St. Petersburg’s home for American mahjong
Beginner classes, private lessons, open play, league, and events across Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
Properly taught. Warmly hosted. Yes, even if you have never touched a tile.
Teaching since 2023 ✦ 3,000+ women taught ✦ Certified Instructor ✦ 5-star reviews
AS FEATURED ON FOX 13 | ST PETE LIFE MAGAZINE
You have been thinking about this for a while.
Maybe your friend has had a mahjong game every Tuesday for a year, and you keep hearing about it. Maybe the tiles show up in your feed and look so pretty, but also like a language nobody taught you.
Maybe you almost signed up last month, then pictured yourself holding up the table and closed the tab.
I have taught more than 3,000 women who felt exactly that. Not one of them held up the table, because I do not run a room that way.
START HERE
Learn
Brand new, or coming back after twenty years. American mahjong group classes around Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in Tampa Bay, private mahjong lessons at your place or mine, and hands-on online classes on Zoom.
Wherever you are, there is a table.
Start from the beginning, come back after a break, or hand me your guest list.
ALREADY PLAYING
Play
You have the basics, and you want a table. Open mahjong play at venues around town, and Tile Tally League when you want your wins on the board. Six weeks a season, all abilities welcome.
BOOKING AN EVENT
Host
Birthdays, bridal showers, retirement parties, club afternoons, corporate team events, and client appreciation. I bring the tiles, the mats, the teaching, and joy. Everyone leaves able to play, which is the part people remember.
On the calendar
Pick a date. Save a seat.
My next classes around Tampa Bay. Brand new? Start with a Taste of Mahjong or Mahjong 101.
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Fun is the easy part. Capable is the point.
By the end of your first 2.5-hour lesson, you will play a real game. Not a demonstration. A real one.
METHOD
Mahjong Made Simple
I leave out everything you do not need on day one, so the basics actually stick.
ACCURACY
Taught to the card
National Mah Jongg League rules and the current year's card, for every class. What you learn here works anywhere.
THE ROOM
Everyone belongs
No fast group and slow group. Nobody gets quietly left behind at my table. Come by yourself, you will not sit by yourself.
THE FORMAT
Tiles in your hands
You will not sit through a lecture. I teach a sequence, you play it, and that is how the whole class runs.
Nowhere near Tampa Bay?
Learn from anywhere.
Printable guides built on my Mahjong Made Simple method. Download tonight, keep one next to your rack tomorrow.
Card Study 2026
A workbook for getting to know all 72 hands on the 2026 card, one section at a time.
See the guide →
Mahjong for 2, Mahjong for 3
The fourth cancels. Four ways to keep playing when the table is short.
See the guide →
Teach Your Family to Play
A one-sitting roadmap for teaching the people you love. Confidence first, chaos never.
See the guide →
NICE TO MEET YOU
Hi, I’m Gaia, Tampa Bay’s favorite beginner-friendly mahjong instructor
I help new players learn American mahjong in a way that feels fun, stylish, and totally stress-free. With my Mahjong Made Simple method, you’ll go from “I’ve always wanted to learn…” to “I can actually play!” faster than you think.
I'm a master instructor. I've been teaching since 2023, and in that time I've helped more than 3,000 women go from nervous to confident at the table.
I am a Founding Member of the Mahj Life Instructor Guild. The badges symbolize my dedication to teaching with accuracy, integrity, and respect for the game’s official guidelines and rules.
And yes, I’m a Certified American Mahjong Instructor, which means you’re in wonderfully capable (and patient) hands.
After their first class
More than a game. A reason to gather.
“If you want to learn Mahjong in a way that actually makes sense, you have to take a class with Gaia.”
Wendy
“Gaia was engaging and made learning Mahjong easy! Such a fun experience.”
Lianna
“Gaia is a wonderful teacher! Also, she is the epitome of a welcoming hostess at every open play setting.”
Bonnie
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