| Status: | Active, full but can join waiting list |
| Leader: | |
| When: | Weekly on Friday afternoons 2:00 pm Plus additional games can be arranged via WhatsApp |
We meet in members houses, mostly in Caterham-on-the-Hill and Warlingham.
Mah Jong is a game of Chinese origin, played with 144 ornately engraved tiles. In the late 19th century when the game developed from earlier Chinese games, the tiles were hand painted and made from bamboo and bone. Although we have some of these ancient sets, modern sets are plastic reproductions; you don't need to read Chinese to use any of them! There are four (or sometimes three) players to a table; there are no partnerships.
Essentially the game is drawing tiles and discarding, with the aim of forming a complete 14 tile hand of four sets of three (runs or all the same) and a pair, or one of the more difficult high scoring special hands such as 'Wriggling Snake'. The scoring is sophisticated, with several sets of tiles or combinations of sets doubling your score; by having several doublings you can get a score of 2,000 (or can go out with a score as low as 40). The scoring system is what makes it most rewarding to play, as you have to weigh up the relative benefits of trying to go out quickly, or trying for a draw, or holding out for a spectacular score. It is a game of skill with a substantial element of luck. We keep track of the score by the exchange of tally sticks of various denominations; the winner at each table is the one with most tally sticks at the end of the session. (Obviously we do not play for money!)
The rules are not fully standardised but are variations on a theme; our group plays by commonly accepted rules with some extra features; our rules are made available in a handout to new members. One of the aspects of the game not having standardised rules is that some groups (indeed some countries) play oversimplified versions of the game; if you have ever seen one of these you may have concluded that it is just rummy with funny tiles. The 'proper' version of the game is much more interesting than a rummy type game. It also has got nothing to do with the pair matching solitaire mah jong games seen on the internet.
We have a good collection of mah jong sets, ranging from 100 years old to modern. You do not need your own mah jong set. Tuition will provided at your first session and there are occasional emails with advice on play. The essentials can be learned in a single session, but like most good games, you are always learning more.
We meet in members’ houses, mostly in Caterham on the Hill or Warlingham; there is no requirement to host. We meet every Friday afternoon and also have a WhatsApp group to arrange ad hoc additional games. For the Friday afternoon sessions, new members are now only admitted on a reserve list basis, meaning that they only play when there is room. Availability is notified in advance, so you would know by Wednesday whether you have a space on Friday. Reserve list members usually get a Friday game, and there is the WhatsApp group for play on other days.
We find it tremendous fun, more so than any card game, and the ornate tiles add to the enjoyment. If you would like to give it a try and are happy to be put on a reserve list, please contact the group leader - Bill L .
