Family
The Fever I've Caught Like So Many Other Women
It definitely keeps my brain firing.
Aleksandar Tomic/Alamy Stock Photo
The other day I spent a ridiculous amount of time shopping on the internet for an item that, three months ago, I didn’t even know existed: tile pushers. In case I’m not the last human on earth to learn what tile pushers are — they’re part of what’s now my new mahjong set, the one that includes my new mahjong tiles and mahjong playing cards and mahjong mat.
I managed to live more than 70 years of my life without feeling a need to play mahjong, but now, whether it’s the pretty accessories, the peer group pressure or the opportunity to improve my brain, I, too, have joined the frenzy.
Brain improvement is way up there on mahjong’s appeal. The game involves problem solving, pattern recognition and socialization, all of which are supposed to enhance my cognitive function. I hope that’s true even though there’s no way for me to test the theory. I won’t be able to do a side-by-side comparison of my brain 10 years from now with or without mahjong, but according to an article from UCLA’s September 2024 health newsletter, “Any activity that requires attention, focus and engagement challenges the brain.”
I always thought I could accomplish that by watching Netflix, but apparently my cerebral matter will be more stimulated by games.
My always-sharp mom was still playing Scrabble and Canasta and never missed the daily crossword puzzle at 93. My sharper-than-me sister Gina starts her day with Wordle and Sudoku on The New York Times Games site. My quick-witted friend Jen does 500-piece jigsaw puzzles without looking at the image first. So, sharpness, here I come!
The object of mahjong is to strategize your way to match 14 tiles to one of roughly 72 potential “hands” or “lines,” which are basically specific combinations. Beyond that, I am not the person you want to explain the game to you. I’m still at the fake-it-’til-you-make-it stage and assume I’ll be here for quite some time.
Though, if you want a lesson, there are websites galore and loads of tutorials on YouTube. Just type in “mahjong” and go to town. I mean, this game is popular with a capital P.
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On Instagram, @mahjongmolly has 91,000 followers. The Facebook group, Mah Jongg, That’s It!, has over 221,000 members. I became one of the 11,000 followers of @ladiesthatmahj and now my Instagram account is flooded with posts by cheery mahjong experts (they are always cheery) offering tips.
To me, the biggest mahjong perk is sitting around a table, visiting with friends and not being handed a restaurant check when I’m done. Instead of “let’s meet for a meal,” it’s “let’s meet for a game.” If I add up the money I’m saving on salads, I figure my investment in all my mahjong paraphernalia is already paying off.
The last time I socialized like this was in 1960, playing The Barbie Game Queen of the Prom. The goal was to be the first one crowned prom queen, but to win you first had to buy a prom dress, be elected class president and — most importantly — have a steady boyfriend. Of course, you wanted Ken as your boyfriend; heaven forbid you should end up with the card for nerdy Poindexter.
Whatever cognition challenges I might be experiencing now are probably due to those hours spent playing The Barbie Game.
Around that same time, I remember asking my Grandma Tillie if she’d teach me to play Bridge. She’d deal out practice hands to herself, flipping the cards and flapping them down on the table. “It takes years to learn!” she’d say, dismissing the whole possibility. As I think back, I realize I HAD YEARS then! I can’t help but wonder how great my brain would be now if I’d spent the last 60 years playing Bridge. Or — mahjong.
Once a week, on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., I meet with Jen and Tracey, Jody, Liz or Heike — whoever doesn’t have a doctor or physical therapy appointment — and we roll out the mat, set up those tiles and their pushers and away we go.
If you and your future cognition are looking for a mahjong group, you can join one of the many Ethel Gathering Groups that are organizing game nights. Click away and you, too, will be off and mahj-ing.
Fortunately, if all this mahjong hoopla has zero appeal for you, there are plenty of other ways to keep our senior synapses firing. Along with all the crossword and jigsaw puzzles and sister Gina’s beloved Sudoku, Charades is high on the list of ways to socialize while pumping up memory skills. When’s the last time you pretended to crank a camera for “movie” or tug your ear to indicate “sounds like”?
If you can’t remember — start playing Charades. It’s good for you. Ditto for Trivial Pursuit. As someone who can often recall my fourth-grade history lesson on Lewis and Clark more clearly than what I did last Tuesday, I find dragging up old facts on Trivial Pursuit particularly satisfying.
And, of course, there’s pickleball, which is not only good for its physical perks and cute visors, but it also improves focus and processing speed. If you’re in a bah-humbug, don’t-want-to-socialize mood, you can still boost your deftness for pattern recognition and concentration. Just get out a deck of cards and play Solitaire. Whatever you choose, I hope you and your cognition enjoy it, so you’ll keep at it.
You can visit the cyber versions of Linda at her website: lindayellin.com; Facebook: facebook.com/LindaYellinAuthor or Instagram: @LindaYellin
How many of YOU play mahjong? Do you love it? Let us know in the comments below.
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