Ancient Chinese game of Mahjong sweeps across North Texas
NORTH TEXAS — It's a craze sweeping the nation where each player has a wall of 13 to 14 tiles. Those who master the game of Mahjong said it teaches them critical thinking skills while reducing stress.
A group of elementary school students are just some North Texans becoming masters of the game.
In the warmth of a Dallas home comes the coolness of kids under pressure and the clickity clack of tiles. Seven-year-old Claire LeMaster has been playing the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong for a year.
"When my mom is playing with her friends, I can help her a lot, and then if you're in a Mahjong competition and you win, you feel happy and surprised and proud of you," LeMaster said.
Kristin Erwin teaches kids and adults of all ages the draw-and-discard tile game, which is similar to rummy.
"It spans generations," Erwin said. "For kids, they can play with their grandparents, their great-grandparents. It's challenging for everyone at every age."
In Mahjong, you have three suits. They are craks, dots, and bams. The kids played a line on the 2024 National Mahjong League card. They try to match numbers and colors. The winner shouts, "Mahjong," once he or she has matched a line.
Twelve-year-old Finn Erwin said the click of the Mahjong tiles helps him stay focused in school and life.
"What I like the most about it is it's a challenging game. This helps you with your memory because you have to constantly remember what you're going for and to be aware of what everyone's playing if you need to pause for something," Finn Erwin said.
"I think for stress and emotional health, it's just like any other game would be," Kristin Erwin said. "It's a sense of community. You're gathering with friends or family to play, which is always good for mental health."
LeMaster said the game teaches her how to handle losing and winning gracefully.
"You don't brag or anything," LeMaster said.
The kids learn valuable life lessons one tile at a time. If you're interested in taking Mahjong lessons, you can get in touch with Kristin Erwin on one of her two Instagram pages.