Show Notes
Mahjong personalities are real. If you don’t recognize them at your table, it might be you. From league drama and “your hand is dead, sweetie” to Texas‑proud tablescapes, moaners, sandbaggers, and no‑show offenders, Jenn and Cathy break down the characters and conflicts that prove there is absolutely no crying in Mahjong. The Mahj Salon is presented by Mahjong Meets Moxie (https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/)! Join the conversation in our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14hVXtxPYwo/)! During the episode we mentioned The 12 Steps of Mahjong (Anonymous): Step one: We admitted were powerless over pairs, and that all the new Mahjong cards have become unmanageable. Step two: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves—perhaps Jokers—could restore us to sanity. Step three: We made a decision to turn our hands and our picks over to the Gods of luck as we understood them. Step four: We made a searching and fearless inventory of every missed exposure and joker exchange. Step five: We admitted to our fellow players, our table, and ourselves the exact nature of our bad Charleston passes. Step six: We were entirely ready to have all these weak hand choices removed. Step seven: We humbly asked for the strength and timing to call for a needed tile. Step eight: We made a list of all the players we had harmed and became willing to make amends for groans of being “just one away” when our friends called Mahjong. Step nine: We made direct amends to anyone whose tile we took that led to their missed mahjong. Step ten: We continued to take inventory of our friend’s tells and favorite hands, and when we misnamed a tile, promptly admitted it. Step eleven: We sought through practice and patience to improve our hand-reading skills and the power to carry it out in a tournament. Step twelve: Having had a mahjong awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to practice these principles in all of our in person and online games, continuing to play with kindness at every opportunity. Five Key Takeaways 1. League play changes the stakes: honest mistakes still mean dead hands, and guilt‑tripping the table to stay in is a major etiquette foul when prizes and rankings are on the line. 2. Every table has “types”—from moaners who complain their way to top scores, to sandbaggers, silent assassins, and guests who leave early or no‑show and wreck the game flow. 3. Tablescapes are a whole personality: Texas‑themed tiles, leather mats that slide just right, and even badass‑women code names for league ranking keep things fun while protecting egos. 4. House rules and expectations (like four‑player preference, bob setups, and how you label fouls) are key to avoiding tears, resentment, and passive‑aggressive “honest mistake” debates. 5. Mahjong gossip is alive and well in leagues and online; the healthiest response is to own your fouls, learn the rules, and keep the space generous, not manipulative. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from The Mahj Salon
Mahjong champion Dave Moussa and Nancy Dubner join Jenn and Cathy after Vegas to talk 700 points, defensive play, tournament nerves, and the dating requirement that started it all. Plus, East-seat advantages, table manners, and their Half Moon Bay tournaments. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Dave’s championship run included a rough afternoon, a strong final day, and 700 total points. He focused on steady results rather than letting a bad stretch decide the rest of his tournament. 2. Defense mattered. Dave says he threw an opponent’s winning tile only once, costing him 10 points, compared with past tournaments where those penalties had cost him more than 100. 3. Dave learned Mahjong after Nancy made it a condition of dating her. More consistent play during COVID helped him develop, and tournaments eventually became a regular part of their travel together. 4. The group debates whether a fixed East seat creates an advantage because East players avoid facing one another. They discuss rotating everyone or holding a tournament specifically for Easts and past winners. 5. Nancy and Dave want their Half Moon Bay tournaments to give players a welcoming entry into competition. Their approach combines clear expectations, calling an organizer for disputes, and some grace for inexperienced players. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jamie Shemesh of The Mahj Lounge joins Jenn and Cathy to talk collectible Mahjong sets inspired by iconic decades. From peace signs and lava lamps to poodle skirts, disco dancers, and 80s Art Deco, Jamie shares how nostalgia, design, and careful research turn history into tiles. Connect with Jamie's Mahj Lounge: https://mymahjlounge.com/ Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Jamie’s Play the Past collection turns iconic decades into collectible Mahjong sets, beginning with the bright, bold, and unmistakably groovy 1960s Far Out Edition. 2. The 1960s set includes peace-sign dots, lava-lamp one bams, guitar cracks, flower-power flowers, cool-cat jokers, and textured tile backs designed to feel as memorable as the fronts. 3. Jamie researches each decade carefully, using recognizable cultural details while avoiding designs that would make the tiles difficult to read during an actual game. 4. Copyright and trademark rules shape every set. Familiar images, logos, characters, and phrases may be unavailable without licensing, so original interpretation matters. 5. Upcoming sets include a 1950s collection with records, French fries, and retro diner energy, followed by a 1970s Disco Edition and an 80s set inspired by the era’s Miami-style Art Deco revival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jenn and Cathy talk about men in Mahjong after a male player was welcomed into an open group, then quietly left out. They discuss women-only games, public play, inclusion, golf-club double standards, and why a seat at the Mahjong table should not depend on gender. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Tiles we talked about: Lightweight 3D-printed American-theme Mahjong tile set, including a dice holder and dice (https://www.litemahj.com/) Today's mat: Custom leather Mahjong mat embossed with “Moxie” (https://www.circlepleather.com/collections/mahjong-mats-accessories) Key Takeaways 1. More men are joining American Mahjong because the game offers strategy, competition, bluffing, social connection, and a lot more than the old stereotype of a ladies’ game. 2. Private groups can set their own boundaries, but excluding a player from an open public event after inviting them creates an uncomfortable and confusing experience. 3. Women-only games can provide a space for friendship, privacy, and conversation, especially in a private-home setting where everyone understands the group’s purpose. 4. Public Mahjong communities grow stronger when players welcome people with different backgrounds, personalities, genders, ages, and styles of play. 5. Choosing to sit with players who are different from you can expand your Mahjong skills, your perspective, and the community that makes the game worth playing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sheryl Rue-Borden joins Jenn and Cathy to explain how a dispensary grand opening, a lifelong love of Mahjong, and medical cannabis advocacy became Mahjong Bong. They talk ADHD, adult cannabis culture, responsible use, rules, laughter, luxury game design, and starting business number twelve. Connect with MahJongg Bong (https://www.facebook.com/mahjonggbong/) Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Sheryl Rue-Borden created Mahjongg Bong after teaching Mahjong at a cannabis dispensary’s social-consumption lounge in suburban Chicago. 2. Mahjongg Bong is an adult game for players who already know American Mahjong and want to add dice, action cards, house rules, and their preferred vice to game night. 3. Sheryl says cannabis helps her manage ADHD, slow down racing thoughts, focus at the table, and play more strategically. 4. The game includes a custom bong, dice with cannabis leaves, Mahjongg Bong logos, and red dragons, plus 420-themed action cards that change play after the Charleston. 5. Sheryl built Mahjongg Bong as her twelfth business venture, self-funded it, trademarked the name, and designed it as a luxury, limited-edition game for adults 21 and older. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jenn and Cathy dive into the wild world of Mahjong variations, from blanks and black dragons to kitties, double dice, trinkets, high-stakes games, Siamese, Royale, and one very unexpected Mahjong bong. Every table has rules, but some rules are a whole different game. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Tiles we talked about: Larger traditional-style Mahjong tile set with sunset-toned backs (https://www.snackcrackbam.com/) Today's racks: Clear acrylic racks from The Mahjong House (https://themahjonghouse.com/collections/racks) Key Takeaways 1. Groups should teach standard Mahjong rules first, then clearly explain variations such as blanks, special scoring, and house rules before a new player sits down. 2. Blanks allow players to secretly retrieve a tile already discarded, which changes defensive strategy and gives the game a different level of risk and surprise. 3. The proposed black dragon would give dots their own dedicated dragon while leaving the white dragon to function only as zero, sparking a big debate among players. 4. Table rules can include kitties, double dice, bonus payouts, wind cheers, special joker placement, and different ways to play for money, trinkets, or score. 5. Siamese and Royale add more racks, more tiles, and more complexity, proving that Mahjong players will happily find new ways to make an already addictive game even more complicated. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.