Feeling a certain ennui about life? Have you tried mahjong?
Cassie Lazzo (center) organizes a game of mahjong at Restaurant Iris May 9, 2025. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
In a few short years, mahjong, the Chinese tile game, has morphed into the mental equivalent of pickleball, a neighborhood pickup game with all kinds of appeal.
It stimulates brain function. It’s a distraction from screens and, for a society increasingly at home and alone, mahjong has become the modern-day equivalent of a sewing circle or men’s cigar night.
Cassie Lazzo, a registered nurse and Memphis mom of three, is one of the region’s largest influencers. Since late 2023 — when the craze landed here — she’s taught the game to more than 1,000 people in five states in lessons that cost $75 a person.
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Jane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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