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Could anybody playing live games tell me, what kind of cloth is used to make mahjong tiles glide best on the table?

Is it felt or Polyester or a mixture?

The important thing is that the cloth be thick, not slide on the table surface, and not have too much texturing.

If it\'s too thin, you don\'t get much benefit from having the cloth.

If it slides on the table surface, that\'s bad for shuffling and building walls.

If the cloth has thick/bumpy weaving, or embroidering, that makes things tough during shuffling and building walls.

For games played at home the so called \"JUNK mat\" has become the most popular choice. The material is made of SBR neoprene, which is the stuff that is used to make wetsuits.

SBR = a synthetic copolymer composed of styrene and butadiene. If you smoke while playing - or if you push tiles out with such speed and friction as to smoke up the table top - you\'ll be pleased to know that this material is flame resistant...

The only problem if you are planning a DIY job is that neoprene is a bit pricy.

Before the emergence of the Junk mat there was - and still is - an older style of mat, robust rubber mat with a green tightly woven cotton fabric on top.

Another option was the \"baize\" table top on a \"kotatsu\" (Japanese low table with heater underneath).

In the good old days most of these low tables had tops that could be flipped over and the \"baize\" underside was then perfect as a mahjong table top.

The other surface I play on is the mechanical mahjong table surface...

Hope that helps!

David H

Yes, this really helps hirohurl & Tom. I really had DIY in my mind!

What kind of surface do those automated tables have?

I don\'t play with real tiles (what a crazy idea!) but I understand that a small "lip" around the edge of the table helps when stacking the wall.

Presumably you can slam your melds dramatically into the corner too. :)

hirohurl wrote:Another option was the "baize" table top on a "kotatsu" (Japanese low table with heater underneath).

My Japanese friend here in England often tells me how she misses her kotatsu at this time of year!

In the good old days most of these low tables had tops that could be flipped over and the "baize" underside was then perfect as a mahjong table top.

I remember reading somewhere that the baize underside is much less common now, I think the implication was that mahjong (although still big) was less popular than it had once been...? Perhaps the rise of the junk mat is a factor too.

Fat Dragon wrote:What kind of surface do those automated tables have?

Felt, glued on.

Barticle wrote:...I understand that a small "lip" around the edge of the table helps when stacking the wall.

That\'s right. The playing mats, the old-style kotatsu and mahjong tables all have raised edges to help with wall building and hand straightening (if you see what I mean) etc.

I have a tendency to push my hand right up against the raised edge of the mechanical mahjong table at times. You can only see the top half or 5/8ths of the tiles, but can read them just as well.

I remember reading somewhere that the baize underside is much less common now, I think the implication was that mahjong (although still big) was less popular than it had once been...? Perhaps the rise of the junk mat is a factor too.

Mahjong is certainly less popular than it was about 30 or so years ago and not played at home as much as before. However, I think it is holding its own - the number of mahjong parlours has not noticeably declined in my part of the world in recent years. I can think of three that no longer exist, but also of a couple of new ones, including the most recent addition to Hiroshima, a mahjong parlour in a former love hotel... not that I\'m claiming that mahjong is more popular than sex in Hiroshima... But I suppose if you are going to attempt both at the same time a felt surface would offer some warmth but a blanket or sheet for a playing surface might be of comfort to the shy...

Forgive me. It\'s Friday night and there is no mahjong :-(.

@hirohurl

I will consider you great advice! I really had a good laugh about your post!:lol:

Humour is something I miss here in the forums a lot. People seems be stuck in their thoughts about Riichi! ;)

hirohurl wrote:including the most recent addition to Hiroshima, a mahjong parlour in a former love hotel... not that I\'m claiming that mahjong is more popular than sex in Hiroshima...

I understand the three-player variant is favoured there too? Mahjong I mean! ;)

Did the love hotel have novelty themed decor in the rooms and, if so, was it retained?

hirohurl wrote:a mahjong parlour in a former love hotel... not that I\'m claiming that mahjong is more popular than sex in Hiroshima... But I suppose if you are going to attempt both at the same time a felt surface would offer some warmth but a blanket or sheet for a playing surface might be of comfort to the shy...

I\'m not sure if I should say "QFTW" or censor this.
... don\'t mind: "Quote For The Win" :lol:

I like the theory that kotatsu are designed for playing mahjong!

Insofar as mahjong playing surfaces are concerned, what the heck would I know? But I\'ve made two playing surfaces since last summer, when I contracted Mahjong Fever.

I made a nice overlay for a standard card table in order to capture the raised borders of the tables I see in videos...

http://boardgamegeek.com/image/581627/m ... size=large

I used a garden variety felt, and it looks nice, but it\'s not slick enough. If the surface is not slippery enough, then moving walls is becomes problematic if the walls are not grasped firmly by all 10 digits (my wife has a problem with this.) With the smallish Japanese tiles, playing on the kitchen table, two player, I discovered that I like the feel of the vinyl table covering there - the tiles slide nicely. I\'m considering purchasing a piece of this vinyl and retrofitting my card table covering with it.

Friction: The bane of the mahjong set.

Gg

Your table top looks very nice!

FWIW, while pool/billiard tables are said to have felt, they are really covered with worsted wool.

I\'ve been thinking of making a table top too (like the ones in the French mahjong club video recently posted to Mahjong News). I\'ll be experimenting with different fabric coverings.