TAMPA, Fla. – A centuries-old Chinese tile game is drawing crowd after crowd across the Tampa Bay area as local enthusiasts gather to build community and master strategy.
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Tampa Bay Mahjong resurgence
What we know:
Players are filling local coffee shops, breweries and restaurants to participate in community game nights. The tile-based activity relies on strategy, skill and luck.
Social club Red Eye Mahjong helps lead the local surge by hosting open-play sessions and beginner lessons in traditional Hong Kong-style Mahjong. Founder Jacob Chang noticed interest rapidly spike two years ago.
“Fell into it right at the perfect time,” he said. “As soon as I started teaching people Mahjong, it just started getting very popular.”
Red Eye Mahjong history
The backstory:
Chang established Red Eye Mahjong after growing up playing the game alongside his Chinese family. The club’s fast expansion forced members to seek larger meeting spaces.
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Social Club Community Growth
What they’re saying:
“It started with five of us, then it grew into ten, twenty and sometimes thirty people,” he said. “At that point, I figured this is way too many people to be bringing into my friend’s apartment.”
Chang emphasized that the interest extends beyond learning the rules of an ancient pastime.
“It’s always the community and people who play that are really making Mahjong what it is,” he concluded.
Upcoming Tampa game night
What’s next:
Red Eye Mahjong plans to host a community game night Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Gambit Games in Tampa. The meetup welcomes players of every skill level, including complete beginners.
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