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From Old City to the Main Line, mahjong is drawing all ages together for strategic thrills and screen-free connection.
Mahjong is all the rage right now, especially in Philly. Here’s why. / Photograph courtesy of Philly Mah-Jawn
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Around a small, square table, four sets of hands move quickly — sorting, swiping, racking, and discarding the stylized game tiles of mahjong (or mah jongg, as it’s sometimes spelled). Players’ eyes are locked in, their breathing seemingly suspended. Everyone is fully present — there’s no multitasking, no reaching to check text messages, no snapping of selfies to flaunt what they’re doing offline.
I’ve never watched mahjong being played before — let alone played it myself — and the experience is entrancing, the strategy, the tension, the rhythm of play. No wonder mahjong is becoming the hottest game in town.
How much are Americans loving this age-old game? According to Eventbrite, there was a 179-percent increase in mahjong events from 2023 to 2024 in the U.S. And it’s only getting more popular. The game is the new excuse to get together with friends, the modern moms’ night out, and even a helpful brain game for people living with dementia.
In Philly, you can find tables full of players at Philly Mah-Jawn, the Mah Jongg Club at Society Hill Synagogue, and Kaiserman JCC’s Gems at the J in Wynnewood — just to name a few. It’s no wonder that instructors across the region are offering lessons, hosting private parties, and opening their own studios, to keep up with the demand.
Mahjong dates back to 19th-century China, with Chinese, American, Hong Kong, and Riichi styles that all differ when it comes to tiles, game play, and ability to win. But they share a fundamental goal of completing a “hand” by drawing and discarding tiles, and calculating points based on the hand’s complexity. Its resurgence in popularity can likely be attributed to the notion that people are increasingly seeking ways to get off their devices and spend more time with others, IRL. The current chatter around analog bags and “grandma hobbies” — think needlepointing, birding, and yes, mahjong — has helped reintroduce cozy, hands-on, and screen-free activities into our cultural zeitgeist.
“In an age of doom-scrolling and political polarization, mahjong provides a gateway to unwind that actively engages your mind — what I call authentic cognitive leisure — while rebuilding the in-person community we’ve been craving,” says Jenny Li, a Philly Mah-Jawn club officer. “When you are learning the game or playing the game, you don’t want to be — and realistically can’t be — on your phone scrolling the entire time. You’re learning the rules, reading the table, engaging in lighthearted banter with three other people, and sharing in the collective drama of every tile drawn and discarded.”
A player’s active involvement — knowing the rules and nuances of the game, especially its different versions and ways to outsmart opponents — becomes part of the thrill, says Wynnewood resident Anabelle Clebaner, who plays with her friends every week or so. For Phil Viglione, another Philly Mah-Jawn club officer, the excitement comes from seeing players rush to complete their hands faster than anyone else. “Mahjong is a game of social deduction,” he says. “Every action from your opponent gives you information: What tiles might they need? What tiles do they not need? Are they ready to win? How can I avoid dealing in?”
And then there’s the aesthetics, which only add to the appeal. “Some tile sets are like works of art — so much so that people leave them out like statement decor or even design entire game rooms around them,” says Jadi Boyle, a Devon-based realtor who started playing American mahjong last year. For those who prefer to wear their love of the game, there’s even this hand-engraved tile charm made by Philly’s own Sisterfriend Jewelry.
For many, mahjong feels nostalgic yet fresh — accessible and fun. It’s part of what’s driving younger people to the game, while also keeping older players engaged. “Mahjong is no longer only your grandmother’s game,” Li says (or even your great-grandmother’s; it was first introduced in the U.S. in the 1920s). “Gen Z and millennials alike are drawn by mahjong’s layers of statistical probability, pattern recognition, and strategic decision-making. It’s a satisfying mental workout where players in their early 20s and players in their 70s are equally engrossed.”
(It’s true: When I stopped by Philly Mah-Jawn’s space inside the Corn Exchange Building in Old City on a recent Saturday afternoon, players of all skill levels and ages filled the room. Not a single table was unoccupied!)
For Teddi Lightman, who lives in Graduate Hospital and started playing mahjong in January, this intergenerational aspect was one of her favorite discoveries. “I’m not typically a big game person, but I was drawn to mahjong because of how it brings people together,” she says. “My friends and I have been learning from our moms and our moms’ friends — shout out to Nancy Cutler and Gail Kardon! It’s been such a special experience” to have generations playing together.
At its core, that’s what mahjong seems to be all about: connection. Curiosity often drives people to the game, but being together keeps them coming back. (Consider the tables themselves: They are quite small, drawing players closer together and contributing to the intimacy of the shared experience.)
“The game itself becomes the common ground, where no shared background or life stage is required,” Li says. In that context, everyone wins, not just the one who victoriously yells “Mahjong!” and ends the round.
Although, that part is pretty rewarding, too.
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Laura Brzyski
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