This Mahjong Club loves to play “Messy”!
Cindy Groszkiewicz
This January marked the one-year anniversary of the “Messy American” Mahjong Club! What is Messy American Mahjong?
Well, American Mahjong, governed by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), is one of the “Americanized” versions of the original Chinese Mahjong. Other American versions include Wright Patterson, Marvelous Mah Jongg, Miami/Jewish American House Rules, and Messy American.
Messy American Mahjong uses guidelines and rules of the National Mah Jongg League with a few minor twists, such as the way the tiles are “dealt” and “exchanged” at the beginning of play and the use of blank tiles as “resurrection” tiles.
Many American Mahjong players get their pearls in a twist over the use of blanks, claiming they make the game easier. Oh, on the contrary, blanks very much add to strategic play. Timing is everything, and if not played right, a blank can bite you!
Another argument is that Messy American “messes” (pun intended) with tradition. After all, the NMJL is now celebrating 89 years, and Messy American has been around only a few years!
With roughly 50+ variations of Mahjong around the world, including Classical Chinese (with 15+ variations), Siamese, Japanese (5+ variations), British, French, Italian, and competitive hybrids of all the games, it’s safe to say that all versions developed after the original Chinese Mah Jongg (1850s or earlier) are guilty of that claim, including NMJL American Mahjong.
The Messy American Mahjong Club was formed for those who love the more relaxed version of the game. Games move along a little faster without sacrificing the mental exercise for which Mahjong is known. It’s incredibly exciting to call “Mahjong!” But more importance is placed on the bond of friendships and having fun because, let’s face it, winning isn’t everything.
Our club meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month in the clubhouse. There are no club fees other than the purchase of the yearly NMJL card.
One must be a member and RSVP in our GroupMe group to play. Newbies are welcome! Free lessons are available during game days or in private sessions. Email Cindy Groszkiewicz at geecindy@ymail.com for more info.