Tile and Error: Mastering the Game of Mahjong”

I had head about the game Mahjong but in my mind I always envisaged it being played by  old wizened Chinese women in the

small lanes of China Town. Little did I know that looks are definitely deceptive and it takes a lot of strategy, cunning and of course luck to master this game. 

A dear golfing friend of mine, Rita Dogra, very kindly introduced me to this game as she used to live in Pune where Mahjong is very popular and unfortunately for her, after moving back to Kolkata she was unable to find anyone to play with. Then she had a eureka moment… why not teach some ladies and then she will be able to form a group to play with. So one thing led to another and I heard about a group of ladies who were coming from Mumbai to give classes in Kolkata and decided to join up. These ladies have a set up called ‘Let’s Mahjong’ and not only teach but organise events in various restaurants and cafés in Mumbai for lovers of this game to congregate and play with great zeal. 

So first, for the uninitiated a small introduction to the new baby in my life! Mahjong is a traditional Chinese tile-based game, usually played by four players. Using 144 tiles marked with symbols and characters, players draw and discard to form winning sets, similar to rummy. A standard winning hand has four sets and a pair. Known for its blend of skill, memory, and luck, mahjong is not just a game but also a cultural pastime, enjoyed at family gatherings and in many regional variations worldwide.

Initially it is rather daunting and I had moments when I thought I would give up because all I could see in my dreams were boos, cracks, rings and dragons and I would suddenly wake up shouting Mahjong!!! The feeling of euphoria you get when you manage to win a game is amazing and keeps you going for another session. This is very similar to my other passion…golf…in that we all have excuses why we just missed winning… in golf it’s ‘ I would have got a hole in one if the ball had a slight kick to the left or if I’d had a bit more roll or if the grass had been cut a bit better. In Mahjong it’s because I discarded the wrong tile or I was having a sip of my coffee and someone else called faster… there’s always an excuse!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed my classes as I have managed to meet a whole new group of people who I now consider my friends… and even though many are much younger than me we had a blast from day one. I have now become the local ‘agony aunt’ and disperse advice as though I’m an expert!! The nicest thing is that they enjoy playing with we “fuddy duddies “ and don’t make excuses to avoid us! We now meet up a couple of times a week to play and try to hone up our skills with steely determination. Our ‘teachers’ keep encouraging us to practice and send us pictures of winning hands and make us figure out what the score would be. That is one thing I have still not mastered but I am getting the gist of it now and between us we manage to figure out the answer. 

Mahjong has really taken Kolkata by storm and there are numerous teachers coming from all over India and whoever you talk to regale you with how good or bad they are. The only problem I find is that every city plays with different systems and slightly different rules. This is one thing I fail to understand … football is football and the rules are the same the whole world over.. as is cricket or tennis. Mahjong is basically Chinese and I guess it has got lost in translation so every city  have made little tweaks here and there to suit themselves.  

A number of articles about Mahjong have been published in various newspapers and I even had the ignonimity of appearing on Page 3 in the Times Of India!!! A first for me!! Of course there are some ‘smart Alec’s who have to make disparaging comments about the game and also the ladies who play it. No… we certainly do not go dressed to kill nor do we carry or even eye each other’s designer handbags.  In the mornings by the time I have organised my house, ordered the lunch, ordered the fruit and vegetables I can just about jump into the car to rush to my class. Where is the time to worry about what I’m wearing or carrying? My advice to people like this is to keep their free advice to themselves and don’t pass judgement!!

A full game usually takes about 21/2 to 3 hours and it is great fun and the time just passes by. We play with great concentration as one slip up could lead to missing a correct move but there is great camaraderie and laughter and we all clap when someone makes a Mahjong. Up until now I have just learnt the tip of the iceberg but as I keep playing I am sure I will be able to figure out the little nuances which will improve my  game. Many thanks to the Let’s Mahjong team namely our super teachers Diku, Sheetal and Kanika,who continue to shout at us if we make a mistake, and who are always available to answer our multitude of queries and problems. I highly recommend this game to everyone out there. So what are you waiting for?

LETS MAHJONG!!!