How to host a mahjong night

A standing game is one of the easier things to host well, because the format does most of the work. Four people, a fixed night, and an activity that gives everyone something to do with their hands.

Set the table before anyone arrives

• Mat down, racks at four seats, wall built or tiles washed and ready.
• A card stand at each seat if you have them — otherwise the cards end up under the racks.
• Score pad and a pencil that works. Two pencils.
• Coasters off the felt. This is the whole reason to leave a margin of bare table.

Feed them something that survives being ignored

Nobody wants a plated course mid-hand. Put out things that hold for three hours and do not leave a film on the fingers — nuts, olives, cut fruit, something salty. Anything greasy ends up on the tiles, and tiles are hard to clean.

Grease is the enemy of a tile set. Put the chips in the other room.

Decide the end time in advance

The most common way a good game night goes wrong is that it has no ending. Agree on a stop — a clock time, or a number of hands — before the first wall goes up. Ending on time is what makes people come back next week.