The mock American Mah Jongg card is timeless and generic. This way, no matter when someone new to the game watches the video, they will have a stable reference as they learn how to play the game. To open or download the mock-American Mah Jongg card, look for a link in the video description by clicking "show more" above.
:):):)....LOVE the special 'sound effects' when you drop the tiles....:):):). I love both options for the Charleston for 3 players. I'm going to try it out with my friends...
Michele, my group in RI deals a hand of 13 tiles to the Ghost player. The tiles are lined up perpendicular to the ghost wall. The first 3 outgoing tiles in the line become the first right to the player to the right of the ghost wall. The first right from the player to the left of the ghost wall (incoming tiles) is placed at the end of the line of tiles. The first across tiles (outgoing) are again the first three tiles in the line. The player across from the ghost wall places her first across tiles (incoming) at the end of the line. The Charleston continues in this manner, with outgoing tiles coming from the beginning if the line and incoming tiled put at the end of the line. I used the terms outgoing and incoming to coordinate with your verbiage. Hope my description made sense. I am trying to get this group and those I play with in FL to use the simpler method you described.
We just played using the methods here- the first with fresh 6 rows of tiles intoduces many fresh tiles and we had a mah jongg with a wall and a half to go and the other two were only one away from MJ- we played one with no charlston and struggled to find hands. We've been playing another way and like it best: deal "empty" player "Lily" 13 tiles- arrange in 4 rows of three with one spare- keep passed tiles to "lily" seperate- after 4 passes mix the 13 tiles in front of "lily" and again make three rows of 4- when optional pass is complete- put those 13 tiles in front of the wall to draw first. We keep the jokers as a fun bonus- and feel this is more like your 2nd options and truer to the 4 person game.
I hadn't see your second option. I will try to get my group to do that one the next time we are short handed. As far as your first version goes, we make 7 rows to include the final optional pass, but I like your idea of mixing up the 18 tiles already seen. Thank you for your excellent videos.
I prefer your second option, but take the tiles from the part of the was that we just delt tiles from and then pup back there at the end to get through them sooner. I'm a purist in that I believe no jokers should available during the Charleston.
I don't like option number 1. It means players will get "fresh" tiles which goes against the point of the Charleston where tiles are exchanged. I was introduced to Sophie, our imaginary player. Her tiles are dealt and then placed in the center of the table to use for passing. The tiles get mixed up on each pass during the Charleston. There is a chance Sophie may have one or more jokers in her hand, but it doesn't necessarily mean a player with pick one from her by chance.
Some of the teachers in Michigan are teaching to play with “Lily”. She’s the imaginary 4th player. She is dealt a hand on top of the rack. As you do the Charleston, you take tiles from one end and put tiles at the other. One of the players next to Lily is required to direct traffic for Lily. That person often is the one to discard Lily’s tiles until all of her tiles are gone. Lily doesn’t pick - only discard. Lily cannot pay if you Mahjong on her discard. The other players pay normal amount. I do NOT like this method but use it when playing with those who prefer it. I prefer option #2. I have a seat game that does not Charleston.
I prefer to play with no Charleston, but many of the others at the center want to use it. I like both of these options though. IMO the first is a more sense-able way of working with the six row option. The second is one I would like to try out for sure. It reduces the chance of getting confused about where to pass (it happens a lot).
Last week one player couldn't make it and we convinced another to try playing with 3 players, with the Charleston. We set up the walls as usual, before knowing who would be East. I ended up being East and the dummy wall was to my left. Because of the break in my wall, we would have needed to use tiles from the dummy wall to finish the deal. Is this the way to play it?
Since you are playing with a house rule, you can create the dummy wall from any wall. Consider using the third option in this video because you won't need a dummy wall.
After the Charleston, East discards. Then, the players who are present pick and discard until the game ends. In other words, the turn for the missing player is skipped.
When a player is missing, East does not take the typical top 1&3. Instead, East takes one, the next seated player on the right takes one, and so on then East takes their 14th tile :)
You indicate that a Charleston is LOR and ROL. In a book about playing Mah Jong that I received with my set indicates that a Charleston (LOR) is compulsory and any additional would be optional. This is conflicting to what you say. Very confusing - which is right.
In American mah jongg, players pass tiles to each other up to seven times. The first set of passes (right, across, left) is obligatory. After the first left, players decide whether or not to do another set of passes. The second set of passes (left, across, right), is optional so any player can stop the passing, no questions asked. If all players are in agreement to continue, all three passes must be completed. Players can pass up to three tiles blind in the first left and last right. After the last right, there is an optional across pass where players negotiate up to three tiles. Here is a video that demonstrates the process th-cam.com/video/QtLY27HtYME/w-d-xo.html
The purpose of this playlist is to raise awareness of house rules. This way, players won't be taken off-guard as they join groups who play differently.
I have a question. We chose to try the second option when playing with three. It worked fine for us. However, there was one sticking point. If East breaks its wall and needs to use the wall to the left to continue to pass out tiles( which is the no person wall), what do you do since there are three tiles lying in front to be used for the Charleston. Do you use the incomplete wall? Hope you understand my question.
The mock American Mah Jongg card is timeless and generic. This way, no matter when someone new to the game watches the video, they will have a stable reference as they learn how to play the game. To open or download the mock-American Mah Jongg card, look for a link in the video description by clicking "show more" above.
Thanks!
:):):)....LOVE the special 'sound effects' when you drop the tiles....:):):). I love both options for the Charleston for 3 players. I'm going to try it out with my friends...
Thanks for the video. Our game would normally get cancelled with just 3 players, but now we can still play.
Thank you Michelle, your explanations for 3 people to play, they were great and detailed. Much appreciate your help. 💐
Michele, my group in RI deals a hand of 13 tiles to the Ghost player. The tiles are lined up perpendicular to the ghost wall. The first 3 outgoing tiles in the line become the first right to the player to the right of the ghost wall. The first right from the player to the left of the ghost wall (incoming tiles) is placed at the end of the line of tiles. The first across tiles (outgoing) are again the first three tiles in the line. The player across from the ghost wall places her first across tiles (incoming) at the end of the line. The Charleston continues in this manner, with outgoing tiles coming from the beginning if the line and incoming tiled put at the end of the line.
I used the terms outgoing and incoming to coordinate with your verbiage.
Hope my description made sense.
I am trying to get this group and those I play with in FL to use the simpler method you described.
We just played using the methods here- the first with fresh 6 rows of tiles intoduces many fresh tiles and we had a mah jongg with a wall and a half to go and the other two were only one away from MJ- we played one with no charlston and struggled to find hands. We've been playing another way and like it best: deal "empty" player "Lily" 13 tiles- arrange in 4 rows of three with one spare- keep passed tiles to "lily" seperate- after 4 passes mix the 13 tiles in front of "lily" and again make three rows of 4- when optional pass is complete- put those 13 tiles in front of the wall to draw first. We keep the jokers as a fun bonus- and feel this is more like your 2nd options and truer to the 4 person game.
Thanks for sharing - as long as everyone is in agreement, do as you like :)
I hadn't see your second option. I will try to get my group to do that one the next time we are short handed. As far as your first version goes, we make 7 rows to include the final optional pass, but I like your idea of mixing up the 18 tiles already seen. Thank you for your excellent videos.
I prefer no Charleston but if I do the Charleston, I like option #2 :)
I love those super slo-mo tile fumbles! 🤣
Thank you. We needed those suggestions.
I prefer your second option, but take the tiles from the part of the was that we just delt tiles from and then pup back there at the end to get through them sooner. I'm a purist in that I believe no jokers should available during the Charleston.
Me too :)
Thank you- I like the second method
enjoyed your take and prefer the last method
I don't like option number 1. It means players will get "fresh" tiles which goes against the point of the Charleston where tiles are exchanged. I was introduced to Sophie, our imaginary player. Her tiles are dealt and then placed in the center of the table to use for passing. The tiles get mixed up on each pass during the Charleston. There is a chance Sophie may have one or more jokers in her hand, but it doesn't necessarily mean a player with pick one from her by chance.
Great instructions
Some of the teachers in Michigan are teaching to play with “Lily”. She’s the imaginary 4th player. She is dealt a hand on top of the rack. As you do the Charleston, you take tiles from one end and put tiles at the other. One of the players next to Lily is required to direct traffic for Lily. That person often is the one to discard Lily’s tiles until all of her tiles are gone. Lily doesn’t pick - only discard. Lily cannot pay if you Mahjong on her discard. The other players pay normal amount. I do NOT like this method but use it when playing with those who prefer it. I prefer option #2. I have a seat game that does not Charleston.
I prefer to omit the Charleston when playing 3. It makes doing the Charleston with 4 a joy!
I too prefer no Charleston, but with this small friendly no pressure group I play with we do option one and we call her Mabel under the Table!
LOL
I prefer to play with no Charleston, but many of the others at the center want to use it. I like both of these options though. IMO the first is a more sense-able way of working with the six row option. The second is one I would like to try out for sure. It reduces the chance of getting confused about where to pass (it happens a lot).
Alyeska Black either are good I think 🤓
I also prefer no Charleston :)
Last week one player couldn't make it and we convinced another to try playing with 3 players, with the Charleston. We set up the walls as usual, before knowing who would be East. I ended up being East and the dummy wall was to my left. Because of the break in my wall, we would have needed to use tiles from the dummy wall to finish the deal. Is this the way to play it?
Since you are playing with a house rule, you can create the dummy wall from any wall. Consider using the third option in this video because you won't need a dummy wall.
After the Charleston, when it’s the “imaginary” person’s turn, do you flip a tile on their behalf?
After the Charleston, East discards. Then, the players who are present pick and discard until the game ends. In other words, the turn for the missing player is skipped.
@@MAHJLIFE Gotcha. Thanks!
In 3 person mah Jong, how do you distribute tiles 13 and 14? Does east still get one and 5, or does east take 1 and then wait for 4, which is under 3?
When a player is missing, East does not take the typical top 1&3. Instead, East takes one, the next seated player on the right takes one, and so on then East takes their 14th tile :)
You indicate that a Charleston is LOR and ROL. In a book about playing Mah Jong that I received with my set indicates that a Charleston (LOR) is compulsory and any additional would be optional. This is conflicting to what you say. Very confusing - which is right.
In American mah jongg, players pass tiles to each other up to seven times. The first set of passes (right, across, left) is obligatory. After the first left, players decide whether or not to do another set of passes. The second set of passes (left, across, right), is optional so any player can stop the passing, no questions asked. If all players are in agreement to continue, all three passes must be completed. Players can pass up to three tiles blind in the first left and last right. After the last right, there is an optional across pass where players negotiate up to three tiles. Here is a video that demonstrates the process th-cam.com/video/QtLY27HtYME/w-d-xo.html
I am curious as to why teach a Charleston with 3 players when the NMJL calls for no Charleston with 3 players.
The purpose of this playlist is to raise awareness of house rules. This way, players won't be taken off-guard as they join groups who play differently.
I have a question. We chose to try the second option when playing with three. It worked fine for us. However, there was one sticking point. If East breaks its wall and needs to use the wall to the left to continue to pass out tiles( which is the no person wall), what do you do since there are three tiles lying in front to be used for the Charleston. Do you use the incomplete wall? Hope you understand my question.
So sorry, I don't understand. All the tiles are dealt before the Charleston begins so I don't understand why tiles would be lying in front.
So can you use the super jokers also like a normal joker in combination with the option of 1,2, or 3? Or only as option 1,2, or 3?
Since super jokers are a house rule, you decide on the parameters. Some groups allow using a super joker as a regular joker.
Can you Play American Maj Jongg with 2 people?
So sorry for the delayed response - check out Siamese Mah Jongg th-cam.com/video/erChwAfxoKE/w-d-xo.html
In the 3 player game is someone east or does each of the 3 players take 13 tiles and omit an east player?
Great question... the missing player is always non-dealer so when the dice are passed to the next player, skip the missing player.