What is Mahjong? Here's why it's becoming so popular in Massachusetts

CBS News

06-02-2025

HINGHAM - Mahjong is becoming popular in Massachusetts and there's a business south of Boston ready to teach you all about it.
Gretchen Robards is the founder of South Shore Mahjong in Hingham. She's also an instructor.
"I started in January of last year with a handful of girlfriends just to have some fun. I did not think I was launching a business and then all of a sudden it morphed and here we are," she told WBZ-TV. "It has taken off like wildfire here. We have crews from Duxbury, from Milton, all over the South Shore, up in Boston, up to Andover."
How to play Mahjong
Mahjong is similar to Rummy in the sense that both games involve drawing and discarding to create sets. But make no mistake, Mahjong's tiles make it much more complex.
"Twenty minutes in they're like, 'Oh my gosh this is a crazy game,'" Robards said.
It's true, American Mahjong is "crazier" than the game you may have played on your computer. It includes three suits of tiles - Bams, Craks and Dots, as well as neutral tiles - Winds, Jokers and Flowers. While tiles may slightly vary from set to set, almost all pay tribute to Chinese culture.
"So apparently back in the 1800's with the field workers, the sparrows were sort of a pest and they made a lot of noise in the trees. And from what I understand, the game was invented to be a sort of positive energy to that negative. So the sparrow features prominently in the game, there's always a bird in the bamboo. But the noise of the tiles is supposed to simulate the chatter of the sparrows," Robards explained.
Then there's the card, issued by the National Mah Jongg League. Each year, they release a new version with different combinations to keep the game fresh.
"At first glance, it's kind of like NASA code. It's totally overwhelming. But you learn by taking classes and by playing that these numbers and letters are placeholders for tiles. So your goal is to match the tiles that are on your rack to one of these combinations," Robards said.
It's challenging for new players to keep it all together, but for them, this is about more than just playing game.
"Sense of community"
"I just love the sense of community that it's created. It's getting me re-in-touch with people I used to know when the kids were little. Older people, younger people," Michelle Cayer told WBZ-TV.
"Just to meet some new people and have something fun to do, if you don't ski or snowboard anymore," said Tara Boye.
This generation of Mahjong tables are bright and cheery and the ritual of setting up is half the fun. But Robards said there is truly nothing like the moment when it all comes together.
"It's fun to be growing the community, seeing a lot of people pick up on it, and knowing that people have this new passion that they're going to have for life with their families and friends," Robards told WBZ. "And I make sure that when people leave after lessons, they know how to play, and if you don't get it, I'm not letting you out. Like you're coming back in, we're going to make sure you get it!"