Question: What happens if all players decide to do a Blind Pass during the Charleston?

Answer: Occasionally, all four players may choose to make a blind pass during the Charleston. In this situation, a process called an IOU (I Owe You) is used. The process begins with the player who has the greatest number of tiles to pass.

Example: The player with the greatest number of tiles to pass begins the left pass by saying, “I owe you X tile(s).” The player on their right is then able to complete their pass by taking the necessary tile(s) from the player on their left. This process continues clockwise around the table. Once the starting player receives their full pass from the player on their left, they fulfill their IOU by passing the owed tile(s) to the player on their right.

Example: All four players have only one tile to pass

1. East passes 1 tile to the player on their left (Player 4) and says, “I owe you 2.”
2. Player 4 now has 2 tiles (their own plus the one received). They pass both tiles to the player on their left (Player 3) and say, “I owe you 1.”
3. Player 3 now has 3 tiles and passes all three to the player on their left (Player 2).
4. Player 2 passes all three tiles to East.

The IOUs are then repaid:

• East gives the 2 owed tiles to Player 4.
• Player 4 then gives the 1 owed tile to Player 3.

At this point, each player has received the required three tiles for the first left pass, and the Charleston continues as normal.

In the unlikely event that all four players have no tiles to pass, the Charleston immediately ceases and play begins.

Source: Mah Jongg Made Easy 2024, p. 13, para. 6.