ORLANDO, Fla. — Very few parlor games have stood the test of time.
Mahjong, though, is one that has grown in popularity and has spread around the world. Developed long ago in China, mahjong is still played to this day, including by a group of people in Orlando's Baldwin Park neighborhood.
What You Need To Know
- Christopher Chung started a mahjong club after he bought his first set in 2019
- Chung said anyone is welcome to attend the club's weekly meetups regardless of expertise
- He says he grew up watching his family play and the game piqued his interest
"In 2019, I decided to buy a set, and so I bought the set and guess what? I had no one to play with," said Christopher Chung, who created the group.
After realizing there wasn't a club, he decided to start one.
"A lot of people would message me after I started the group, because I started advertising, and at that point, that's when people would say, 'I'd like to come try it,'" Chung said.
It's a game in which players pick and discard tiles, get winning hands and complete combinations.
First-timers, novice players and experts come each week, and Chung said he will teach anyone. His grandparents moved from China to Jamaica, and he would see them play mahjong.
"Also watching a lot of those Asian movies you would always see them play, you know, like Crazy Rich Asians, you know?" Chung said.
Variations of mahjong exist, including here in America, the Philippines and Japan.
For more information, visit the Baldwin Park Mahjong Club website.
