Wagga mahjong club rises to become one of U3A's most popular social meetups for local retirees

Mahjong, a tile-based game which originated in China over 300 years ago, has found a niche right here in Wagga for over 40 locals who make up a weekly U3A social club.

Although a complicated-looking game at first glance, mahjong is a game of strategy, luck and skill that shares familiar aspects of popular Western cards games, poker and scrabble.

Ann Brewster, a U3A mahjong coordinator, said the club began four year ago and "just took off".

"We were staggered by the interest in it, by the number of people who wanted to play it," she said.

For those who gather at the Glenfield Park Rules Club on Thursdays, mahjong is the perfect way to socialise.

"It's an opportunity to get out and mix with lots of different people once a week," Ms Brewster said.

"In COVID, when we had limits on numbers, you had to get up at midnight to enrol and make sure you got in."

The weekly games are pressure-free, with no scores or money gambled as is often the case, and with rules books on hand to help with combinations and suits.

Colleen Moyes, another one of the social club's coordinators, said there are 88 winning combinations in this version of the game.

"When I first started it was overwhelming," she said.

"But once you read, it sort of just falls into place."

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June Brayne, who had played mahjong since U3A started the introductory courses, said she picked up the game quickly.

"Any kind of card game, it sort of translates but it's not the same," she said.

"At the real basic level it's easy to pick up.

"But what's harder is to extend yourself and learn other hands."

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