I'm a gamer freak I'll admit that right now. I love playing my Xbox late at night when I have nothing else to do, I like playing my Wii when I want a nice work out, and I really love going online to the various sites that offer games. A few years back I got utterly addicted to a game called Mahjong. This is not a game for everyone - you have to like puzzles. But if you do like it, you will really get addicted to this one indeed! Mah jong is a popular game that originated in China and is sometimes referred to as mah-jongg.
Most Chinese players, especially those of Mandarin speaking backgrounds, also call the game ma jiang. This is a game that consists of skill, calculation, strategy and to a certain degree, luck. There are various variations of the game and depending on which one is being played, luck can play a small or large factor in determining the victor. The basic premise of the game is that each player is dealt 13 or sixteen tiles (depending on the variation being played). Each player has a turn of discarding a tile with the goal to make four or five melds/combinations and one pair.
Winning is achieved by drawing a new or discarded tile to complete the hand. Some of you may have also heard of mahjong solitaire - this is the one I really love playing! Usually the tiles are already set up for you in a specific "form" (such as dragon, rabbit, crab, spider, cat, etc) it's then your job to match the tiles such as 7s with 7s and also different seasons as well such as Spring with Spring and Summer with Summer. Once you get all the tiles matched up you.. win!
Free mahjong games of all sorts can be found right online. One of the sites I found online recently offered up the history of this game, rules, and information. But they also allowed you to find gaming sites online that offer these Asian themed games along with a small review of what they thought about the website. So let's take a look at one of these quick reviews:
- MahjongTime Review: MahjongTime was established in 2005 and has grown to be one of the premier sites that offer online mahjong. The software consists of an instant application that runs on Flash so there are no hassles with installations. The graphics are stylish, efficient and easy to navigate providing a great experience for all types of mahjong players with excellent customer service that is available 24/7.
Along with the info above you will also find the deposit bonus, tournaments the site might have, who can play, what kind of play they have (paid or free), and more! Over all these types of sites are my favorite because not only can you get to know the game better, but you can also find some sites that they recommend trying out! Other Asian themed games you might be interested in are included below and can also be found right online for your enjoyment!
- Chinese Checkers is a board game that can be played by two to six people. It is a variant of Halma; the objective of the game is to place one's pieces in the corner opposite their starting position of a pitted hexagram by single moves or jumps over other pieces. The Chinese Checkers board has 121 indentations arranged to form a six-pointed star much like a regular hexagram, with ten such spots within each triangular star-point of the hexagram, and 61 within its hexagon.
The game pieces are usually six sets of colored pieces (typically marbles), ten of each color. Each set of ten pieces begins placed in the spots of one of the star-points. Play rotates amongst contestants in fixed order, each player making one move before the next player. A piece moves either to an adjacent spot or, by a "jump" over another piece, to a spot two places removed. The objective of the game is to place one's pieces in the opposite corner.
- Pai gow is a Chinese gambling game, played with a set of Chinese dominoes. Pai gow is played in unsanctioned casinos in most Chinese communities. It is played openly in major casinos in China (including Macau); the United States (including Las Vegas, Nevada; Connecticut; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and card rooms in California); Canada (including Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta); Australia; and, New Zealand. It dates back to at least the Song Dynasty, and is a game steeped in tradition. The name "pai gow" is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or "double-hand poker"), which is loosely based on pai gow.
- Zon: This is a little different because it actually teaches you how to learn Mandarin Chinese, but it's still a really cool option! By interacting in the Zon environment you will be exposed to Chinese language and cultural knowledge in a new and exciting way. Everything that you do in the game is another chance to learn new words, phrases and cultural info about China. Never before has learning Chinese been more fun.
You can also find other games online as well. There are one on one games where you can play by yourself or multi-player ones. Ones for free, ones that are paid and one's where you can actually "gamble" and earn money for when you play. Either way - there is something for everyone you just have to look around! Have fun playing games such as the ones mentioned above - just remember to get your work done as well!
Most Chinese players, especially those of Mandarin speaking backgrounds, also call the game ma jiang. This is a game that consists of skill, calculation, strategy and to a certain degree, luck. There are various variations of the game and depending on which one is being played, luck can play a small or large factor in determining the victor. The basic premise of the game is that each player is dealt 13 or sixteen tiles (depending on the variation being played). Each player has a turn of discarding a tile with the goal to make four or five melds/combinations and one pair.
Winning is achieved by drawing a new or discarded tile to complete the hand. Some of you may have also heard of mahjong solitaire - this is the one I really love playing! Usually the tiles are already set up for you in a specific "form" (such as dragon, rabbit, crab, spider, cat, etc) it's then your job to match the tiles such as 7s with 7s and also different seasons as well such as Spring with Spring and Summer with Summer. Once you get all the tiles matched up you.. win!
Free mahjong games of all sorts can be found right online. One of the sites I found online recently offered up the history of this game, rules, and information. But they also allowed you to find gaming sites online that offer these Asian themed games along with a small review of what they thought about the website. So let's take a look at one of these quick reviews:
- MahjongTime Review: MahjongTime was established in 2005 and has grown to be one of the premier sites that offer online mahjong. The software consists of an instant application that runs on Flash so there are no hassles with installations. The graphics are stylish, efficient and easy to navigate providing a great experience for all types of mahjong players with excellent customer service that is available 24/7.
Along with the info above you will also find the deposit bonus, tournaments the site might have, who can play, what kind of play they have (paid or free), and more! Over all these types of sites are my favorite because not only can you get to know the game better, but you can also find some sites that they recommend trying out! Other Asian themed games you might be interested in are included below and can also be found right online for your enjoyment!
- Chinese Checkers is a board game that can be played by two to six people. It is a variant of Halma; the objective of the game is to place one's pieces in the corner opposite their starting position of a pitted hexagram by single moves or jumps over other pieces. The Chinese Checkers board has 121 indentations arranged to form a six-pointed star much like a regular hexagram, with ten such spots within each triangular star-point of the hexagram, and 61 within its hexagon.
The game pieces are usually six sets of colored pieces (typically marbles), ten of each color. Each set of ten pieces begins placed in the spots of one of the star-points. Play rotates amongst contestants in fixed order, each player making one move before the next player. A piece moves either to an adjacent spot or, by a "jump" over another piece, to a spot two places removed. The objective of the game is to place one's pieces in the opposite corner.
- Pai gow is a Chinese gambling game, played with a set of Chinese dominoes. Pai gow is played in unsanctioned casinos in most Chinese communities. It is played openly in major casinos in China (including Macau); the United States (including Las Vegas, Nevada; Connecticut; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and card rooms in California); Canada (including Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta); Australia; and, New Zealand. It dates back to at least the Song Dynasty, and is a game steeped in tradition. The name "pai gow" is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or "double-hand poker"), which is loosely based on pai gow.
- Zon: This is a little different because it actually teaches you how to learn Mandarin Chinese, but it's still a really cool option! By interacting in the Zon environment you will be exposed to Chinese language and cultural knowledge in a new and exciting way. Everything that you do in the game is another chance to learn new words, phrases and cultural info about China. Never before has learning Chinese been more fun.
You can also find other games online as well. There are one on one games where you can play by yourself or multi-player ones. Ones for free, ones that are paid and one's where you can actually "gamble" and earn money for when you play. Either way - there is something for everyone you just have to look around! Have fun playing games such as the ones mentioned above - just remember to get your work done as well!