Did you know majhong meant sparrow in chinese? I certainly did not, but the Web is full of information. The experts don't agree on the origin of the game, but then again experts seldom agree on anything. What's for certain is that majhong was discovered by the western world in the late 1920 and never lost its popularity ever since.
The majority of us will settle for playing the mahjong solitaire free games online, or go for a hong kong mahjong download and play with the computer. That's only the tip of the iceberg though.
The true adepts will favor the traditional mahjong board game, and some can be real pieces of art, with the mahjong tile set all made out of ivory. It is a subtle game, that can be compared to chess. It is played with three dices and a wind indicator. Some websites give tips on how to play mahjong , and they're worth a visit, if only to discover that there's a lot more to the game than matching identical tiles on the computer screen.
The traditional game of majhong can be played by four people, and is all about winning hands and building walls. It requires strategy and an intimate knowledge of the mahjong sets of tiles to be collected to win.
I discovered the true game of majhong out of curiosity, if you enjoy it, you should do the same. You may be amazed, as I have been, by the intricacy of what most assumed to be a simple pastime.
