Game:Mah-Jongg

The Chinese tile matching game mahjong swept America during the early 1920s, creating a short-lived fad that the Chinese manufacturers rushed to keep up with. During this event, Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the most popular set of rules, written by Joseph Babcock and known as "The Red Book." Babcock simplified play for Americans and also registered the name "Mah-Jongg," and Parker Brothers, buying him out, kept these modifications. By 1930 the fad faded, and subsequent rule books incorporate more of the traditional Chinese rules for play. Parker Brothers attempted to corner the brief market and produced many different sets, from plain to deluxe.