The ancient Chinese game of mahjong has seen a recent surge in popularity across America, with players of all generations and skill levels getting together regularly to exercise their brains and enjoy the social interaction.
The 2018 film, “Crazy Rich Asians,” is credited with popularizing mahjong among Americans. The film depicts an intense scene between two main characters challenging each other on issues of family, culture and tradition whilst playing the game.
Erin Schamisch of Cleveland Heights runs “Mahjong In The Heights” and regularly hosts groups of players in locations all over Greater Cleveland, bringing families, friends and strangers together to learn, play and strategize. But it didn’t start out that way.
“I did one lesson, I got in my car and I said I’m never going back,” Schamisch laughed, recalling her earliest experiences with mahjong. But she gave mahjong another shot, playing with small groups around Cleveland where she could learn from a variety of players. All taught her something different.
Suddenly, Schamisch said, “I felt like it was a mosquito bite, I got bit. All of a sudden, I was constantly itching. I wanted to play more.”
And then she found herself “meeting different people – you weren’t staring at your phone – you were just really, really immersed in this game.”
Schamisch believes the world is still experiencing ripple effects from the isolation due to the Covid pandemic and the popularity of mahjong comes from humans’ need for stimulation, connection and social interaction. “You can sit down with three strangers and you walk away with three friends,” she said.
What is mahjong?
The strategy and quick-thinking required to play mahjong has made it popular among older adults looking to keep their minds sharp.
And mahjong has found popularity among younger people as well. Clevelander Kim Nardi plays at events hosted by Mahjong In The Heights with friends and her children, who are in their 20s. “The reason I love it is it brings all of our friends and their children and everybody together, and it also, like, makes you think, and keeps your brain fresh,” Nardi said.
“Your brain instantly starts working,” Schamisch added, “you’re just constantly watching, there’s so much going on. It’s very stimulating to the brain.”
Mahjong was developed in China in the 1800s and has since spread throughout the world. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. The word “mahjong” means “sparrow” in Chinese, as it is said the clacking of the tiles during shuffling is similar to the sound of chattering sparrows. Players use different strategies to match their tiles with the same symbol until the board is cleared. Many regional versions of mahjong exist including an American variation, the type Schamisch teaches and plays.
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How to play mahjong
Every game has rules of sportsmanship, especially “mahj”, as Schamisch calls it, like a nickname you would give to an old friend. We sat down with Schamisch at a mahjong event she recently hosted at Cocky’s Bagels in the Flats to learn some of the most basic rules a player should know before sitting down at a mahjong table.
“Never ask a lady her age or how many tiles she has,” quipped one player.
Schamisch recommends exploring the Chinese version of mahjong first and its history before learning the American version. “[Learn] where it originated, where it comes from, who played it, and why they played it, because it’ll make sense of why we do it today.”
Each symbol on a mahjong tile set has a meaning. “It’s just not a picture game,” said Schamisch.
“Be prepared by silencing your phone,” said Schamisch, a common rule of etiquette for any tabletop game. “There’s a lot of information that’s going to be thrown at you.”
Schamisch recommends beginners announce to the table that they are just starting out with mahjong and may require help or extra time: “It’s good to remind them that they were once a beginner, too. For someone who’s been playing, etiquette would be patience and grace that you need to give new players, because we were all once there, so that etiquette actually goes both ways.”
Schamisch said patience is key when learning mahjong. “We all think in everything we do that we’re supposed to learn it, grasp it, make it work right then and there,” she said. “Mahjong is something that takes a while to learn, and you have to be very patient. It might take you up to six months to say, ‘I have a full understanding of this game.’ It might take you months until you hit your first long jump, and that’s okay.”
There are also etiquette rules for celebration. “Never start talking and say how close you were,” said Schamisch. It’s always important to congratulate the winner, who will show their hand and explain their win. One by one, the rest of the players then show and explain their hands.
International Mahjong Day is Saturday, August 1. Mahjong in the Heights, along with Tiles, Tails and Tennis, will be hosting a book discussion followed by open mahjong play Thursday, July 30, and a mahjong happy hour Saturday, August 1, both in Chagrin Falls. Mahjong in the Heights will next be hosting games at CLE Urban Winery in Cleveland Heights on July 21, August 4, and August 18.
