![]() In the early 1920s, American businessman Joseph P. It’s unusual for a game to be played for very, very high stakes or for pennies, or even no money at all.” “There’s a certain level of adaptability inherent in mahjong,” Heinz says, “Poker tends to always be a gambling game Bridge almost never so. It’s widely believed to be derived from the ancient Chinese card game madiao. The word “mahjong” means “sparrow” in southern Chinese dialects, referring to the bird-like clacking sound the tiles make during reshuffling. Mahjong was developed in Southern China in the mid-1800s toward the end of the Qing Dynasty, one of many male-dominated gambling games that emerged at the time, says Heinz. “Asserting that traditional beliefs in luck and fate may be the basis of one’s destiny predisposes players to gambling.” A Chinese game’s complicated American story “Mahjong relies more on luck than skill compared to poker,” he says. ![]() Interestingly, he’s found that mahjong players who subscribe to superstitious beliefs are more prone to gambling addiction. The research of Keis Ohtsuka, a senior lecturer in psychology at Australia’s Victoria University, focuses on gambling cognition in mahjong. Books, for example, are banned from the table because the Chinese word for “book” is phonetically identical to that for “lose.” The four tiles bearing the Chinese character for ‘west’ (西) should not be discarded in succession at the start of a game, as the proximity of “four” and “west” may portend death for all involved. ![]() Players on a losing streak might opt for a bathroom break to “wash away” bad luck. It’s taboo to tap a player on the shoulder lest it derails a winning streak. Mahjong-related superstitions abound, as expected in a game where luck is paramount to victory. The interval of respite encourages conversation. Whereas the shuffling of cards in between poker games takes mere seconds, mahjong players must sit through extended pauses to reset tiles after every round. The rhythms of mahjong are especially conducive to building community, Heinz says. She says the material connection and core tile design keep it recognizable. There are more than 40 iterations of the game across the world, according to Annelise Heinz, author of the bestselling Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture. ![]() Chinese icons are visible in tiles’ “suits,” which include bamboos and circles, which represent ancient Chinese currency arrows or “dragons,” which symbolize the ancient art of archery and flowers, which represent the four Confucian plants, including chrysanthemum and orchid. Mahjong is a four-player game that, like poker or gin rummy, operates on the interplay between chance and skill. Here’s the story of how it became a staple in a diverse array of communities. The longest recorded contest was held in Russia, lasting more than 33 hours. ![]() In the U.S., it exploded during a high point of anti-Chinese sentiment. Though it was created in the “Middle Kingdom,” the beloved game took root around the world. During the mid-20th century, it became so associated with capitalist corruption that China banned it for more than 40 years. Few parlor games have left a larger global imprint than mahjong, which is at once a mainstay at immigrant family gatherings, a safe haven for outcast communities, and a source of political consternation. ![]()
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