The game of mahjong, born not as long ago as you might think — if you think of mahjong at all — is having a lively time across the Chicago area and elsewhere in this game-crazy country. Its popularity may not yet rival that of pickleball or online gambling but just look around and you’ll see it being played in libraries and senior living facilities, in some of the hippest bars and restaurants… all over.
It was born in China in the mid-1800s and was initially a male-dominated gambling activity that, after its introduction to America, became a leisure pursuit for women.
A set of its playing items was first displayed in the U.S. as part of an exhibit at our 1893 World’s Fair, and by the 1920s, it was being played by movie stars and socialites. That spurt of popularity was driven primarily by the entrepreneurial efforts of a businessman named Joseph Park Babcock, who learned the game while working for Standard Oil in China. He called his version mah-jongg, simplified its rules and became wildly successful for a while. Then, after WWII, the game became a fixture in Jewish Community Centers, country clubs, retirement communities, and homes across the country, often as a means to raise funds for various causes.
Older friends of mine tell me it was a “regular joy to play” and some of the new younger players echo that thought, adding as one does, “The world has become such an icy place and mahjong fulfills our need for human contact.”
I’ll have to take their word. I have not played — I have never been much for board games of any sort — but know an increasing number of people, the majority of them smart and accomplished women, who do. In 2019, the movie star Julia Roberts told the soon-to-be-gone host of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” that she was a devoted player, saying to him, “The concept of it is to create order out of chaos on a random drawing of tiles,” lighting something of a mahjong flame.
Nice thought, but easier said than done. Not only are there a number of different ways of spelling mahjong, there are also many variations of the original game. In short, it involves colorful tiles featuring dots, flowers or other symbols, with players taking turns drawing tiles from a pile and discarding one at a time to form sets. The first player to complete their hand with 14 tiles wins. Some estimates count more than 40 distinct variations, among the most popular being played in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and increasingly in various U.S. cities.
“I could never have anticipated its popularity,” says Alyssa Gross.
This young woman has become my mahjong maven, a young Texas-native who is the author of a compellingly informative 2025 book, “Play Mahjong: An All-Levels Guide to American Mahjong,” and the founder, CEO and lead instructor of Chicago’s The Mahjong Society, which she started in 2023. She has a full-time job with Moonslate Consulting, but mahjong is a time-consuming passion and joy.
It began when the COVID-19 pandemic came. She knew a bit about the game through an aunt who had played and as she began to explore, she became attracted, often meeting with others online and later in person. She moved to Chicago for work at the end of 2022 and posted on Facebook, asking if anyone knew of mahjong groups.
“I got dozens of responses and one thing led to another and I started the society,” she says. “We now have 16 teachers and most of my friends, good friends too, I have met through mahjong.”
As much as she touts the notion of “community” the game nurtures, she is also aware that with its popularity, now and in the part, has come controversy. There have been some voicing concerns over cultural appropriation, arguing that re-designing traditional Chinese tiles and altering rules have diminished the game’s heritage, trivializing and disrespecting Chinese culture.
Gross is more than aware of this, but talking to her, one easily gets the sense of her sincerity. She is not out to erase heritage and rather aims to honor a culture rather than exploit it.
She writes that in researching her book, she “learned about the complicated history of mahjong in America, including the racism associated with the game’s marketing, media coverage and overall adoption … but without lived experience I may fall short in understanding and representing the damage done by those who adapted the game for white American audiences. … My goal is to share mahjong with others in a way that honors its history and celebrates its place in today’s culture.”
If you want to further explore this topic, seek out Annelise Heinz’s 2021 book, “Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture,” in which she makes the case that the game can provide valuable insight into how factors of identity like race, gender, ethnicity and sexuality evolved and intersected in a swiftly changing world.
Or, take a lesson and start to play. There are many ways to do this. In addition to The Mahjong Society, I’ve heard good things about the Lily Pad Mahjong Parlor in Lakeview; Holy Mahj! in the Gold Coast; and Blue Tiger Mahj in the western suburbs. Many taverns, restaurants and libraries are getting into the trend.
One such example is found at BiXi Beer, a brewpub featuring Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese-inspired cuisine at 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. Open Mahjong Nights take place on Tuesday and May 26, with “Mahjong sets provided.” There are no instructors and any style of play is possible and, as an example of the communal nature of the game, “tables end up learning from each other.”
It is not difficult to explore various versions of the game. 144 Tiles Mahjong Club is named for the traditional number of tiles in a mahjong set and devoted to the Hong Kong and Filipino styles of the game but invite players to “BYO-style.” Founded earlier this year by Michael Wang and Justice Chow, it aims, in part, to “reclaim our narrative, one tile at a time.”
Wang’s parents were born and raised in China. He is a bright and personable software engineer, who since rediscovering the game last year, has been holding events in Chinatown and is eager to expand its reach. “I thought it was the coolest thing ever but there was a deeper meaning,” he says. “And I realized it could work to remind people of the important part Chinese people have played in Chicago’s history.”
Gross is pleased with the increasingly busy mahjong landscape, having some time ago connected with the Sunday Mahjong Club, which offers Hong Kong style and lessons at various locations.
“It’s exciting that groups are focused on different versions of mahjong,” she says. “I’m eager to learn more styles of the game and we’re fortunate that there are some great groups in Chicago providing that chance. No matter which style you learn first, I guarantee you’ll want to dive deeper and expand your ‘mahjong horizons’.
“Yes, it is a trend, but its popularity will be durable. It is a great way to get away from the screens that are such a part of our work lives. It is a game with a fascinating history and just so much fun to play, such a great way to meet people.”
She tells me that her book is in its fourth printing, that she is at work on a new book, and that she is proud and excited about what she sees as “tremendous growth for mahjong in this area.” She also says, “I have fallen in love with Chicago. And I know this sounds crazy, but I love the cold weather.”
rkogan@chicagotribune.com
