Cover Art, Mahj Sanitizer by John Davis
From the Editors...

  We hope you enjoy this issue during the mahj hiatus, and that you stay healthy and have enough TP to last.
Click on covers to request back issues.

WELCOME TO MJ DIVA MAGAZINE
The Magazine for The Discerning Mah Jongg Player

WORLDWIDE SUBSCRIBERS: 2,135

We hope you enjoy this electronic magazine as it spotlights all that is fresh, funny, exciting, controversial, and cutting-edge
in the Mahj Nation.

Created by John Davis
Edited by Judith Euen Davis
Celebration by John Davis

 On Collectors and Collections


Rarely do we have the opportunity to see the exquisitely carved ivory, bone, bamboo, and wood Mah Jongg tiles that are carefully preserved by collectors around the globe. Fortunately, MJ DIVA had the opportunity to ask one discerning collector to share his thoughts, and images, of his collection. The result was this entertaining and insightful look at the collection of Rod Limke. 

Which is the most unusual tile/set/box?

My most unusual set is the Mother of Pearl set with a burled wood case.
Which set has the most meaning to you personally?

The set that means the most to me is also the most valuable set I have. The set is in a lacquer box painted with gold dragons with matching racks. The tiles are bone and ebony and are fully carved. This set was owned by a prominent family in my hometown of Oklahoma City.
Which represents the culture of their time?

The set that most represents the culture of the time, for me, would have to be what I call the execution set. It depicts the true story of a man who robbed and murdered one of the most famous concubines of the time; he was hunted down and executed.
What stories can you tell about searching for sets?

Well, I wish I had some amazing stories for you, but I really don't. Most of my collection was purchased on eBay. Every now and then a friend will tell me about a set they saw, and I will go check it out. Since becoming friends with other Mah Jong collectors, I have purchased some beautiful sets from them. The fully carved bone and ebony set was at an estate sell in Oklahoma City that a friend told me about. It's mainly about keeping your eyes and ears open. I'm always looking... always!

Were there any disasters or losses?

Occasionally I buy a set without asking enough questions or requesting more photos. And once I have it in my possession, it's a total train wreck. Always a good lesson! Only one time have I been burned by a seller. I'm a firm believer in Karma.

What more would you like to acquire?

I always have my eyes open for something unique that I don't have, although, lately, I really haven't seen any antique/vintage sets that have grabbed my attention. I am really liking some of the new sets that Crisloid is putting out. These sets designed by other Mah Jong collectors have been my latest must haves!

Are there any mysteries about these sets that the Mah Jong community might help to answer?

One thing I’ve often wondered about is, since Mah Jong was at its most popular in the 20’s and 30’s, why are there not more "High Art Deco" sets or cases?

Rod was recently featured on the series “Men who Mahj” by our Mahjong Community Facebook group page:
Chinese Bakelite Sets from Limke Collection
Other Sets from Limke Collection
Mahj Around the Globe

The Netherlands
Mahjong was first introduced to the Netherlands on a large scale in the 1920s and back then, just as they did in the US, everyone played the Babcock rules. The Dutch Mahjong Association was founded in 2004 and today comprises around 400 members. Around 100 of them compete regularly in both domestic and international tournaments, mainly using the European Mahjong Association’s (EMA) Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR), which are based on the official Chinese rules. Both MCR and Riichi Competition Rules (RCR) are prevalent but at this time MCR remains the firm favorite of most Dutch players.

AN INTERVIEW WITH JELTE REP
 
  Do you have plans to revise The Great Mahjong Book?

I don't think there's a game that has as many playing variations as mahjong. There is also an indelible desire for mahjong players to add new rules to the game and to declare those house rules sacred. In this respect chess, checkers and Rummikub are extremely boring games. No one who dares to change the rules of those games.
 
When I retired as a scriptwriter and television maker, I decided to devote my energy and creativity to the promotion of mahjong. After all mahjong is the best round game in the world, but not every citizen of the world knows that. That was futile trouble. They don't exist. From the very beginning mahjong has been played in different ways. The rules were distributed orally and changed more and more.
 
The result of my quest was a colossal mountain of rules with all kinds of funny and interesting differences. It confirmed what I always thought: mahjong is not just a game, no, it's so interesting and so much fun that it's played with a lot of passion and fun all over the world. Any time, every second mahjong is played on our globe. The tweeting of mahjong tiles can always be heard. That fact alone obliges humanity to keep our planet in good condition, so that the cheerful touch of the tiles continues continuously.
 
My Great Mahjong Book was born of my pride in the game, to which I became (pleasantly) addicted. I wanted to show that mahjong is not just a game, but that it has magic and captivates people everywhere. It wasn't my intention to cover all the rules of the game in the world. That was endless task. The book gives an overview of how mahjong is played all over the world and what the most striking differences are.
 
What might you consider adding as an update?

That the game is still changing and new variants appear is of course not fun for someone who has just written The Great Mahjong Book , but big changes have not yet revealed themselves.
If my publisher wants a new update on my book, I would certainly like to make space for interesting new rules, such as Gladys Grad's Siamese Mah Jongg . And also want to give more attention to how to play mahjong with three players in an exciting way. Older players in particular often struggle to get four players to the table. When one of the four players dies, the three others often remain orphaned as grieving mahjong widows and -widowers.
 
Where is the game most frequently played in your country?
 
Holland is a small country, but not so small that I know everyone. I think there's a lot of mahjong playing in living rooms with friends and or family. From the impressions of my mahjong books in the Dutch language I deduce that considerably more is played at home than in clubs and at tournaments. Tournaments are visited by no more than hundred participants. I estimate the number of home players is much and much higher.
 
In the 1930's when mahjong reached the Netherlands from the U.S. Netherlands, the game became a madness also in the Netherlands. Joseph Babcock established his Continental Mah-Jongg Sales Co in Amsterdam. His sets were not to be dragged. That craze is now over, the players of that time have past away, but their mahjong sets still exist. No one cleans them up, they look beautiful and intriguing and the persistent rumor is that the mahjong tiles of grandpa and grandma are of ivory and so very precious. These intriguing vintage sets are tempting the grandchildren to play with those beauties, with all the consequences that entails.
  
I consider it my job to reach those invisible home players and attract them with my publications and my enthusiasm to the clubs and the tournaments. That's not easy. Leaving the home table for a clubhouse turns out to be a very big step. But anyone who dares is rarely disappointed.
 
Which organizations sponsor tournaments? Are they held for fundraising? How large are they? Do the tournaments have rules that differ from private games?

In the 1980s, for unclear reasons, a revival of the mahjong game occurred in the Netherlands. Mahjong clubs started in some cities and began to promote mahjong, among other things by organizing open tournaments. As a result, mahjong came even further out of his isolation. One problem were the rules of the game. The rules of the game that Babcock wrote were observed differently in the Netherlands, leading to violent debates and a lot of outrage. The tournament bosses then equalized their rules, which were eventually accepted by all tournament participants and played at the clubs afterwards.
 
Because my country is small, we like to look quickly across the borders. Could we also host an international tournament, my brother Martin Rep thought? Easier thought than done. There was no umbrella organization in the Netherlands, which could organize such a large tournament. So first a national Mahjong Bond had to be founded. Secondly, according to which rules of the game has to be played? Martin chose the brand new rules, which had just been conceived in Beijing and with which the 2002 Mahjong World Cup was played in Tokyo. Three years later he was proud to open the first Open European Mahjong Championship, thanks to the efforts of many volunteers, sponsorship of some small companies and a donation from the Mahjong Museum in Chiba, Japan. The Netherlands clearly put itself on the world map as a mahjong nation.
 
As a result, we suddenly started playing different mahjong variants in the Netherlands: the classic mahjong, Beijing-mahjong, but also Riichi-mahjong from Japan and Hong Kong variant from China. More choice, more differences, greater emphasis on winning, further removed from the living rooms. Beijing-mahjong or MCR (Mahjong Competition Rules) in particular is often played in the Netherlands nowadays.

Are there companies that sell Mah Jongg related items other than tiles, racks, and dice?

My mahjong book and some mahjong trinkets are for sale at tournaments and at a Dutch online shop https://mahjongshopdot1.nl/ But the true mahjong fanatic will find his way to many more such online shops in America, China and anywhere in the world via the Internet. Sometimes you have to be patient before your order is delivered at home.

Has the game been expanding in the past few years? How?

The Nederlandse Mahjong Bond does a lot to recruit new members but the results are not stormy. The number is currently about 1000 members. It is and remains a big step from the cosy living room to an often noisy mahjong club with unknown players.
 
In the past five years, a version of American style Mah Jongg called Siamese Mah Jongg was created by Gladys Grad and has gained a great deal of popularity. Is is being played in Holland?

No, we don't know that variant (yet) in the Netherlands. The American variants are not popular here and the American Mah Jongg is looked at rather strangely. The eyes are more focused on the latest developments in Asia, especially as mahjong there attracts many young people as well. Here mahjong ages a little.
 
 
 
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The Story
of the
Hidden Mahj-Treasure
De Haar Castle


Medieval castles conjure images of romantic times, of damsels in distress and rescuing knights, of dragons and magicians; they can be the stuff of fantasy while in reality they were originally the seats of royalty and military power. Castles have been regularly used as settings for books and films. Today, castles serve as historical sites and museums, capturing lifestyles long vanished.  

One such museum, the Castle de Haar, is the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands. The museum consists of the castle, a collection of art objects and the surrounding park and the associated property. Both the guest houses and servants’ quarters can be visited. Its collection includes objects of Ming, French antiques, tapestries and specially designed cutlery and one surprising Mah Jongg connection.

Here is the story of the discovery of a hidden mahjong treasure told by Jan Keeval

About Jan Keevel


I started playing mahjong in 1980.
At the office we play five days a week, from 12:00 till 13:00.
We played the classical rules. With a local addition: if you didn't win with at least Half-flush (a hand with tiles from only one suit plus honor tiles, aka Clean Hand) people didn't speak to you for the rest of the day ...

Some years ago my daughter and I were trying to teach my son-in-law to play mahjong. Searching for information, I discovered the modern Dutch Tournament Rules (in Dutch: NTS). From that day we converted to NTS.

Jelte Rep, a friend of mine, is the founding father of the Dutch Tournament Rules of Mahjong (NTS). NTS is meant for 4 players, obviously.

Already in 2002 Jelte thought of playing the game with 3 players. However, many players were not really happy to by those rules.

In 2017 I redesigned the rules for three players (San ma).
"My" rules are now used at my club, at Jelte's club and at two more clubs. There are two types of clubs: formal clubs which are members of the Mahjong League (approx 25 clubs) and informal clubs that are not a member of the Mahjong League.My club used to be a member of the League, but we stepped out
Most informal clubs are not easy to find on the internet; they are known by word of mouth. Estimates on these informal clubs vary from tens to hundreds.


In 2018, by agreement of Gladys Grad, I designed Siamese Dutch rules: inspired by Gladys We have also played some demonstrations at NTS tournaments, where the public was enthusiastic.

At my former club we have played it in a competition: we played 4, 3 and 2 player versions in the same competition (so: NTS, San ma and Siamees).    

   
and 

   Basically, the players use 2 racks and may make mahjong twice.
   For each players 1st mahjong restrictions apply (otherwise it would be to easy to win as one has 27 tiles in hand)




An Introduction to De Haar Castle
by Jan Keevel



Jan Keevel is a guide at De Haar Castle and a Mahjong-maniac

Already in the 12 th century there was a castle on the estate. In those days it was just a simple house with a tower and a palisade.

In 1500, the current pentagon-shaped castle was built, with an open courtyard.
In the ages following this, the castle fell into ruins caused by various reasons.  
In the 19 th century Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar knew he was going to inherit this ancestral castle.
He was wealthy, but by far not wealthy enough to rebuild this castle.

Fortunately he fell in love with (at that time) the richest young woman in Europe: Hélène de Rothschild.
Both their parents were against the marriage (old money vs new money, Catholic vs Jewish, old aristocracy vs new age bankers).

The moment they got married, Hélène was disowned by the Rothschilds and her mother only wore black dresses from that day on. The Rothschild family never did anything for the castle.

However, as Hélène’s father had died when she was very young, she already had an impressive inheritance that the family couldn’t touch. She kept in control of her own money, but she gave her husband Etienne a monthly allowance … just enough to rebuild his ancestral castle.

Pierre Cuypers, the architect famous for the Rijksmuseum and the buildings of the Central Station in Amsterdam, was hired to rebuild the medieval castle in all its glory and to add all the luxury money could buy. He managed to do this in only 20 years (1892-1912)

From its ruins, the medieval castle was rebuilt in all its glory. During this rebuilding a roof was put over the open courtyard. At the same time “all the luxury money could buy” was installed: central heating with floor heating and hot air heating, running warm and cold water, proper showers and baths, a generator for electricity, an elevator, telephone, a miraculous kitchen, and much more.
 
The luxury castle has about 25 guestrooms, each with its own style, its own design, its own atmosphere. In the dining room the table can host up to 34 persons.

The castle is now owned by the Van Zuylen van Nyevelt as the family’s country house; they retain the right to spend one month a year there, usually September.

From 1893 up to 2005 hundreds of celebrities were guests in this castle: Coco Chanel, Maria Callas, Onassis, the Aga Khan, Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, to name just a few.


If ever in The Netherlands one should visit this castle.
It’s only half an hour south of Amsterdam.

See you at the castle!
THE HIDDEN TREASURE
Goose Family by John Davis
HOUSE RULES
Gladys Grad

With all due respect to the National Mah Jongg League’s guidelines and the Standardized National Mah Jongg Tournament Rules, there exists an abundance of “house rules” associated with our game. I truly believe they were created to spice up the game, and to give players additional challenges. That is understandable, given that we follow the fixed parameters associated with the annual card, and may find ourselves seeking a little more excitement while we wait for the new one to arrive.

To its credit, I think the NMJL creates the annual card with a seasoned eye on making the game interesting and follows a process that has long proven successful. However, house rules have probably been around as long as the NMJL.

Here’s a short list of some of those house rules, none of which are condoned or supported by the NMJL or Tournament Rules:

ATOMIC HAND
A “hand” that is formed using unrelated pairs of tiles, without using flowers or jokers. Players cannot claim mah jongg if they even pick a joker or a flower.

BANK
 In some games, a small portion of each mahj winner’s pot is placed in a bowl (for instance 10% of the winnings or $0.25 per game.) Players may decide to distribute the funds in the bank at the end of the game, or use them at a later date for a special occasion. Some players use the bank for dinner out, donations to charity, and as registration fees for tournament weekends.

COLD WALL
 The last stacks of tiles to be played in the game are sometimes referred to as a "cold wall”. A player can't call a discarded tile for Mah Jongg during this wall; you have to pick it yourself. This rule lets you "not think at all." You can throw all caution to the wind and discard any tile you want and your opponent can't claim that discarded tile to make Mah Jongg.

HOT WALL
The last stacks of tiles in the wall to be played are sometimes referred to as a "hot wall."  In a hot wall if the discarder can't account for at least three of the same tile - in an exposure, in their hand, or on the table, and throws the tile that gives someone Mah Jongg, the discarder pays for all players at the table. This house rule makes the discarder think twice when they realize all the money they may have to pay out.

FUTURE: PICKING AHEAD
 Players probably started this method of playing, because they wanted to keep their idle hands away from the potato chips. If you get in the habit of picking your next tile before it’s your turn, it's a hard habit to break; and you will be called "dead" in a tournament. 

MISH-ING
Putting everyone's last Charleston tiles in the middle and "mishing them around." Gives you another chance to get a tile you might have missed during the passing.

RUHSH OR ROOSH or RUCHE
 The Charleston. (Especially when playing with 3 players)

FOURTEEN TILE GAME
 This form of the game uses 14 tiles during the play. Players will discard a tile before they pick their next tile. An opponent is entitled to claim the discard, even though the previous player has picked their next tile. If a player has picked their mah jongg tile, they must wait until the game continues, and returns to them. Regular tournament players just love players who are in the habit of throwing before they pick because their hand is immediately called dead.

For diversity, since 1999 the American Mah Jongg Association's Lois Maddow has offered another card to play with; followed by Kim Powell's Marvelous Mah Jongg Card, and Lynn Chorn and Stacey Frankel's Mah Jongg Alliance Card.

Nothing boring about Mah Jongg.
*******************************************************************

Mahj Around the Globe

The United Kingdom








Peter Gregory has created a rich, informative website on British Mah-Jong.

I love your site. What prompted you to create it?

It all came about as a result of my joining a local U3A  Mah-Jong group (in 2007) which had only just formed and was trying to find some rules to play by. (U3A is the University of the Third Age, a UK movement of retired and semi-retired people who come together to continue their educational, social, and creative interests in a friendly and informal environment.) No one knew how to play!

I had played the game in the 1970s (with a friend's family whose father had learnt it in the Royal Navy whilst visiting China). After his death I wrote the rules down so as not to forget them. His set had an accompanying, very obscurely written, book of rules, but it was never referred to.   Our group eventually decided to opt for the BMJA rules, which – though similar – had many differences to the game I knew.

I was surprised to learn there was more than one version of Mah-Jong – but yet to discover there was more than one spelling!
I was given the task of explaining the BMJA rules to the others and so I produced a modified version of my original rules.

The website came a little later. I wanted to know how to create one and explaining how to play Mah-Jong seemed like a good subject.
I also had a strong feeling that there was a better way of explaining Mah-Jong than that employed by the rule book I had first encountered. Using plenty of illustrations was, I felt, the key to this as well as not being concerned about how much space you are taking – a luxury not afforded to book author(s), much limited by constraints on space and cost.

One of our club members kindly allowed me to photograph his attractive bone & bamboo set (purchased in a London second-hand shop after WWII for just £1) and so I was on my way.

Once started, my website, Mah-Jong, British Rules kind of took hold of me and I added lots of other Mah-Jong things. Mahjong-BritishRules.com

Can you tell me more about the BMJA?

The British Mah-Jong Association was formed in conjunction with a book, written by Gwyn Headley and Yvonne Seeley called “ Mah-Jong (Know the Game) ”, which was published in 1994.
It was an attempt to formulate an authoritative set of rules that were consistent with the game played here since the 1920s but which called a halt to the proliferation of 'home rules' – “a welter of irrelevant and confusing practices which distracted from the essential pleasure of the game”. I guess the game I learnt was an example of this.

Before publishing my website I made contact with the authors to ensure that they didn't have any copyright concerns. They graciously consented to my going ahead with it and also gave lots of helpful advice. Since then I have exchanged many emails with them, usually with questions about the rules raised by visitors to my website.
I'm still finding there are questions to ask, more than 11 years since the site's creation!

We did once meet to discuss expanding the activity of the BMJA, but decided against it. I don't think it's a game that sits comfortably with formal competitions. So the BMJA exists primarily as a source of advice about the rules, in practice via questions to my website.


How much of the British Rules game is being played? Where?

I have noticed a few variations of the game played here.
The Chinese rules game is played as well as Japanese Richii, but my impression is that the majority of clubs play to some form of British rules. It's difficult to know for sure as club web pages don't always indicate which rules are being used. However, if the ranking of Mah-Jong books in Amazon is anything to go by, the BMJA rules game is the most popular one.

My researches suggest that there are around 500 Mah-Jong clubs in the UK, the vast majority of which are U3A clubs. They can get quite large. Ours now has 60 members. Some people, of course, will just play the game at home.
I think the British rules game is also played in countries that were once within the British Empire (like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada) and in countries where British people have moved to (like Spain).
There's also a thriving Mah-Jong community in Nevada, California that plays by BMJA rules!

CLICK HERE to read a description of the game

Vintage Birthday Card by John Davis
Mah Jongg, Birthday, and a Not-So-Stupid Game

The more birthdays you have, the more reason to celebrate, right?  And when you do, you should celebrate Mahj-style as Linda Long did recently   Linda often hosts Mah Jongg parties at her home in San Luis Obispo, California.  She is also an experienced national and local tournament player, director, and active in the San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria Mahj communities. 
 
Here’s her story where she reveals her age and what a great day she had with her Mahj friends.
 
Nothing better than a Mah Jongg Birthday Party with friends and family. A whole afternoon of mah jongg followed by a fabulous Mexican food dinner, at old Juan’s Cantina in Oceano, is a recipe for happiness. And, when she threw in a fun party game, she was surrounded by lots of laughter, a perfect recipe for good health, kindness and joy throughout the commIng year - 77 is definitely a wise,  young  age, too! LOL!!!  She was fortunate to share the day with her friend, Martha Mortimer, who also turned a wonderful, wise,  young  age this year, too, but you’ll have to ask her how many years that is for her.
And, yes, there were men playing and partying, too, thank you Greg Villegas and Francis Svedas!

Here’s the gist of the party game. Invite all your guests to bring a wrapped present under $20 value, and display them all in the center of the room. The games start and the first player to make a mah jongg, gets to select a present, the next person to mahj, may pick a new present from the table, or steal a present from another winner. Then, that person selects or steals a present, and so on. One can steal as often as he or she wins a mahj hand. Stealing was the most fun - would you believe a plain ol’ bottle filled with $15 worth of coins was most popular, even though there were other fabulous gifts, too! Thank you,Donna Eschen, for that great gift idea! Try it, your group may love it, too! 
 
One person revealed at dinner afterwards that, when she read the invitation to do this, she thought it was the stupidest game ever! But, she was a very polite guest and played along with the birthday lady’s wishes, and perhaps had the most laughs of anyone! She also got to take home a solar lite frog! Thank you, friends, for making this the best birthday ever!
Linda says the best thing about playing Mah Jongg is that it has brought her a whole new community of friends – not just mahj friends, but real “I’ll be there for you!” kind of friends. And, the enthusiasm of her students spills over like icing on the birthday cake! Her wish for each of you is many Jokers in your next mahj games!
Diva Pool by John Davis
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Off to the Tournament by John Davis
DIX HILLS TOURNAMENTS:
A TRADITION

An interview with Ronda Brooks

Many years ago, when my mother was 20 years old and expecting me, my dad said to her, “You’re Jewish and you’re pregnant; you have to learn to play Mah Jongg!” And HE taught her how to play. 
As I was growing up in the Bronx, and later Yonkers, NY, I remember loving the sounds of the clacking tiles and laughter on Mah Jongg nights, but I never learned to play. 
Fast forward many years to when I was pregnant with my first child. I called my mom to tell her that I needed to learn to play Mah Jongg. She asked why and I asked her to remember why she had to learn. She recalled the phrase my dad used, “You’re Jewish and PREGNANT....”. She let out a scream! And that’s how I broke the news that she was going to be a grandmother. 
My good friend, Paula, taught me to play Mah Jongg when I was actually pregnant with my second child and we’ve been playing together for 27 years! 
In my real life, I’m a retired school social worker with a private therapy practice. I love to crochet, travel and listen to music, especially my latest passion, country music. I edit two newsletters and I belong to two book clubs. And of course I love my two weekly Mah Jongg games and running tournaments with my friends. 
When did the tournamments get started?
About 10 years ago, three friends and I saw a need for fundraising for our Sisterhood at the Commack Jewish Center on Long Island. We came up with the idea after attending other tournaments. A few years ago, Commack Jewish Center merged with Dix Hills Jewish Center and kept the Dix Hills name. We moved our tournaments into our new shul.

How large are they?
Our two largest tournaments had 132 players. We're considering adding a few more tables to our next tournament.

How frequent?
When we started, it was a two-time-a-year event. Now we run tournaments six times a year.

Who attends them?
We have an email list of over 1200 names. We attract players from all over Long Island, New York City, Westchester Country, New Jersey, Connecticut and even Florida.

What makes them stand out?
Most of our compliments are about the friendliness of our players. We work really hard to make sure that everyone is polite and welcoming, especially to new players. Our other accolades are about the great food we serve. We have beautiful bagel breakfasts and we cater our lunches from a local kosher deli. We also have snacks, candy and beverages available all day. We set up a Mah Jongg boutique where participants can buy Mah Jongg related items and we also have raffles and a 50/50 drawing.

What charities do they support?
Initially our tournaments were set up to provide funding for our Sisterhood. In the past few years, we have been splitting our profits between our Sisterhood and our Social Action Committee. Social Action had no funding of its own and always relied on donations. With the money we contribute from our tournaments, Social Action can now provide programs and services for the poor, elderly and underprivileged in our community. They are extremely grateful for their additional funding.

Are there regular winners?
We've had a few repeat winners over the years but the prizes have been pretty well spread out.
(Left to right: Sharon Nachman, Paula Saltzman, Barney Gallassio, Ronda Brooks, Fran Mandel)
Who have been the movers and shakers?
I have to give all the credit to our amazing Mah Jongg Committee. Our "well-oiled machine" works so well together. We always meet a week or two before each tournament to make sure all the bases are covered. Our committee members are Sharon Nachman, Paula Saltzman, Fran Mandel and yours truly.

What’s the funniest or strangest thing to have happened?
There's a popular TV series on Amazon Prime called the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Two women who didn't know each other, one from Long Island and one from Connecticut, had appeared in one of the episodes as extras. Both women participated in the same Dix Hills Tournament and ended up playing at the same table where they recognized each other from the show.

Do you have something special planned for the future?
We recently started awarding a cash prize for the highest cumulative score for the calendar year. We hope it encourages players to participate in some extras tournaments.
My contact info for anyone who wants to know more is: email gumby5@optonline.net .
The Mahj Madness Tournament Tempera on wood. c.1288 Anonymous (John Davis)

Mah Jongg in the Middle Ages

Early attempts at mah jongg tournaments were spectacularly unsuccessful due to the huge size of the tiles and the players’ penchant for drinking mead to blot out the sorrows of their mean and bitter existence.

from The Secret History of Mah Jongg
Mahj on My Mind Merchandise
Every Mahj Jongg player will find something to love in the 40 collections of over 500 items ranging from tote bags, jewelry, and luggage tags, to phone cases, shirts, earrings, and note cards. Perfect as gifts, tournament prizes, or home decor.
Mahj Shell by John Davis
Created by Mah Jongg maven Gladys Grad in 2015, Siamese Mah Jongg ® has gained so much popularity recently that there is now a growing demand for tournaments. For the past three years, Grad's Mah Jongg Madness Tournaments have held mini Siamese Mah Jongg ® tournaments, in Las Vegas and Scottsdale. The scoring and guidelines for these mini tournaments are available at the Siamese Mah Jongg ® Guild Facebook group. CLICK HERE
MAHJ MANIA GAME
created by John Davis
On March 5, 2020, Joanne Goldblatt, founder of the Ryan Goldblatt Foundation, wrote:

Hi John!
I wanted to write you and tell you that my group FINALLY played mah Jongg using your mah Jongg mania cards and LOVED it!! We all had so much fun and ended up playing til almost 2:00 in the morning because we wanted to see what card would come up next! It was so clever - I’m thrilled you came up with this addition to the game. We’re already planning our next big night to use them again. 
I highly encourage all seasoned players to play mah Jongg using these cards. It adds such a fun element to the game! You won’t be disappointed!

CLICK HERE to Join our Mahj Mania Facebook group.

Mah Jongg Diva Tiles
Limited Edition Mah Jongg Tiles
There are only 100 sets of this limited edition. Each set comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and consists of 170 Standard American Mah Jongg tiles, including 8 flowers, 8 seasons, 8 blanks (in case a tile is lost, it can be replaced with one of these), and 2 extra jokers.
Letters should be exclusive to MJ DIVA Magazine. We do not publish open letters or third-party letters. We encourage a diversity of voices and views in our letters.   Letters should preferably be 150 to 175 words and should refer to either an article in our magazine or to a topic of general interest to the Mah Jongg community. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number.
  • Only letters submitted electronically HERE will be considered.
J. Davis Mah Jongg
COLLECTION
at Davida Aprons

Davida Aprons is pleased to announce the exclusive sale of this popular fabric. Along with purchasing a wide range of products, you may now purchase this fabric for your next project! CLICK HERE to order.
Mahj-Art Commissions

Would you like a custom designed gift for a friend or loved one who plays Mah Jongg?
Is there an anniversary or birthday milestone that calls for something special?
You should consider my Mahj-Art Archival Prints.
Each print is hand made using archival inks and high quality papers. I work closely with clients to find something unique about the recipient. My extensive Mahj-Art library is available, or you may commission an entirely new piece. Join the nationwide ranks of satisfied customers.