Mahjong, the modern rats?

 

I did not realize the effect a game could have on me.

when there is not even an opponent.

I have always been very impatient when it comes to puzzles. I like solving them, but mostly if I can get it in the first attempt. or there is someone else who would also join – so solving the clues becomes more fun.

that is one of the reasons I rarely play crossword. when I get stuck with more than 3 words, I give up.

I remember in the mid 80’s we used to play a game of ‘rats’ on Burroughs B20 computers. it was a game in which a factory produced rats and we need to eliminate them faster than they were produced.

I remember some of my colleagues were experts at that game, whereas, I would just give up pretty quickly..

so, when I was creating my bucket list – things to do, places to see, people to meet etc. – to keep myself productively occupied, I rediscovered mahjong..

not the traditional mahjong, but the solitaire variety – made by Microsoft, on the Xbox system.

the idea is to remove the tiles that were piled up in some pattern, one by one.

only tiles that are not touching other tiles may be removed..

once you sign in, you have the option if playing games at different difficulty levels or choose the daily challenges. three challenges per day!

as you play and reach some milestones or achieve some targets – such as some # points within a given time, you earn badges!

 

I guess, the badges the cumulative scores / leaderboards, provide the gratification to play more!

in the last couple of months, I used to play, like I used to play other puzzles.. give up when I could not solve it in the first attempt.

but, somehow, one month, I ‘earned’ a bronze medal!

and last month was bad, in that I could not get even that.

July, has been different so far as you will see below, I have been on a winning streak for five [six, as I write this piece] days in a row!

which means, that I also got the bonus points for solving all three puzzles in a day! and am now well beyond by bronze medal already!

this note is just to warn you that this game can be addictive! and it grows on you..