Passing

Definition

Passing is the exchange of tiles during the Charleston at the start of an American Mahjong game. Each pass means choosing three tiles from your hand and giving them to another player in a set direction. The first Charleston goes right, across, then left. An optional second Charleston goes left, across, then right. Choosing which tiles to give away is one of the first real decisions of the game.

How It Works in Gameplay

Good passing is about two things: getting rid of tiles you don't need, and not handing the other players tiles they want. Before each pass, look at the NMJL card and your hand to decide which tiles you can spare.

A few rules shape every pass:

• Jokers may never be passed.
• On the last pass of each Charleston (the first left and the second right), you may "blind pass": hand on some or all of the tiles you just received without looking at them, and make up the rest of the three from your own hand.
• After the Charleston, you and the player across from you may make an optional courtesy pass of zero to three tiles, as many as you both agree on.

Example

Your hand leans toward Bams, so on the first pass you send three Winds to the right. From the player on your left, you receive two Dots and a Crak. On the across pass, you send those same Dots and the Crak away. On the first left, nothing in your hand is worth giving up, so you blind pass: the three tiles coming to you from the player on your right go straight on to the player on your left, without you looking at them.

Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Track your games with Bam Good Time →