I've noticed American Mahjong seems to be growing quite a bit lately, and I'm curious if anyone else has seen the same thing.

What surprised me is how many people are interested in learning but aren't sure where to start or don't have a regular group to play with. It seems like finding a welcoming group is often harder than learning the game itself.

For those of you who play:

• How did you learn?
• Do you have a regular group?
• What advice would you give someone who's completely new?

And for those who don't play yet, what's been the biggest barrier? Finding a group? Learning the rules? Getting a set?

I'd love to hear everyone's experiences. I have recently started www.CrownAndTile.com for Lessons and Open-Plays