# What Is the Charleston in Mahjong Island?

**Quick answer:** The Charleston is the passing of tiles before play begins. In Mahjong Island, everyone passes 3 tiles right, then 3 across, then 3 left. If every player agrees, a second Charleston follows.

Source: https://mahjongisland.com/blog/what-is-the-charleston-in-mahjong · Mahjong Island · Updated 2026-10-29

The Charleston in Mahjong Island is a passing of tiles that happens before play begins. In Mahjong Island, everyone passes 3 tiles right, then 3 across, then 3 left.

The Charleston comes from American mahjong, where players pass tiles to each other as a ritual before the first turn. Mahjong Island keeps it. Each player is dealt 13 tiles, and the dealer gets a 14th. The Charleston happens next, before anyone draws or discards.

## How does the Charleston work?

The Charleston is a set of passes in a fixed order, with an optional second round. Here are the steps.

Once the Charleston is done, the dealer discards first. From then on, each turn is simple. You draw a tile from the Draw Pile, the stack of face-down tiles. Then you discard 1 tile, unless your hand is complete and you win.

## Which tiles should you pass?

Pass the tiles your best hands need least. You win Mahjong Island by matching 14 tiles to one line on the Island Card, the game's own card of hands. So the Charleston is your first chance to shape your tiles toward a line.

After the deal, look at the card. Find the 2 or 3 hands your tiles are closest to. Keep the tiles those hands share. A tile that none of them uses is the easiest one to pass.

To see how hands on the card are built, read [how the Island Card works](/guides/mahjong-winning-hands). For more early choices like this one, try [Mahjong Island strategy for beginners](/guides/mahjong-strategy-for-beginners). The full turn order is in [the Mahjong Island rules](/guides/mahjong-rules).

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## Frequently asked questions

### Can you pass a Joker in the Charleston?

No. You can never pass a Joker in Mahjong Island, so every Joker you are dealt stays with you.

### Is there always a second Charleston?

No. A second Charleston happens only if every player votes yes, and it passes 3 tiles left, then 3 across, then 3 right.

### Who discards first after the Charleston?

The dealer, who was dealt a 14th tile, discards first once the Charleston is done.