Mahjong, sometimes spelled
Mah Jongg, is a
game that originated in
China, commonly played by four players (with some three-player variations found in Korea and Japan). The four player table version should not be confused with the popular Western single player (tile matching) computer game (
Mahjong solitaire), which is a recent invention and completely different from the table game. Similar to the Western card game
rummy, mahjong is a game of skill, strategy and calculation and involves a certain degree of chance. In
Asia, mahjong is also popularly played as a
gambling game (though it may just as easily be played recreationally).