Mahjong Guide

Most people hear “American mahjong” and fill in the blanks with something they already know. Usually it is the Chinese game they saw once, or a vague idea that it is a grandmother’s hobby. Almost none of it matches what the game really is. Here are the myths that stop people from trying it, and…

The first time you sort a rack of American mahjong tiles, something feels off if you have played any other version. The tiles are covered in big Arabic numerals and little letters. There are dragons in three colors. And then there is a tile that simply says JOKER. None of that exists in a classic…