History of Mahjong
Mahjong is one of the oldest living games in the world - and possibly one of the most traveled. Let's travel some more and create new experiences of community.
THE INVENTORS OF THE GAME
Mahjong was invented in China during in the mid-to-late 1800s and quickly became a fixture throughout Asia. The game's sensory richness still is unmatched: the weight of the tiles, the clatter of the shuffle, the satisfying click of a tile placed on the table.
American Moves
American Mahjong began with Joseph Park Babcock, an American businessman working for Standard Oil in Shanghai. He added Arabic numerals to the tiles so English-speaking players could read them, then began importing sets by the thousands.
NEW RULES
By the 1930s, different groups in the States played entirely different games. In 1937, a group of women in New York City founded the National Mah Jongg League to standardize the rules once and for all: They published the first annual card!
MAHJONG HISTORY
A GAME WITH MANY DIFFERENT FACES
Mahjong traces its roots to China during the Qing dynasty in the mid-to-late 1800s. By the early 20th century, it had become "the national game of China" - a fixture in homes, teahouses, and social clubs from Shanghai to Beijing. The game's sensory richness was unmatched: the weight of the tiles, the clatter of the shuffle, the satisfying click of a tile placed on the table.
The journey to America began with Joseph Park Babcock, an American businessman working for Standard Oil in Shanghai. In the early 1920s, Babcock trademarked the name "Mah-Jongg" (with its distinctive double-J spelling) and published a simplified rulebook known as the "red book." He added Arabic numerals to the tiles so English-speaking players could read them, then began importing sets by the thousands.
What followed was one of the biggest game trends in American history. Between 1922 and 1924, Mahjong exploded across the United States. Department stores couldn't keep sets in stock. Eddie Cantor recorded a hit song called "Since Ma Is Playing Mah Jong." Fashion designers created Mahjong-themed clothing. Entire social calendars reorganized around the game.
The new Mahjong craze created a problem: a chaotic patchwork of house rules. By the 1930s, different groups played entirely different games. In 1937, a group of women in New York City founded the National Mah Jongg League to standardize the rules once and for all. Their most significant innovation was the annual card - a printed list of all valid winning hands, published each spring. They also added eight Joker tiles and formalized the Charleston, creating the distinct American version of the game.
The NMJL's standardization created a set of rules that made it easier to play within different groups. It became a fixture in Jewish Community Centers, country clubs, retirement communities, and living rooms across the country. For Jewish American women in particular, weekly Mahjong gatherings became a cornerstone of social life, friendships deepened over decades of shared play, with grandmothers teaching daughters who taught granddaughters.
Mahjong has always adapted to the hands that hold it. Just as players in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan each shaped the game to reflect their own culture and community, America now did the same - this time, the rules were set not by tradition alone, but printed on a card.
Events
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How you can play
The European Mahjong Card allows players of all different languages to play together. The basics like suits, winds or dragons are the same in all languages but rules and how to set up your lines is translated in an ever growing array of languages.
BECOME PART OF OUR COMMUNITY
We founded The MIDNIGHT MAHJONG Club to share the joy of this game and to create and foster genuine connections – for new players discovering their first pung, as well as for seasoned pros who know their favorite hand by heart.
It is our mission to bring a seamless Mahjong experience to Europe – starting right here in Munich. Our first partner location has begun welcoming players who want to discover what generations of Americans have cherished so much: a game that sharpens the mind, warms the heart, and forges lifelong friendships.
Whether you are picking up tiles for the first time or have been playing for decades – there is always a seat reserved for you at our table.
Our signature product
The TMMC Classic Set was developed for a single purpose: to make the game instantly readable for everyone at the table. Each of the three suits – Dots, Bam, and Crack – has its own visual identity, ensuring players always know exactly what they are holding in their hands at a single glance.
The color system was designed to be flexible from the ground up, so it can effortlessly adapt to new color palettes and future editions – without losing the clarity that makes the set so special. Whether you are setting up your first or your five-hundredth game, the tiles feel secure and thoughtfully crafted in your hands. This is the set we wished we had when we first started playing – and now, it can be yours.
How is it played?
Is it hard to learn?
Not really. But it needs some gusto in the beginning as everything is new. It's not your classic card deck you had around for a long time. Maybe. We assure you, once you can call your first Mahjong it will make you smile like a Cheshire Cat and you'll be beyond proud.
Where do I find players and teachers?
We created an app for exactly this purpose. Download it onto your phone and find teachers, open play locations or simply create your own group.
Can I be an affiliate store?
Contact us and find out! We are currently looking for stores all over. If we already have a store in your location it might depend on the players in your area.