The clatter of colorful tiles echoed through the Iola Public Library Tuesday afternoon, sounding almost like a flock of birds chirping back and forth. For the growing number of local residents discovering the game of Mahjong, that sound has quickly become the soundtrack of a new pastime.
“Mahjong actually translates to sparrow,” instructor Becky Meiwes explained as tiles clicked against one another around the table. “Because when the tiles hit one another, it sounds like sparrows chirping.”
Around the table with Meiwes were Susan Walters, newcomer Susan Mulsow, and this reporter, learning the intricate but addictive game that is steadily gaining popularity.
Traditional American Mahjong is typically played with four players who build matching tile combinations while strategically discarding and claiming tiles.
What first appears overwhelming soon reveals itself as a deeply strategic and social game.
Players build hands using combinations of tiles called “bams,” “dots,” “craks,” “dragons,” “winds,” “flowers,” and “jokers.” Along the way come terms like “pong,” “kong,” “Charleston” and, ultimately, the goal every player hopes to declare: “Mahjong!”
Unlike the simplified Mahjong games commonly found on phones and computers, which usually involve matching tiles in a memory-style puzzle, the tabletop version played at the library is a strategy game built around planning, patterns, decision-making and adapting to other players’ moves.
“It takes some brain power,” Meiwes said. “And I think it does help your memory. It’s challenging in a good way.”
MAHJONG originated in China during the 19th century and spread internationally during the early 1900s. Today, the game is experiencing a surge in popularity across the United States, especially among players seeking social, screen-free activities that combine strategy and conversation.
That renewed interest has reached Allen County.
Meiwes said she and several friends began playing together last September.
A few months later, they started offering lessons at the library. “We got 16 people signed up for lessons,” Meiwes said. “The idea is for them to go out and make their own groups and teach more people.”
The idea has taken hold.
Meiwes said one group plays in Humboldt on Tuesday mornings, while another gathers on Monday afternoons. Additional games have formed elsewhere in the county as more players learn. Walters is currently looking for three more players to help form a new group in Iola.
Part of the game’s appeal comes from the mix of challenge and camaraderie. During the lesson, players laughed through mistakes, celebrated good draws and groaned over missed opportunities.
“Don’t give up,” Meiwes reassured the beginners.
