% is charged.