30 MARCH 2024 By Tiffany Gonzalez Mahjong is a traditional Chinese tile-based game that dates back hundreds of years. The exact origins are unclear, but it is believed to have evolved from various card and tile games in the mid-to late-19th century – and is still popular among millions of players worldwide, including Arcadia local Leah Seidelmann. After taking an instructor-led mahjong course in 2023, Leah realized how much she loved the game – so much that she said she “slept, ate, and dreamed about the tiles.” From that fateful class came Luxe Mahjong, Leah’s latest venture that combines passion, luxury and fun in the form of tile sets. Luxe Mahjong d e b u t e d i n December 2023. To start, Leah wrote down ideas and created the designs. Then, she reached out to a company called Shenzhen Sammyhung Electronic Co., based in China, that manufactures parts for games, like dice, tiles and spinners. Shenzhen Sammyhung helped Leah develop a brand and create the tiles. She explained that bringing her ideas to life wasn’t too difficult – thanks to her background in corporate industries. “In learning and playing mahjong, I realized every person around the table has been brought to this game through different avenues: common interests with friends, a love of learning new games, expanding family traditions and more. The strategic depth of the game and the social bonds it fosters lit a creative flame within me,” Leah said. Driven by passion and what Leah said was many sleepless nights, she launched Luxe Mahjong. The brand “aspires to incorporate the timeless and classic history of mahjong with designs and themes that resonate with different personas.” Current designs include Country Club Luxe and Southwest Luxe. Country Club Luxe blends original mahjong details with a vibrant combination of green, pink, blue, and yellow hues to ensure that it matches the green fairways of a country club. The Southwest Club Luxe set is geared toward players who are inspired by a sunset and appreciate the beauty of a desert landscape. This set includes shades of sage, rose gold, beige, champagne and merlot with fun designs of cowboy hats, cacti and roadrunners. Luxe Mahjong plans to unveil a few more tile sets this year. When Leah isn’t working, she plays tennis and spends time with her family and her dogs. “I have business goals I want to achieve, but overall, I want to continue doing what I’m doing: creating beautiful tiles that bring joy to mahjong tables across the nation,” Leah said. The sets can be found online and at Paradise Valley Country Club. luxemahjong.com Luxury, skill and competition – all in one game THE BASICS OF MAHJONG Mahjong is typically played by four people. Tiles are shuffled face down, and each player builds a wall of tiles in front of them. The goal is to build a complete hand of tiles by drawing and discarding them with combinations called melds. Players take turns drawing a tile from the wall or picking up a tile someone has discarded. One tile must be castoff. The game continues until a player creates a winning hand, which consists of a pair and four sets of three melds. Melds can be either a Pung (three identical tiles), a Kong (four identical tiles), or a Chow (three consecutive tiles of the same suit). Players receive points based on the value of their winning hand and specific conditions, such as drawing the winning tile themselves or completing the hand with a tile another player discarded. The Southwest tile set includes images of cacti, roadrunners and cowboy hats. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEAH SEIDELMANN Leah Seidelmann Step into an impeccably kept Schreiber Home, nestled in the heart of Arcadia. NEW TO MARKET If you are currently working with an agent, please disregard. NATHAN ANDERSON + PAUL NICOLETTI 480.888.5800 | NATEANDPAUL.COM SCAN TO CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE! Or give us a call at 602.730.0668 Today ROC #314154 SCAN HERE for more info 5419 E Calle Redonda | Phoenix, AZ 85018 | 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,464 SF NEXT CUSTOM HOME...ON DECK Custom Residence in Lower Arcadia... breaking ground April 2024.

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