21 July . 2023
Sweetwater’s Rummikub group has fun with globally popular game
Described as a cross between rummy and mahjong, Rummikub (pronounced rummy cube) is an internationally popular tiled-based game that has found an enthusiastic community of players in Sweetwater.
One of a growing number of resident clubs in Sweetwater, the Rummikub group meets on the third Tuesday of every month at the Sweetwater Club for an evening of fun that includes four to five fast-paced games, with a break in between for refreshments.
The Rummikub group is organized by resident Rosemary Borthwick, who also leads the Sweetwater hiking club.
Rosemary discovered Rummikub shortly before the Covid 19 pandemic. She was only able to play a few games in person before things shut down, but she liked Rummikub so much that she started engaging with other players around the world online.
When things returned to normal, Rosemary decided to invite other neighbors to play. Response was enthusiastic, and they soon began hosting Rummikub evenings in other’s homes.
The group grew so large that they soon decided to start meeting at the Sweetwater Club, which offers plenty of meeting space for resident groups.
Sweetwater’s Lifestyle Director outfitted the Sweetwater Club with six sets of Rummikub tiles, with 104 numbered tiles and two jokers in each set. That solved a problem for the fast-growing group, Rosemary said.
“We used to always worry if we’d have enough sets of tiles for everyone who showed up. Now, we can accommodate as many as 24 players,” she says.
Rosemary says she likes Rummikub because it employs both skill and luck. “It’s a game that really makes you think. It’s strategic like chess and often unpredictable,” she says.
Any Sweetwater resident who would like to try Rummikub can come to the Sweetwater Club at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, or email Rosemary at roborthwi16@gmail.com.
