Mahjong is Popular Among Retirees
In a spirit of full disclosure, let me begin by telling you that my wife is a mahjong player and enjoys the game with friends at least once a week. Clearly mahjong is popular among retirees, but that popularity is spreading among all age groups, and it isn’t just ladies who play. I have resisted the invitations to join this cult-like following but I am aware of some of the characteristics of this game and its devoted followers that make it a little strange in my opinion.
Try researching the history of the game and you’ll find nothing very conclusive. Some have said it an ancient game but the 19th century seems to be where the game really took hold. It’s been described as a Chinese rummy-style game that is played with tiles, but it gained a lot of its popularity among Jewish women in the Catskill resorts in the fifties. While there is no doubt that the symbols on the tiles are Asian in origin, there is also a definite popularity among the Jewish population with the National Mah-jongg League being formed in 1937 in New York City. Indeed, the official cards come from a New York City address and there are new ones issued every year with the new card taking effect each April. In 2025 there was a bit of controversy when new cards had to be issued because of an error. I can tell you first-hand that it caused a lot of discussion because I witnessed the events when my wife got together with her fellow players. When the error was explained to me, I failed to see what the big deal was, but I am not a player and do not understand all the nuances of the game. There have always been lively discussions when the new cards come out and whether this year’s card is harder than last year’s card. How the card is developed each year would make a great documentary if those secrets can ever be divulged. The card and the new issue that comes out each year adds to the mystique of this game and is one of the reasons mahjong is popular among retirees and seems to be spreading across all age groups.
Mahjong is popular among retirees as a reason to bring friends together in friendly competition.
The game itself is simple in theory but, like chess, can see multiple levels of strategy and, as you might guess, there are some newsletters and websites that will suggest ways to “up” your game and will go into very deep discussions about your best strategies to maximize your performance by making the card work in your favor. Players are attracted to the game for different reasons and, when you ask someone to describe the game, there is a wide range of answers. Mahjong is described as being similar to backgammon, Rummikub, canasta and even dominoes. People find working with the tiles to be strangely comforting and everyone loves the social aspect of the game although, if you’re a slow player, you may be asked to play with others who have a similar skill level. There is definitely more than one version of the game and even more than one spelling but, from what I can see, the card is the critical piece. The American version, from what I’ve been told, is different because of the joker tiles but when players from different countries meet, it doesn’t take long to straighten out the rules as to what version will be played. This is one reason mahjong is popular among retirees from almost anywhere. The game brings them together and serves as a bridge between countries, culture and language.
The game itself is becoming a theme for social get togethers. Just as there is a “Paint and Sip” night where you can spend a few hours learning the basics of painting while enjoying a glass of wine, there are gatherings of mahjong players that can bring people together for various reasons. Churches or synagogues have mahjong nights where people can gather and use the space with a donation and businesses like bookstores can use it to bring people in to browse and increase store traffic. It was quite a “hot spot” on a couple of cruises that we took and there was almost always an afternoon game going on. There was always laughing and good-natured chatter so it’s very easy to see why mahjong is so popular among retirees.
If you’re looking for something new why not give it a try? We always played board games when we were younger and, forgive me for saying this as a non-player, mahjong looks like a very similar type of activity. While the great strategists of this addictive tile game might disagree, I always felt that Monopoly required a strategy to become a good player. Indeed, there are still tournaments of that game, but I think it has declined greatly in popularity unlike this Asian tile game that seems to be growing each year. Board games were great family games and while I know mahjong is popular among retirees, there’s no reason it can’t be a reason for a family to sit down and play together. It might be a fun night and one more way to Enjoy Retired Life!
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