Have you ever heard a woman utter the words “crack, dot, bam,” or heard your aunt or mom going on about a game called “mahjong?”

A new favorite among middle-aged women, mahjong is much more than a way to fit into a social group. It is an exchange of knowledge and time, a game that mixes strategy with luck.

Mahjong is a four-player game played with a set of 152 tiles — almost all with their own unique design. Players draw and discard tiles on the mahjong mat, building patterns listed on a card. The end goal is simple: be the first to complete a winning hand.

While that may sound simple, the game takes time, strategy and has just enough competition to keep everyone invested. Mahjong might be having a moment right now, but it’s not just any game.

At first, mahjong may seem intimidating; the card is filled with complex patterns, and the game comes with many special rules. But the more you play, the more you learn. You begin to recognize patterns, develop your own strategy and, eventually, know exactly which tile you need.

And just when you think you have mastered it, a whole new mahjong card is released the next year. The National Mah Jongg League has released a new playing card every year since 1937, keeping the challenge fresh for players.

Mahjong itself dates back to the 19th century in China and has a rich history that transcends its recent popularity. Evolving into different versions around the world, mahjong has always had a sole purpose: bringing people together.

And unlike any game you download on your phone, mahjong cannot be learned alone. Someone has to sit with you, shuffle the tiles and teach you the ropes. That is how mahjong becomes more than just a game. It becomes an exchange of knowledge, passed from person to person.

Mahjong is also more than just fun — it’s good for your brain, too. According to research available through the National Library of Medicine, playing mahjong can improve short-term memory, attention and logical thinking.

So while you’re having fun with your friends and learning more about one another, your brain is learning, too.

But there is something else that makes mahjong special. The tiles themselves are beautiful, each one designed with intricacy and charm. Laid out on a beautiful mat from the mahjong brand Oh My Mahjong, the game looks just as gorgeous as it feels.

You just cannot replicate the experience of sitting around a table of friends, a spritz in hand, with the sound of mahjong tiles shuffling in front of you.

Mahjong has been passed down through generations as a way to be present with the people around you without technology. If you have been wanting to get into mahjong, this is your sign.

There is no feeling quite like picking up that final tile to complete your line, placing it on your rack and saying, “mahjong!”