How do you determine rotation, part 4
> From: Lynn P
> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2013 6:01 PM
> Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
> My mah-jongg question or comment is: RE: Q & A of Lynn P. on 11/9 about table rotation with 3 tables. No ,Tom I never complained about your showing other people’s Mah Jongg Sets in the past. In fact, I rather liked seeing them and reading the descriptions but I guess being sick with limited time at computer, I would have rather read Q & A. Amazing how many different kinds of MJ sets there are. One of the older ladies in our Friday Mah Jongg group has a very old set that we use. Pictures on the tiles are sometimes hard to distinguish especially since we only play at her house every 12 weeks or more depending on our schedule. I emailed your reply to my to fellow Mah Jongg players and I do think my idea, when playing with 3 tables, of having one whole table rotate to the other two is less time consuming than having 2 players at the 3 tables decide where they will move-sort of like playing Bunco where the hardest thing to do is to remember which table you are supposed to move to!!! I am missing my 2 Mah Jongg games this week because of doctor’s appointment for hubby and me so will be going over your strategy columns each night. Great teaching method. My new closing line to my fellow Mah Jong players is, “May the tiles and jokers be with you as long as you are not at my table!” Lynn P.
Hi Lynn,
Sorry for ranting, then! Keep on enjoying mah-jongg.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
November 10, 2013
How do you determine rotation, part 5
> From: Lynn P
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 12:17 PM
> Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
> My mah-jongg question or comment is: Playing American Mah Jongg we sometimes have 3 tables and are discussing how to rotate half way through our afternoon play time of 3 hours. With 2 tables each player throws dice and the two highest throwers switch places so no problem.
> 1. What is the best way to have 2 players move from each of 3 tables?
> My idea is to have each of the highest roller players move to a different table so they are not again playing together. So one of the 2 from table 1 goes table 2 and one goes to table 3. Next one of the 2 from table 2 goes to table 1 and one goes to table 3 and finally one from table 3 goes to table 1 and other one goes to table 2. Does that make sense to you? Wonder if it would be too confusing for players? We are all over 70 with the exception of 3 in their mid 60’s. I was an elementary teacher for 28 years so I could teach them but can “An old dog learn a new trick?”
> Our group referred to your book “The Red Dragon and The West Wind” at least 3 times this past week (2 separate MJ groups) since the NMJL Bulletin arrived in the mail and players were reading the Q&A. I said, “Never fear, Tom’s book is near,” and found the answers to players’ questions. Thank you again for all your hard work in writing this wonderful book. I agree with you that every group and also every Mah Jongg player should own a copy. Lynn P.
Hi, Lynn. You wrote:
we sometimes have 3 tables and are discussing how to rotate half way through our afternoon play time of 3 hours.
Still? You wrote me about that last November. You still haven't figured out something?
What is the best way to have 2 players move from each of 3 tables?
How should I know? This is a tournament organizer question, and I'm no tournament organizer (I never wanted to be, and I don't want ever to be).
My idea is to have each of the highest roller players move to a different table so they are not again playing together. So one of the 2 from table 1 goes table 2 and one goes to table 3. Next one of the 2 from table 2 goes to table 1 and one goes to table 3 and finally one from table 3 goes to table 1 and other one goes to table 2. Does that make sense to you?
No. I lost track after "one of the 2 from table 1 goes table 2". I had to draw a picture.
Wonder if it would be too confusing for players?
You mean you're not going to direct the traffic? If you don't draw them a picture and/or if you don't explain it clearly, then of course it'll be confusing. Just walk them through it. Also, your scheme doesn't say which of 2 tables one player should move to. Should they flip a coin? Does winner of the toss get to decide which of 2 tables she'd rather go to?
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
January 25, 2014
How do you determine rotation, part 6
> From: Lynn P
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 4:46 PM
> Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
> My mah-jongg question or comment is: regarding rotation question written last November and my last question Rotation part 5: I never got a chance to play much last year since I had been sick off and on ... [now am] well enough to play again. Your diagram looks great and I don’t think it matters who goes to which table as long as they don’t go with the person they were just playing with. You are right they will be confused so I will just wait until it is my turn to host again and if I have 12 players I will then make out cards with letters on them,, let them pick one as they come in the door and explain how we will change tables. Seems there is the idea in this group that "I can do what I want since it is my house and I am the host." So there will certainly be some grumbling but I think it will work out nicely and we will play with more different players. ... Thanks, Lynn P
Hi, Lynn.
Sorry you were sick. You said:
Seems there is the idea in this group that "I can do what I want since it is my house and I am the host."
That's only proper. Stay well!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
January 26, 2014
Rotating players with multiple tables
>From: Sharron B
>Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 2:07 PM
>Subject: MahJongg rotation
>In a game of two tables or three, do u have any suggestions as to the best way to rotate players to enable player mix? ( non-tournament play) thank u!
Hi, Sharron.
I have not created a formula or algorithm for rotating tables, but I have had numerous discussions with other readers about this.
I discussed it with lindaz on November 5, 2013:
http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd-archive28.htm#rotate1
I discussed it further with Lynn P about a week later, on November 9-10, 2013:
http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd-archive28.htm#rotate2
http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd-archive28.htm#rotate3
And Lynn P came back to discuss it some more on January 25, 2014:
http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd-archive29.htm#rotate1
http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd-archive29.htm#rotate2
And I wrote about table rotation in FAQ 21, "Running a tournament" - you can link to the FAQs above left.
As you see, I did not come up with a formula for it. I suppose you might find information online about how bridge players rotate, but I think that's a partners game. You can also try this:
http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/34328/how-to-rotate-n-individuals-at-a-dinner-party-so-that-every-guest-meets-every-ot
Since I am not a math head myself, and since I am not a tournament organizer, this is a problem I have not been much interested in solving myself.
Good luck! May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
May 18, 2015
What is all this musical chairs nonsense, hmmmm?
>From: Rosemary R
>Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2015 7:06 AM
>Subject: Musical chairs Mah Jongg
>I am 82, college degree, retired teacher. We play every Wed. at the golf club where several of us learned to play 2 years ago. In the meantime, I have played 3 times a week in Florida at 4 different sites and even now play an additional day of the week with Jewish friends at a Community Center. Never have I seen or heard of a "rule" that includes a kind of "musical chairs" between games. East must move to the next table...in effect, making everyone play with different players each time. To me, this causes unnecessary disruption..and is inconvenient, since not all games end at the same time. Also, some people arrive at different times, causing more disruption, expecting others to move to accommodate them. We are told by the woman that taught us that this is "how it's always done"! Hmmmm?
Hi, Rosemary.
This is a first. I usually get questions from the other side; people who want to encourage mixing. But before I go into that more, let me address your primary question.
There is no "rule" about table rotation, for the simple reason that the official rules assume one table. For instance, a game at someone's home, just 4 people (or 3, or 5). The League has not codified any rules for community centers or golf clubs or even tournaments. So that's the answer to the question you asked.
I encourage you to consider this from the vantage point of your teacher, or the activities director at the golf club or community center. She has a diverse constituency to serve; it doesn't serve her purposes if cliques are formed, with tightknit foursomes excluding newcomers. She wants people to have opportunities to play with others. So she has to come up with some way to rotate players between tables. There are formalized procedures used by tournament organizers, in a setting where everyone starts playing at the same time and finishes at the same time. But those procedures can't always work in the sort of situation you describe. And it's people like her who write me asking for my ideas about how to best arrange things. You can scroll down and read "Rotating players with multiple tables," From: Sharron B, Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015.
As for that thing you said about games not ending at the same time, I discussed that with Linda Z in "How do you determine rotation, part 2" in November 2013 (there's a link in the Sharron B post below).
I see the problem but I don't have a ready solution. If you don't like the way your teacher handles things, you can discuss with her some ideas that might suit her needs while also suiting the desires of all the players. But I don't have any magic answers for you (or for her). I suppose in another 15 or 20 years I may have to deal with such matters myself, but since I don't have to deal with such matters yet, I haven't come up with any handy solutions.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Creator of
the weekly Mah-Jongg column and
the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
June 25, 2015
What is all this musical chairs nonsense, part 2
>From: Donna
>Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2015 4:38 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Rotating players:
>At our community groups we love it when there is an extra person or two as they are the 'floaters'. As soon as one table is done, east gets up and the floater takes their place. It continues in this manner.
>If we have no extra players, we suggest people 'be patient, have a cookie, go to the restroom' or set up the wall slowly and another table will be done and easts can change places.
>This two options work well for us and I love playing with different people.
>Donna
>California
Nice, Donna. (^_^)
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Los Angeles, California, USA
June 25, 2015
I devised a table rotation
Mah-Jongg Q+A
On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 11:29:01 PM EDT, betsy n wrote:
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
Sent from Mail for Windows
Hi Tom, I devised a table rotation which works for 2 and 3 tables. We haven’t tried it yet with a 4th table.
The director (me) reaches into a bag, with the same number of chips numbered to the number of players,……
After 4 games, I reach into the bag and hand out the chips randomly, not looking at them. Sometimes, if my group is adept and paying attention, I spill the chips into a bowl and let them pick (without looking) for themselves.
Whichever creates the least confusion, and is most orderly…..and expeditious. LOL
Either way…everyone moves……. Time to grab a chip, cookie to run to the potty…..between rounds.
Thanks
THE Bettyann
Now I don't know whether to call you betsy or Bettyann! Anyway, hi!
These chips, am I to understand they're the colored coins with the hole in the middle?
And you wrote numbers on them with a marker? I presume numbers 1-4 correspond to seats at table 1, and so on. I'll add this to FAQ 27. The world needs more simple solutions to these thorny problems!
Play safe out there. And
may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Rochester, New York, USA
August 16, 2023
Donations appreciated
I devised a table rotation, part 2
On Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 09:51:28 PM EDT, betsy n wrote:
Re: Mah-Jongg Q+A
Hi Tom..... my name is Bettyann... (betsy is my email) To clarify...There are any number of ways to do it. You can use colored chips...any kind and red is at one table blue at another yellow,....and so in.
I have used plastic hippy hanging room divider pieces (I cut apart) I'd numbered. Today i used mini clothes pins (for hanging xmas cards) I numbered each one 1-12 and after each round (4 games) we all chose another clothes pin from the bowl....bag...box..... shrug. LOL
works like a charm. Sometimes a person can pull the same number they just had, then I give them the option to change their selection or stay pat.
Inline image Inline image I can write numbers on anything that happens to be around.... as long as I have enough of them.
Bettyann S
.• * *~:
'The happiest of people don't necessarily
have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything they have!
Thanks for the comeback, Bettyann. I understood that anything numbered could be used (could be slips of paper) but I was just curious what you meant by "chips," and what you used usually. Anyhoo, the random method is fine by me. A lot of game hosts want a scientific or mathematical (non-random) method, but I'm with you.
Play safe out there. And
may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Rochester, New York, USA
August 16, 2023
Donations appreciated
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