The game of mahjong is making a serious comeback.
And Hamptons Mahj co-founders Liz Lachcik and Lindsay Carroll are here for it. In fact, they’re nurturing it, as the pair of women, plus their tiny but mighty team consisting of two additional instructors, not only regularly hold mahjong games and events across the Hamptons, they’re teaching participants how to play.
Originally developed in Shanghai, China during the mid-to-late 19th century, mahjong — the four-player tile-based game similar in style to the Western card game rummy and played with a set of 144 tiles that players draw and discard in turns until they complete four sets (called melds) and a pair (aka eye) — initially spread throughout the world during the turn of the last century.
According to a Liz Krieger-written article from Good Housekeeping published earlier this year, “between 2023 and 2024, Eventbrite reported a 179% increase in mahjong events nationwide, and images of eye-catching mahjong tables have captured the attention of the social media set. The pandemic only accelerated the appeal of a game built on presence, touch and unhurried connection.”
(Photos courtesy of Hamptons Mahj)
Initially the goal was for Hamptons Mahj to be a retail-centric business, offering custom-designed tiles for enthusiasts of the game. However, it quickly became apparent that people in the Hamptons were more interested in the social elements the game promotes, with crowds of potential players craving curated gatherings mixed with learning how to play the game.
“It all came fairly organically, Lachcik says. “I started playing around COVID-ish time. One of my friends taught me and then taught a number of our friends that were out here [on the East End]. And we swiftly changed her book club into a mahjong club. There’s about 12 of us that get together every month and play.” At the time, Lachcik and her friends thought there could be more tiles out on the market, initially starting out wanting to launch their own tile line.
They started a line of tiles classic to the roots of mahjong, she says. “Through launching that we realized that even though American mahjong kind of originated in New York, we found out here [in the Hamptons], so many people still wanted to learn how to play.” Launching a classic line of tiles proved to be beneficial for that cause, as Lachcik learned Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagapoanck wanted to do a mahjong series.
Last fall, Hamptons Mahj partnered with Wölffer, hosting a series of lessons for those looking to learn how to play. “We did four or five rounds and they sold out almost immediately,” Lachcik says. “We ended up having upwards of 30-some-odd people that were brand new to the game coming to Wölffer every Monday through the fall.”
At the time, Lachcik had a lot of friends from her original game group around to help teach, which proved to be helpful as the game’s popularity was gaining a local following, and quickly. Hamptons Mahj hosted a few events at ColorPop Studio in Southampton as well as a few nights at the Maidstone Hotel in East Hampton, the latter of which was quite popular and entailed about 50 people participating in an open play.
(Photos courtesy of Hamptons Mahj)
“That was really great because we were able to attract, not only people that had come to the lessons through us, but it really opened up to another group of people that already knew how to play and who wanted to find a community of more people to play with,” she says. “Some will come with a group, but a lot of coming with one or two other people that want to be mixed up with other players and really like the element of being able to come and have it organized for them.”
While lessons are still available, the model for Hamptons Mahj has evolved into hosting curated and collaborative events at locations found throughout the South Fork. “Our goal is kind of, if we build it, they will come,” she says.
Cost for participation ranges, depending on how the event is structured. “When we started at Wölffer, I think it was around $65 (per person),” Lachcik says. “Our recent event at Sett Coffee in Amagansett was $75. At the Maidstone, those events are more a like a night out, a highly curated experience with cocktail and appetizers, so it was a higher price point, at $115 to $125 a head.”
Up next for Hamptons Mahj, on May 17, they’re partnering with Dante, a highly renowned New York City-based cocktail bar, at the Pridwin Hotel on Shelter Island for the summer. Available from 5 to. 7p.m. every Sunday for $45 a person, guided play will be paired with a cocktail menu presented by New York Cocktail Co. and curated by Dante all set along Crescent Beach.
For more information on regular mahjong games and events, check out Hampton Mahj’s website here and be sure to give ’em a follow on Instagram here.
