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| OHCC LIVING | MAY 2026 | 39 ere were 85 OHCC Mah Jongg Club members who attended the clubs' rst ever Pop-Up Event - the big reveal of the 2026 card. It was a fun-lled experience. Sandi Royce won the rst game with the new card (see picture). Karena Abrams won the rst game in the Novice Division. e other big winners were Alan Kagan and Cindy Smith in each division. ey had the largest winnings for the aernoon. Congratulations to all. April 30 is National Mah Jongg Day and our club celebrated. Pictures will be in the next issue. April was also the start of the teaching classes, which had to be divided into am and pm sessions due to the overwhelming response. We are so lucky to have Dawn Edwards as our teaching director. It's a huge job and she does it so well - many members support her by volunteering to be table coaches. If you want to learn the game, sign up at the front desk. July and October are the next sessions being oered. Members who like to help welcome and encourage new members to learn the game can sign up to be table coaches too just email the club. Aug. 8 will be our Annual Tournament. is year we are hosting a half day novice division option. is year's tournament is being organized by Patti Lightholder and Mary Blackman. e club truly appreciates that they agreed to be the leadership of this important event. ey have a wonderful committee and are happy to add members so if you would like to join, please email us. We hope some of our new members will participate and join in the fun and games. Answer to question of the month: NEVER, you can never use a joker for a pair, or a single tile in a run. is month's question to go over with your group: When you are East, are you supposed to deal all the tiles to the other players or is everyone supposed to take their own tiles? I heard mixed reactions to the new card. Please be kind to yourself and give yourself grace as you learn the new card. Playing this game is wonderful exercise for your brain health and builds social connections too. Mahj on! Submitted by Jacqueline Ettinger Mahjongg Club From Smoky Rooms to Ocean Hills: e Evolution of Billiards Billiards has a long and elegant history, dating back to 15th- century Europe where it began as an outdoor lawn game, much like croquet. Over time, it moved indoors onto the green felt tables we know today, becoming a pastime of kings, nobles, and gentlemen. Picture elegant rooms, cigar smoke permeating the air, crystal pitchers of brandy at the bar, and quiet conversations about money and power between shots. It was more than a game. It was a proving ground for men's masculinity, high stakes where wagered, and etiquette at the billiards table was taken seriously. A gentleman would never distract his opponent during a shot - no movement, no talking, not even the clink of a glass. If you were holding a cigar, you held it still. If you had something to say, you waited. Respect for your opponent's concentration was absolute. Even calling fouls was a matter of honor. If a player accidentally brushed a ball with his sleeve or cue, he was expected to immediately acknowledge it—no arguments, no excuses. A man's character was always on display. Over time, the game evolved, and so did its players. What was once a male-dominated arena opened to women who didn't just join the sport but elevated it. Champions like Jean Balukas and Allison Fisher proved that excellence at the table has nothing to do with gender, helping transform billiards into the inclusive and dynamic game it is today. Here at Ocean Hills, we carry that tradition forward. e game still oers that perfect blend of strategy and camaraderie. e cigars, brandy, and high-stakes wagers may be gone, but the essence remains. Simply said: billiards is a strategic game much like chess played on a green felt-lined table with sticks and balls. Written by Harris Golden Billiards