Here what I started with (application.js / index.js.erb), and the subsequent attempts. I also tried an entirely new game_classes_coffee.js. note the railscast version of the file (application.js) reads: ).live("click", -- have changed this to on mylsef.

application.js

$(function() {
  $("#game_classes th a, #game_classes .pagination a").on("click", function() {
    $.getScript(this.href);
    return false;
  });
  $("#game_classes_search input").keyup(function() {
    $.get($("#game_classes_search").attr("action"), $("#game_classes_search").serialize(), null, "script");
    return false;
  });
});

attempt_1.js

$(function() {
    $(document).on('click tap', '#game_classes th a, #game_classes .pagination a', () ->
    $.getScript(this.href);
    return false;
  });
  $("#products_search input").keyup(function() {
    $.get($("#game_classes_search").attr("action"), $("#game_classes_search").serialize(), null, "script");
    return false;
  });
});

game_classes.js.coffee

jQuery ->
  # Ajax sorting and pagination on click - taken from a railscase comment and adapted.
  $('#game_classes td.sortable a, #game_classes .pagination a').live('click', ->
    $.getScript(this.href)
    false
  )
  # Ajax search on submit
  $('#game_classes_search').submit( ->
    $.get(this.action, $(this).serialize(), null, 'script')
    false
  )
  # Ajax search on keyup
  $('#game_classes_search input').keyup( ->
    $.get($("#game_classes_search").attr("action"), $("#game_classes_search").serialize(), null, 'script')
    false
  )

index.js.erb

$("#game_classes").html("<%= escape_javascript(render("game_class")) %>");