Mahjongg was played for at least 2,400 years in China and was brought to the United States by Chinese immigrants settling in San Francisco. When the game first arrived, the game pieces and instructions were written in Chinese. English language versions of the game were rare and therefore very expensive (selling for as much as $200 per set).

Mahjongg is played by piling rectangular chips in a structured pile. Each chip has a particular picture on its face and the object of the game is to find two matching chips that are not blocked on the outside by another chip. These matched pieces are removed from the pile and the players continue until there are no chips left.

Because of the overwhelming demand for the game, new businesses sprang up as early players became "experts" and began teaching classes on Mahjongg and writing instructional guides. Game manufacturers began furiously developing less expensive versions and making them available to the masses. By 1925, the furor surrounding the game had subsided but its popularity continued for some time.

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