Fast facts for upcoming Mah Jongg tourney

Monday, Aug. 30, 1999 | 12:06 p.m.

The 11th Annual Travel Wizard Marjorie Troum Mah Jongg Tournament West, Wednesday through Friday at the Monte Carlo hotel-casino.

About 80 to 100 top Mah Jongg players, including about 40 Southern Nevadans, are expected to compete for cash prizes. Locals can sign up before the first round at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The entry fee is $75.

The event is co-sponsored by Marjorie Troum, owner of Mah Jongg Supply of Coronado, Calif., and Roberta and Steve Last of Travel Wizard of La Mesa, Calif.

A Mah Jongg game consists of four players, each using 14 of the 152 small Chinese-symboled tiles to achieve a winning hand. Unused tiles are discarded to opponents. A player says "Mahj," or "That's it," when making a winning hand.

In recent years, Mah Jongg has been featured in at least two major motion pictures -- "Driving Miss Daisy" and "The Joy Luck Club" -- and on the CBS television sitcom "The Nanny."

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