Mahjong dates to more than 2500 years ago and owes its origin to China. The game involves four players who use a set of 136 tiles to play. It’s an intelligence game, which requires a high level of concentration.
While Mahjong is difficult to learn and master, it becomes easy to excel once you get the idea. Different variations exist, including American Mahjong, Mahjong Solitaire, Online Mahjong, and Casino Mahjong.
Read on to learn some important facts about these entertaining Mahjong games.
The Objective of Mahjong Game
The main aim of the Mahjong game is to collect Chows, Pungs, and Kongs to ‘Go Mahjong’ from your set of tiles. What do these terms mean?
- Chows are three consecutive tiles of the same suit
- Pungs are three identical tiles of the same suit
- Kongs are four identical tiles of the same suit
You can achieve the objective with any mixture of these combinations or one of several “special hands.”
The game usually feels complex and intimidating at first, but with every round you play, you’ll learn new tactics to become a better strategist.
What You Need to Get Started
You’ll need a set of Mahjong tiles. You can easily find mass-produced sets online at a range of prices, depending on quality. Cheap plastic sets are widely available.
Some Chinese artisans still produce handcrafted tile sets from bone and ivory. However, these games are difficult to find today compared to previous decades.
If you’re looking for something artistic, consider antique Mahjong sets. You can find these at many antique shops, on auctions, and your grandparents’ dusty shelf. Once you obtain your preferred set of tiles, you’ll need to find three people to play with you.
Learn Some Mandarin
To play the Mahjong game successfully, you should learn some Chinese and be able to pronounce numbers in Mandarin. You’ll also need to learn some extra Mandarin words to name the suits and declare your actions.
Each tile has a name, and you say it as you lay the piece down. You should start by saying the number at the top, followed by the symbol at the bottom.
Playing Mahjong Can Cause Epileptic Seizures
While you can spend as much time as you want to play on sites like Goldenslot, it’s not advisable for Mahjong games. The prolonged intensity that is often found in playing Mahjong quickly becomes unhealthy—even resulting in an epileptic seizure.
According to a 2007 study, 23 people developed epileptic seizures as a result of watching and playing Mahjong for extended periods. While this is an insignificant figure and the cases are rare, it’s advisable to be more cautious when playing the game.
Tips to Be Better at Mahjong Game
- Practice patience. You’ll usually wait a long time for the tiles you need. It also takes a while to learn the game.
Avoid separating your tiles. Separating your tiles enables your opponents to see what’s in your hands easily. Keep your tiles together, like you hold cards close to your chest.
Mahjong is a game of skill and laser focus, but it has been a popular pastime for centuries of gamers.
