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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