A number of Rotarians at our Club play Mahjong.
Mahjong is a tile-based game that was developed in China during the Qing dynasty (1644 to 1911) and over the last 100 years its popularity has spread across the globe.
Usually played by four players Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy and calculation. It also involves a degree of chance.
While there are regional variations in different countries, the game is usually played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols.
Each player begins by receiving 13 tiles. Thereafter, in turn players draw and discard titles until they complete a legal winning hand, drawing a 14th tile to form 4 melds (sets) and a pair (eye)
A player may also win with a small class of special hands.
There are rules on how a tile is drawn, how a piece may be robbed from an opponent, the use of numbered tiles (simples), Honours (winds and dragons) and Bonus tiles (Flowers & Seasons).
While the above rules may sound reasonably simple, the strategy behind the game and its complexity can take years to fully master.
