The Mahjcast

Ep. 113: Mahjong Warriors, Mahj Confessions & No Mercy from Mom

This week on The Mahjcast, Jason and Ira are back at the table with a big tournament recap, Mahj Confessions, mailbag madness, and one very serious mahjong family feud. First up, Ira recaps his big day at Jackie’s Mahjong Warriors tournament in New York City — 84 players, 28 games, seven hours of mahj, and a very respectable finish. We talk tournament pressure, moving fast, knowing the rules, getting called out for your wall, and why everyone needs to try tournament play at least once. Then Jason heads down to Jersey to play with his mom and her crew, where the chicken was dry, the tiles were cruel, and his mother showed absolutely no Mahj Mercy. Plus: * Ira’s fake sick revenge plot * Jason’s ongoing cheating confession fallout * Mahjong Warriors tournament tips * A conversation with Keen from Spools about floating pool tiles, travel racks, and building mahjong gear from a rocket scientist’s brain * Mahj speed dating becomes our newest terrible/brilliant idea * Our first Mahj Confessions winner * Mailbag rules: can you rack before the deal is over? * And a Last Tile about why every player should take the leap and try their first tournament Pull up a chair, rack your tiles… and let’s play. Mentioned in this episode: @ladiesthatmahj @shop_spools @mayorofmahj Follow us on Instagram and DM us anytime, we'd love to hear from you! @themahjbros

Ep. 112: Our Ladies That Mahj Mixer, Commitment Issues & Top Teaching Tips w/ Kim Eagle

This week on The Mahjcast, Jason and Ira welcome Kim Eagle from Ladies That Mahj to the table — and yes, we are officially obsessed. Kim shares how she went from learning mahjong during hip surgery recovery to building a fast-growing teaching community in Bucks County, PA, with sold-out classes, online lessons, and more than a few strong opinions on how the game should be taught. Also this week: * Ira clarifies the rules of his big summer card challenge — and somehow makes it even more complicated * Jason reviews the Mahjong app and brags about his win rate * Kim weighs in on playing for money, food at the table, alternate cards, and when to stop the Charleston * We talk teaching beginners, commitment issues at the table, and why touching the tiles matters * Mahj Moment spotlights So Bam Fun and Bird Bam Bears * The Mailbag brings pineapple kugel, tile flickers, and listener pet peeves * Mahj Confessions returns with a shocking cheating scandal * A very hysterical Dream Table * Last Tile--You'll want to pass it on! Follow Kim at @ladiesthatmahj and find her classes, content, and recently-launched online course at LadiesThatMahj.com. Follow us on Instagram at @TheMahjBros and slide into our DMs with your Mahj Confessions, Mailbag questions, Dream Table picks, and hot takes. We're giving away subs to Mahj the Mag, people, let's go! ($150 value) Pull up a chair, rack your tiles and let's play.

Ep. 111: The Summer of Mahjong Starts Now + Guiness Records and Mahj Apps We Love

The Mahjcast is back, and the Mahj Bros are officially kicking off the summer of mahjong in the Hamptons. Jason makes it back from a family wedding just in time to record, Ira is deep into his summer challenge, and the mailbag is overflowing. This week, we’re talking apps, online play, Guinness World Records, luck vs. skill, and whether the wall is truly your friend — or your enemy. In this episode: • Ira gives an update on his mission to win every hand on the 2026 card• Jason and Ira review mahjong tech, including The Mahjong Game, Daily Maj, and the Mahjy app• The Mahj Bros open the mailbag with listener shoutouts, hot takes, and community love• Nancy from Cane Bay Mahjong calls in to talk about attempting a 48-hour Guinness World Record mahjong marathon• The boys debate the big question: is mahjong luck, skill, or both?• Jason's generation-defining Dream Table with the NMJL • Ira continues to do Ira things, 'nuff said Pull up a chair, rack your tiles, and let’s play. Follow us on Instagram: @themajbros New episodes every Friday. And as always — may the jokers be with you.

Ep. 110: Mahj with Lance Enters the Chat & Our New Theme Song Debuts!

It’s our 10th episode, and we’re celebrating with a major mahj-lebrity: Lance Karp of Maj With Lance — teacher, collector, mahjong storyteller, and one of the most influential voices helping grow the game right now. Jason and Ira talk with Lance about how mahjong became his passion, why the game is having such a powerful cultural moment, and how the table can reconnect people in a world that feels more divided and distracted than ever. We get into men joining the game, the beauty of teaching beginners, the magic of vintage sets, Kelly Ripa’s mahjong skills, and why the National Mah Jongg League card still matters. Plus, Lance weighs in on the big debates: playing for money, food at the table, stopping the Charleston, alternative cards, defensive play, and why 2026 may officially be the year of the pivot. And yes, Ira’s quest to win every hand on the card continues. Only about 1,399 games to go, bro. In this episode: * Lance Karp joins the Mahj Bros * Ira’s summer challenge update * The debut of our new Mahjcast theme song * Why mahjong is exploding right now * Men at the table and growing the game * 2026 card strategy and hands we love * Lance plays along for a special edition of Call It! * Kelly Ripa, dream tables and the energy vintage sets bring Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts. May the jokers be with you.

Ep. 109: Soaps, Sixes & Small Change + Unpacking the 2026 Section

This week on The Mahjcast, Jason and Ira celebrate a major milestone: we’re now on Amazon Music — because Jeff Bezos begged and we finally gave in. Then we dive into the 2026 section of the new NMJL card: the hands, the traps, the soaps, the sixes, the pivots, and Jason’s deeply vulnerable confession that he has basically avoided this section entirely. Ira also announces his wildly ambitious new challenge -- good luck, dude. Plus, we’re serving up a packed episode with: * Mahj Moment: Hallmark’s “mahjong” movie gets absolutely panned, while Maj the Mag gets a major shoutout * Mahj Bros Mailbag: listener love, Maj confessions, and hidden mahjong purchases * Call It: playing for money vs. not playing for money — are you even playing if quarters aren’t involved? * Rules debate: does the dealer deal the tiles, or does everyone take their own? * Dream Table: One Soprano, and one very fancy mahjong table, possibly with the Hermes set It’s strategic, petty, glossy, dramatic, and full of jokers. Pull up a chair, rack your tiles, and let’s play.