Play Chinese Mahjong in London
It’s easy to find a mahjong parlour to play Chinese Mahjong in Asia, but London has far fewer options. Dear Asia in Aldgate runs a Mahjong school for newbies and Just Play sessions for experienced players.
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Chinese Mahjong
Chinese classic Mahjong is the root of nearly all Mahjong styles and remains one of the most widely played today. This uniquely Chinese invention—from the tiles and their meanings to the special hands that score highly—is woven into daily life. In China you’ll still see people playing in the streets; everyone knows the game. In the West, interest is growing—sparked by films, Chinese communities aboard, and renewed curiosity about this cultural pastime.
Classic and most popular
When we say Chinese classic style, we mean the game’s foundation: the tile set, suits and melds, wind positions, bonus tiles, winning hand patterns, and core rules. Regional differences are mostly in scoring, so learning Chinese classic is the best introduction for newbies — it’ll let you sit confidently at a Mahjong table in China, Southeast Asia, or with Asian communities abroad.
Old Hong Kong Style
You may have heard this term—it’s the most popular Mahjong style played outside China. Based on the Chinese classic foundation, the old Hong Kong (Cantonese) style uses a “fan” scoring system; experienced players typically require a minimum of 3 fan to win.
At Dear Asia we teach the Chinese classic foundation in our Newbie workshop and Hong Kong scoring in our Improver workshop. This approach lets you play confidently with players from Asia or players who follow British rules; while minor differences exist, you’ll adapt quickly at the table.
“I’ve long wanted to learn this Chinese Domino game called Mahjong — I finally found the right place.”
The teachers are great and the material was easy to follow. My Korean and confidence is growing with every lesson.
Dear Asia have been excellent communicators right from my initial enquiry, so I feel very comfortable with my child attending as they are on it and very professional.
The community within the group, and Dear Asia as a whole, is friendly and I like that they actively do social activities to boost learning and fun!
Overall the teacher, class and course made an excellent impression and my Daughter wanted to continue learning with them, so I’m very pleased.
“we didn’t want to leave at the end of our newbie workshop, what a wonderful afternoon.”
How to Learn in London
We wrote more about learning Mahjong in London on our blog. Essentially, start with Chinese Mahjong — the other styles (Japanese Riichi, American Mahjong) are more niche locally. Look for Asian community centres, university clubs, and Meetup groups across the UK, they might be able to offer tutorials to new joiners.
Dear Asia is a proper Mahjong school offering private instruction and regular Saturday workshops led by expert instructors — we guarantee enjoyable, effective learning. Based in Aldgate (E1), we’re central and easy to reach.
Hire an private instructor for your group
We offer a premium service: an experienced Mahjong instructor for your home or Mahjong‑themed event. If that’s what you’re after, visit our pricing & booking page 👉 Here for more details.
regular saturday workshops available
Below are two workshop levels designed to turn Mahjong zeros into heroes. We’re proud of our teaching — as professional teachers we’ve refined these sessions many times to ensure everyone can learn to play this beautiful game in one fun, social afternoon.
Newbie Workshops
New to Mahjong? This is the workshop you need to learn how to play Chinese Mahjong with confidence.
improver workshops
Not new to Mahjong but want to improve your play and learn scoring? This Level 2 workshop is for you.
where to play chinese mahjong in london
If you’re Asian and miss the buzz of playing Mahjong, Dear Asia is the place for you. If you’ve just picked up Mahjong and want regular play to improve, we’re the place for you too. Whether it’s a one‑off game or our regular sessions, we offer the same warm, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for everyone.
best price offer
Believe us — we’ve done our best to keep Just Play ticket prices the lowest possible. Our goal is to grow a buzzing, inclusive Mahjong community in Central London, welcoming players of all backgrounds and styles (Chinese, Riichi, American, British). Nothing beats in‑person games for social connection, fostering friendships and building memories.
a warm and friendly community
Although we’ve received many reviews praising our teaching at our workshops, players also often highlight how pleasant it is to meet our instructors and fellow participants. That’s who we are and how we run our events. We hope to welcome you soon.
“I like that i can just book a ticket, come play mahjong and meet some new people.”
Chinese Mahjong Players — come play with us on Saturdays!
Already know Chinese Mahjong? Great — book a Just Play ticket to play with us on Saturdays at Aldgate (E1). We’d love to have you!
our Mahjong Styles
Dear Asia is the only Mahjong club in London offering at least three different styles; our inclusive community is always growing.
Chinese Mahjong
Chinese classic Mahjong — specifically the Hong Kong (old) style — is the most popular version worldwide and is the main style we play here.
american Mahjong
American Mahjong is trending worldwide and plays quite differently from other styles. We’ve taught private clients and are now offering public workshops for anyone who wants to learn and play.
Japanese Riichi
Riichi Mahjong is the most popular style online, and it deserves social time away from the screen. That’s why we’re building a Riichi player community—already home to many enthusiastic players and a number of experienced masters.
Learning mahjong on your own?
Find out our blog writing details about mahjong playing rules, strategies and many interesting stories about this game.
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Want to ask about our mahjong workshops
Contact us to talk about it.