Mrs. Mahjong

Written by Morgan Crawford Scott | Photo of Dominique by Carolyn Allen Photography

A nurse by trade, wife and mother by day, Dominique Messerschmidt—or “Mrs. Mahjong,” to all—is a key player in today’s mahjong movement. Introduced to the game a few years ago by a good friend, she was immediately hooked and quickly became a mahjong maven herself. Recognizing how intimidating the game can be for beginners, she began teaching classes to family and friends. Interest spread quickly, and soon she found herself instructing hundreds of players across state lines. “I was teaching so many people between Georgia and Florida, so I started connecting people who I thought would get along or have similar skill sets. I was essentially acting as their mahjong concierge,” says Dominique.

But like an elusive joker tile, something was missing. Dominique noticed that while players loved learn-ing the game, many struggled to find consistent, organized play. And without a regular group or schedule, their skills waned. This gap sparked her entrepreneurial “aha!” moment. Teaching had an expiration date, but facilitating structured, league-wide play did not...

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Mrs. Mahjong's Tips

• Getting started: Find a group, grab an instructor, and don’t be afraid to jump in! Don’t have a group to learn with? Find an instructor and ask to be added to their next group class.

• What you'll need: A set of tiles, four racks, four National Mah Jongg League cards, a pair of dice a mat, and three other people to play with.

• How to join: Head to themahjongleague.org (@themahjongleague) to find a league near you. Join solo or with a group. Don’t see a league near you? Click “Bring the League toMe” and apply to start one in your area.

Dominique Messerschmidt

@mrsmahjong | @themahjongleague | themahjongleague.org