$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 South Orange, NJ
A standing game night is one of the oldest good ideas there is. Home Happenings sends local game pros to homes in South Orange to teach mahjong, canasta or bridge to your own table of four, or to show up every week ready for a real game of chess.
Mahjong, bridge, canasta, or someone to play a real game of chess with.
Friendly people serving South Orange
$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
$60 / hrBoard and card games
BridgeChess
Ivan Petrov
4.9(14)Chess partner and patient bridge teacher
Bernardsville
Tue · Wed · ThuBackground 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
You gather the table, they bring the game
Mahjong and canasta need four players, so you round them up: neighbors, friends from your building, a sister, a grown grandchild. The pro brings the tiles or cards and teaches. These two games require booking at least 4 visits, since it takes a few sessions before everyone can play without help.
Most groups find that after the fourth lesson they're arguing about strategy, which is a good sign.
The pro will also adjust to the group. If one player picks things up fast and another needs a bit more time, a good teacher keeps the whole table moving without anyone feeling rushed or held back. Cards and tiles can be chosen with bigger print or larger faces if eyesight is an issue. Just ask.
Chess, for people who want a real opponent
Finding a chess player who will come to the house every Thursday and play properly is harder than it sounds, even in a college town like South Orange, home to Seton Hall. Most chess bookings on Home Happenings are just that: a serious weekly game against someone of a similar level. Some pros teach as well, if you'd like to improve.
A good game every week is mental exercise that doesn't feel like exercise.
A weekly game also gives the week some shape. Lots of players say they look forward to Thursday all week, and spend part of it thinking about the last game.
Bridge, a little at a time
Bridge is the hardest of these to learn from scratch, and the most rewarding once it clicks. A teacher breaks it down: tricks and trumps first, then simple bidding. For people who played decades ago, a few refresher sessions are often enough to get a regular game going again.
The South Orange Public Library is a good place to borrow a bridge or chess book to read between sessions.
Lapsed bridge players often find the game has changed a little in how people bid, and a teacher can bring them up to date quickly.
Cost
Pros set an hourly rate between $50 and $150, with 1, 1.5 or 2 hour sessions; card games usually 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. Cancel free up to 3 days before.
Book four weeks at the same time, or every week until you cancel. Many groups settle into a standing day and time that everyone keeps free.
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 South Orange
Questions seniors and families ask
Why do mahjong and canasta lessons require 4 visits?
Both games take a few sessions to learn well enough to play alone, and both need four players at the table. Booking at least 4 visits gives the group time to go from learning the basics to playing confidently on their own.
Can my mother join if she doesn't know three other players?
The table needs four players for mahjong and canasta, so she'd need to gather them. Neighbors, family and friends from local groups all count. For chess, she only needs herself and the pro, so that's an easy place to start.
What level of chess player will the pro be?
It varies. Some pros are strong club players; others are casual players who enjoy a good game. Their profiles describe their experience. Message a few, tell them roughly how strong you are, and choose someone who'll give you a fair game.
How long is a game session?
Most people book 1.5 or 2 hours for mahjong, canasta or bridge, which leaves time to learn and play several hands. Chess can work in one hour for a single game or 1.5 hours for a game and a short review.
Nearby towns
Find a professional in South Orange
Tell us the activity, who the visit is for, and which days and times work.
Find someone