Curtis’s hand ain’t too bad: a two pair of nines and kings. Rachel sits across the poker table from her opponent, Curtis, in a dark classroom. How about another game…how about poker-the game Rachel is playing with her student during her introduction in Crazy Rich Asians.Īnd what particular subject is Rachel covering in today’s Economics class? GAME THEORY. Here’s the thing: It’s not really a split-second, 50/50 decision, is it? There are so many factors and strategies at play leading up to that penalty kick. There’s essentially a 50/50 shot for the goalie to choose correctly.
The kicker can kick to the left or right side of the goal, and the goalie can move to block either the left or right side of the goal. There are two players, and two different different decisions the two players could make. Game theory could also describe the battle between a kicker and a goalie in soccer 1. The game could be tennis, chess, checkers, Jenga (ahem, Mahjong…). Game theory is, at its core, pretty much exactly what it sounds like: Strategizing your way to victory during a game. And we can better understand Rachel’s intent by discussing a concept you use in your life every day, whether you realize it or not-something called game theory. The answer to that question traces all the way back to one of the opening scenes. Why does Rachel then hand the tile off to Eleanor, allowing Eleanor to win? Well, that depends on how you define “winning”-and it also depends on which game you’re playing. This tile isn’t just the key to winning this game of Mahjong-it will change her life and the lives of everyone around her.Īt this point in the movie, Rachel has gone through hell with Nick’s family, has refused Nick’s proposal, has decided to head back to the United States and leave the Young family behind forever after a disastrous trip.Īs they play, Rachel asks why she was never good enough for Nick, why she didn’t belong in Eleanor’s family Eleanor explains that Rachel is “American”, that she’s “not what Nick needs” as Nick takes over the family empire in China. Keeping it means she’s fighting for the man she loves giving it away means she’s willing to let him go. She stares at it, caresses it, contemplates her decision to either keep it or give it away. With 13 tiles propped in front of her, Rachel picks up a 14th tile…and pauses. The key moment for understanding the deeper intentions of Crazy Rich Asians comes during one of the final scenes, when Rachel and Eleanor sit down at a table to play Mahjong. shaderoad / Getty Images/iStockphotoĪnnelise Heinz, a mahjong historian and assistant professor of history at the University of Oregon, told NBC News that while gameplay and tiles vary worldwide, mahjong sets usually are embossed with references to the traditional Chinese suits, including bamboo, circles or dots, and Chinese characters.If you’d like to experience this article in podcast form, check out my show Your Brain on Film. While most styles of mahjong use 144 tiles, American mahjong uses 152 tiles with the addition of jokers, according to the National Mah Jongg League. "We are always open to constructive criticism and are continuing to conduct conversations with those who can provide further insight to the game's traditions and roots in both Chinese and American cultures," the company said.Īmerican mahjong - often compared to the card game gin rummy - is a tile-based game that typically consists of four players. "Using words like 'refresh' were hurtful to many and we are deeply sorry. "While our intent is to inspire and engage with a new generation of American mahjong players, we recognize our failure to pay proper homage to the game's Chinese heritage," the company said. The Mahjong Line said in an email Tuesday that the company had "pure intentions and a shared love for the game of American mahjong." Also calling a line ‘minimal’ but stamping it with both symbols and numbers defeats the point,” referring to the tiles imprinted with both the Chinese and the Arabic numericals. "What makes this CULTURALLY insensitive is that they felt the need to 'refresh' aka whitewash the game in order to make it *worthy* of playing," one Twitter user wrote.Īnother Twitter wrote: “There's a Dallas-based ‘What if mahjong, but for white people?’ company. Among its rebranding were words like “BAM!” and images of a bar soap and palm trees - drawing ire from many social media users who accused the company of erasing the historical relationship between Chinese Americans and the centuries-old game. The company launched its neon-colored mahjong tile sets with a price tag between $325 and $425 on Nov.
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