American Mahjong

American Mahjong was introduced to the U.S.A. during the 1920s and 30s, shortly after the Chinese version. Since then, American Mahjong has been enjoyed by thousands of players. People of all ethnicities enjoy American Mahjong at home, and Mahjong tournaments. Yet, as American Mahjong became popular in the states, players of the Chinese version began to wonder if the game truly deserved the title of “Mahjong.”
The overall play is pretty much the same as traditional Mahjong. Basically, through luck and skill, 4 players compete for the most points by dominating the Mahjong gaming board. To do this, they employ strategy for building sets by discarding tiles and selecting new ones.
American Mahjong differs by the “Charleston.” The Charleston is initiated even before the game even starts. Basically, it permits players to exchange undesirable Mahjong tiles. So, if the Charleston is used correctly, it could put players at an advantage if they know which tiles they should discard or if they know how to strategically work magic with the undesirable selections.
The tiles are also different with American Mahjong sets. Why? The arrangement is changed around a bit, as American Mahjong adds the ‘joker’ tile. These will allow you to replace another tile during the game.
In terms of the design, ironically, American Mahjong uses the same Eastern-inspired graphics as the Chinese version. This is not to say that there aren’t Mahjong versions that veer away from these designs, though they are usually marketed differently.
So, ultimately, when you compare American Mahjong to Chinese Mahjong, the differences are not significant enough to consider American Mahjong a separate game. Some players believe that if you’re going to play a game, it must be completely like the original game. Then there are others who like adding their own spin to the game. Sometimes these ‘spins’ stay unique to their personal style, while other times it becomes so popular it catches on with everyone else. This is what happened to American Mahjong. In conclusion, whether you play American Mahjong or Chinese Mahjong, you are playing a wonderful classic board game that will expand your wit while calming your spirit.