Always thinking one step ahead

A group of enthusiastic mahjong players get together every second Tuesday afternoon at the Aquatic Centre, enjoying afternoon tea and the camaraderie of playing the game with members of the community.

With all skill levels able to participate, mahjong, or mah-jong, is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century.

The game and its regional variants are widely played and have become popular in western countries.

It is a game of skill and strategy with a slice of pure luck thrown in.

Joan Pyke with a set of mahjong tiles which are based on Chinese characters and symbols. Many regional variations may omit some tiles or add unique ones.

To distinguish it from mahjong solitaire, it is sometimes referred to as mahjong rummy.

The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, although many regional variations may omit some tiles or add unique ones.

In most variations, each player begins by receiving 13 tiles. In turn, players draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand using the 14th drawn tile to form four sets and a pair.

A player can also win with a small class of special hands. While many variations of mahjong exist, most have some basic rules in common, and some groups of players may introduce their own house rules which can notably change the feel of play.

Anyone who is interested in joining the group, please contact Barbara McNamara.