The sound of shuffling tiles is becoming more familiar on the Central Coast, as Mahjong clubs pop up and attract players of all skill levels.
Karen Borges is among the growing number of new players in the area. She discovered the game just two months ago and is already hooked.
"I was seeing it everywhere, all over the internet, I was hearing friends talk about it, and it just intrigued me," Borges said.
She is a part of the Mahjong Social Club, where players of all experience levels gather to play and connect.
Emily Butler owns the Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, one of the only places in town that sells full Mahjong sets, which can cost a couple of hundred dollars. She started the Mahjong Social Club last year, and it has grown to about 60 members.
Butler says the surge in interest goes beyond the game itself.
"I think it's such a beautiful thing happening where people are craving connection more than ever before," Butler said. "The Mahjong community gives me time to get off my phone, to not think about my to-do list, or maybe some of the news headlines that we're seeing, and really just truly form human connection around the table."
The Social Club and other local groups, like the Monday Club, teach and play American Mahjong, a style rooted in the original game that originated in China in the 19th century. In the American version, players use a card from the National Mah Jongg League that lists different hands they can try to match with their tiles.
Mary Qualls of the Monday Club says part of the appeal is that the game never gets old.
"It changes every year, so it's always fresh every year," Qualls said.
Both clubs host periodic open play nights for a small fee and welcome players of any skill level. The Social Club also offers group lessons and private instruction for larger parties.
For Borges, the appeal is simple.
"It's such a fun game, it's fun to get together and it's fun to play a game that everyone is enjoying. I really love it," she said.
