When I started playing mahjong, it was pre-pandemic, and I played in a group that supplied the mahjong sets. Of course, once I’d heard that we would all be stuck at home for a while, I turned to my best friend, Amazon, and immediately ordered a set for myself. It was clear that I needed to teach my husband and grown children how to play so that I could continue with my newfound obsession.

Fast forward, I am now a mahjong instructor who gets to share her passion with others, and it goes without say that I have since accumulated a few more mahjong sets to teach and play with.
I very much appreciate the artwork of most mahjong tiles and have always preferred to stick to the basic sets that pay homage to their Chinese heritage. However, I may have strayed a bit. I was slowly being drawn to many colorful ‘more modern’ sets. What can a girl do? The heart wants what the heart wants. And to boot, my dopamine levels sore when I use these gorgeous tiles. Most of my newer sets still depict similar pictograms to the more traditional sets, but just with a burst of color and/or unique tile backing.

As an instructor, I was very reluctant to teach with these newer tiles for a few reasons. For one, I believed learning with the traditional tiles was best practice. I also didn't want to confuse my students by teaching with different sets. Additionally, I sell ‘basic’ sets to my students and thought it makes sense to sell ones similar to those I use during their lessons. Finally, I assumed no one would want to spend money on the newer [more expensive] sets, especially a newbie.
I have since learned that I was wrong on almost all accounts. Here's the thing, I wasn't giving enough credit to my students. They are pretty capable and adaptable. I learned this at my last event, where students were encouraged to play with many different sets, and it went very well.

So, here's my take away. I can teach with whatever set I like and have a variety of other beautiful tiles on hand to showcase different styles. I have the option to sell students basic sets or guide them toward more modern colorful sets. But... I’ll let them make that decision for themselves.
Naturally, many prefer to take some time to test out the game and gauge their interest before committing to a hefty price tag on a new game they’ve just discovered. But there is no room for judgment or assumptions. There’s also no need to justify what we do with our money.

Everyone has their vice, and for me, and many others, it's our MAHJONG TILES. The colors bring me so much joy, especially on a dark winter day. So go ahead—elevate your game and play (and teach) with whatever mahjong tiles make your heart flutter!
Use my promo code to get a 10% discount at the following retailers;
LMM @ Bam Bird Boutique and Oh My Mahjong
Little_Miss_Mahjong @ Magnolia Mahjong
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