The Dispatch

Prim reads everything from the world of American Mahjong, so you don't have to.

Volume 2026 September 5

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The Dispatch for September 5, 2026Today’s Dispatch →

Set Your Rack

A seven round tournament takes registrations in Edison, New Jersey

A Tuesday in November, seventy five dollars a player, and one speed requirement the page states up front.

The JCC of Middlesex County lists its Fall 2026 Mah Jongg Tournament for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 1775 Oak Tree Road in Edison, New Jersey. Doors open at 8:15 in the morning, and the page says play begins promptly at 9:00.

The format is seven rounds, four in the morning and three in the afternoon, with cash prizes for both the morning and the afternoon winners. Continental breakfast, lunch and snacks are included, alongside giveaways, silent auctions and a cash raffle.

Registration is $75 per person, taken by phone at the front desk or through an online link on the page. The page states there are no refunds, and that space is limited. Questions go to Talia Tor, the JCC's senior development officer.

One line on that page deserves a second read. It says all players must be able to complete four games in 50 minutes. Prim's note: that pace, not the hands, is what surprises most people at a first timed tournament, and it is worth practicing before you enter one.

Read more at JCC of Middlesex County →

More from the table

For Beginners

A library in Coal Valley, Illinois teaches the card for free, by appointment

Three two hour lessons over about ten days, tiles and a card supplied, scheduled around the student rather than around a class night.

September 5, 2026 · Coal Valley Public Library

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At the Table

Both remaining 2026 stops on a touring circuit are sold out

The organizer's own tournament page now marks Houston and St. Petersburg closed, leaving one December date open for the rest of the year.

September 5, 2026 · Destination Mah Jongg

Read more →