After trying something different at last year’s event, SEMI Riichi is back in the official tabletop games room for Youma 2023. We have arranged with staff to set up (up to) six tables & mats as an official “event” for tabletop gaming, starting Friday afternoon. These tables will be open for free/casual play, with a focus on teaching new folks. We plan on having at least one member of our club volunteering to help out during all hours we have the tables set up. We expect to have these tables run at least until midnight on Friday and Saturday, so we’re hoping to introduce a good number of new people to the game if there’s that level of interest.

In addition to teaching and freeplay tables in the games room, we have an official panel titled “Riichi! Learn to Play Japanese Mahjong” being led by our club leader Steve and enthusiastic co-panelist Anja. It will be at 9am on Saturday in panel room 356. The idea is to give new folks a basic overview of the game and its rules to ease the transition into playing real games. So we’ll point folks who show interest on Friday to the panel, and folks who show up at the panel to our tables in the game room. It will definitely be exciting if we get decent turnout despite the early hour.

Cons have been an important part of recruiting people into the riichi mahjong community in the U.S. for a number of years, so we’re glad to be continuing that tradition at our club’s home con. We will follow up with another post covering the event, ideally with new friends or even new members!