01
Tournament Foundations
Check-in, seating, table assignments, rotations, score sheets, pace of play and what to expect throughout the day.
Mah Jongg Mania Presents
Tournament Ready Boot Camp
You know how to play. Now learn what to expect at a tournament, strengthen your decision-making, and practice in a friendly, supportive setting.
Sunday, January 10, 2027
10:30 AM–4:30 PM · Best Western Premier, Plainview, NY
$75 per person
$75 per person
Not a beginner classDesigned for players who already know how to play and are ready to take their game to the tournament table.
Know the rules. Own the game.
Everything you need to feel tournament ready
Clear instruction is followed by realistic challenges and coached play so you can put each lesson into practice.
02
Starting the Game
Building the wall, table positions, dealing, East’s responsibilities and how to handle an incorrect start.
03
Charleston Strategy
Choose stronger passes, protect flexible tiles and respond correctly when the Charleston gets mixed up.
04
Picking and Discarding
Learn when a tile is committed, how to avoid the wrong end of the wall and how the calling window closes.
05
Exposures and Jokers
Make legal exposures, handle joker exchanges correctly and understand how an exposure can make a hand dead.
06
Declaring Mah Jongg
Display and verify the hand, understand Mah Jongg in error and know what happens when hands are exposed.
07
Scoring and Penalties
Practice tournament scoring, wall games, no-joker bonuses, mis-calls and common point penalties.
08
Strategy and the Mental Game
Read the table, recognize power tiles, stay flexible, make the pivot and recover confidently from mistakes.
Learn by doing
A friendly boot camp—not a high-pressure tournament
We teach the rule, show the situation, let you decide, and then explain the tournament-ready response.
Boot Camp Challenges
Work through realistic scenarios involving Charleston mix-ups, hidden tiles, the wrong end of the wall, exposure errors, joker exchanges, dead hands and incorrect Mah Jongg declarations.
Coached Tournament-Style Rounds
Play scored rounds with table rotations while instructors guide the room, answer questions and help you apply the rules under real playing conditions.
The Pivot Decision
Learn how to recognize when your original hand is no longer realistic—and whether the best move is to pivot within the same section or move to another section.
Reading the Table
Look beyond your own rack. Use exposures, discards and the stage of the game to make stronger offensive and defensive decisions.
Your day starts organized
What you receive at check-in
Every participant receives a check-in envelope so there is no guessing about where to go or what to do.
- Your table number and seat assignment
- Your individual score sheet
- A tournament rules quick-reference sheet
- East receives a table score sheet for each round and keeps the official table scores
Table rotation made simple
EastRemains at the table and keeps score.
NorthMoves up one table after each round.
WestMoves up two tables after each round.
SouthMoves down one table after each round.
Your Boot Camp instructors
Meet Michele and Lori
Mah Jongg Mania co-directors Michele Drotman and Lori Rubin combine clear instruction with real tournament experience. Their goal is to help every player understand the rules, feel comfortable at the table and approach tournament day with confidence.
Michele Drotman
A retired science teacher with 33 years of classroom experience, Michele creates the Boot Camp lessons, challenges and step-by-step instruction that make complicated tournament situations easier to understand.
Lori Rubin
With a background in accounting and tournament organization, Lori brings expertise in scoring, table assignments, player rotations, prizes and the rules that keep tournament play running smoothly.
Bring a friend
Current players earn a $10 coupon
Refer someone new to Tournament Ready Boot Camp and receive a $10 coupon toward a future Mah Jongg Mania event.
Your next event
New boot campers receive $10 off
Attend Boot Camp and receive a $10 coupon toward your first future Mah Jongg Mania tournament.
Come to Boot Camp. Leave tournament ready.
Ready to build your confidence?
January 10, 2027 · Best Western Premier, Plainview · $75 per person.
Space is limited. Register online today. Questions? Email us at mahjonggmania23@gmail.com.