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Home Happenings

Mahjong, bridge and canasta lessons at home in Short Hills, NJ

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Bridge and mahjong tables have been a fixture in Short Hills living rooms for generations. Home Happenings sends local game pros to the house to teach a table of friends, brush up rusty players, or simply sit down for a serious game of chess every week.

Mahjong, bridge, canasta, or someone to play a real game of chess with.

Friendly people serving Short Hills

How it works for four-player games

For mahjong and canasta, you set up the table: three friends, neighbors from the street, a visiting daughter, whoever you'd like. The pro brings the game and teaches. Because these games need a few sessions before a group can play on its own, they're booked as at least 4 visits.

After that, many groups keep the pro coming once a month to settle disputes and teach new strategy. Others are happy to go it alone.

The first visit for a new mahjong group is mostly about tiles and rules, with a few practice hands played slowly face up so everyone can see the thinking. By the third session, the teacher is talking less and the players are talking more. Canasta moves faster; many groups are scoring their own games by the second or third visit. Plan to have snacks. It's tradition.

Bridge for returning players

A lot of Short Hills residents played bridge years ago and have forgotten more than they'd like to admit. A teacher can run a refresher: modern bidding basics, play of the hand, a few conventions. For complete beginners, it starts with the mechanics of tricks and trumps and builds from there.

The Millburn Free Public Library on Glen Avenue is a handy place to borrow a bridge book to read between sessions.

Bridge is also, by its nature, a social game, and a regular table is one of the easiest ways to see the same friends every week without anyone having to organize a dinner.

Chess, played properly

Most people booking chess don't want a lesson. They want an opponent: someone who'll play a real game every week, no letting you win. Some pros will also go over the game afterward or teach openings if you ask.

A weekly game is a great way to keep the mind working, and it's genuinely fun when the two players are well matched. Tell the pro roughly how strong you are.

Cost

Pros set their own hourly rate between $50 and $150. Game sessions often run 1.5 or 2 hours. You pay for the visit, not per player, plus a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee at checkout. Cancel free up to 3 days before.

If your group already plays but wants to get better, a pro can run sessions on strategy rather than basics. Tell them where you're stuck.

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.

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Questions seniors and families ask

How many visits does it take to learn mahjong?

Mahjong bookings are at least 4 visits, and most groups are playing on their own by then. The first lesson covers tiles and basic hands; by the fourth, the teacher is mostly watching and answering questions. Some groups book a few extra sessions for strategy.

Do all players need to be seniors?

Not at all. The table can include anyone you like: grandchildren, neighbors, friends of any age. Mixed-age tables are often the liveliest. The pro teaches whoever is sitting there.

Can the pro just play chess with my dad, not teach?

Yes. That's what most chess bookings are: someone to play a real game with each week. Some pros enjoy teaching too, so if he'd like that, mention it. Message a few and ask about their playing level.

Who brings the cards, tiles and scorepads?

The pro brings the game. You provide a table that seats four, comfortable chairs, good light and the players. If your group sticks with it, the pro can recommend what to buy for your own set.

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