$80 / hrBoard and card games
MahjongBridge
Grace Liu
5.0(11)Bridge bidding and Chinese style mahjong
Millburn
Tue · Thu · SatBackground checked
Mahjong, bridge and canasta lessons at home in Maplewood, NJ
There is something about a Tuesday card game on the block. Neighbors gather, someone puts out snacks, and the afternoon flies. Home Happenings connects older adults in Maplewood with local pros who teach canasta, mahjong and bridge to your group at home, and who will sit down for a real game of chess.
Mahjong, bridge, canasta, or someone to play a real game of chess with.
Friendly people serving Maplewood
$80 / hr
$80 / hrBoard and card games + 1 more
BridgeCanasta
Sam Okafor
5.0(9)Beginner bridge, bidding and spades
South Orange
Brings a full kitTue · Thu · Sat · SunBackground checked
$75 / hrYoga + 1 more
MahjongBridge
Elena Brooks
5.0(8)Chair yoga and slow breathing practice
Livingston
Mon · Wed · FriBackground checked
$95 / hrBoard and card games + 1 more
Bridge
Beth Sullivan
4.9(10)Beginner watercolor, and bridge for a friendly four
Bernardsville
Tue · Wed · FriBackground checked
$60 / hrBoard and card games + 1 more
Bridge
Claire Roberts
4.8(12)Rummy, gin and cribbage for beginners
Millburn
Brings a full kitMon · Wed · Fri · SatBackground checked
$60 / hrYoga + 1 more
Canasta
Felix Ivanov
4.8(6)Chair yoga, breathing and balance work
South Orange
Mon · Wed · FriBackground checked
$65 / hrBoard and card games + 1 more
Chess
Kwame Mensah
4.8(4)Spades, rummy and chair stretches between hands
South Orange
Uses what you have at homeTue · Thu · Fri · Sat · SunBackground checked
$50 / hrBoard and card games
Chess
Samuel Okonkwo
NewWeekly chess games, with tips if you want them
South Orange
Mon · Wed · Fri · SatBackground checked
A block game, started from scratch
Canasta and mahjong are four-player games, so you bring the players: a neighbor across the street, a friend from the senior center, a sister who lives nearby. The pro brings the game and teaches. Bookings for these two start at four visits, since it takes a few sessions to learn the rules and find a rhythm.
By week three, most groups are arguing happily about strategy and do not need the rulebook.
Learning together also makes for a nice weekly routine on the block. Someone hosts, someone brings cookies, and the group rotates houses if they like. The pro can travel to whichever house is hosting that week, as long as it is in a town they serve. Just tell them the address in messages before the session.
Which game suits your group
Canasta is friendly and social, easy to talk over. Mahjong has a beautiful set of tiles and a bit more strategy, and many people remember a mother or grandmother playing. Bridge is the deep one, with bidding and partnerships, and suits a group that loves a challenge.
Chess is different again. A pro comes to play a proper weekly game, and some will teach or review games if you want.
Playing in Maplewood
The Maplewood Senior Center on Burnett Avenue is a gathering place for many older residents, and a good spot to find a fourth player. The Maplewood Memorial Library has books on card games and strategy to borrow between sessions.
Once your group is confident, some decide to keep playing on their own, and the pro is only needed now and then for a refresher.
Games are a good way to stay sharp and social. We will not promise more than that, but anyone who has watched a group of friends laugh their way through a canasta hand knows it is time well spent. Many groups keep playing for years, long after they have stopped needing the pro.
Cost and booking
Pros set an hourly rate between $50 and $150. Sessions are 1, 1.5 or 2 hours, and card games often run 2. You will see a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee added when you check out. The rate is for the session, so a table of four can share it.
Book four weeks at the same time or every week until you cancel. Free cancellation up to 3 days ahead helps when someone has a doctor's appointment.
How visits work
Choose a one hour, 1.5 hour or two hour visit. Each visit adds a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee. You pay when you book. Refunds follow our cancellation policy: free up to 3 days before. Every published professional completes an online search, a real conversation with our team, a signed provider agreement, a criminal background check through a screening vendor and a national sex offender registry check. The home address stays private until a visit is confirmed. Read profiles, compare open times and reviews, then book an open time straight from the calendar. Use Message to discuss your first visit.
Popular activities in Maplewood
Questions seniors and families ask
Can we play mahjong with three people?
On Home Happenings, mahjong and canasta are taught to tables of four, so the game works as designed. If you are one short, the senior center or a neighbor is often a good place to find a fourth.
Which kind of mahjong do pros teach?
It varies. Many teach American mahjong, which uses a yearly card, and some teach other styles. Ask in a message which version the pro plays.
Is chess only for people who already know how to play?
Most people who book chess already play and want a weekly opponent. Some pros also teach beginners or help rusty players get back up to speed. Check the profile or ask.
How long does it take to learn canasta?
Most groups can play a full game by the second or third session. That is one reason canasta bookings start at four visits, so everyone gets comfortable before going it alone.
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