American Mahjong Courtesy Pass Strategy
The courtesy pass is a final optional exchange with the player opposite you after the formal Charleston. Its value depends on cooperation over the number of tiles, not on revealing strategy. A good courtesy pass removes remaining weakness while protecting the structures the Charleston has already created.
Agree on the Number Before Selecting Tiles
The partners should first establish how many tiles will be exchanged under the applicable rules and table convention. Only then should each player choose that number of legal tiles. This prevents one player from preparing for a larger exchange than the other is willing or able to make.
Courtesy Pass Decision Check
- Identify how many genuinely weak tiles remain.
- Protect pairs, useful flowers, and repeated ranks.
- Do not pass a joker.
- Prefer a smaller exchange when only one tile is clearly expendable.
- Avoid using the pass to signal a hand or coach the opposite player.
- Reevaluate the rack after receiving the return tiles.
Productive and Forced Courtesy Passes
Productive Exchange
Both players have one or more isolated tiles and can improve their racks without breaking valuable groups.
Forced Exchange
A player agrees to more tiles than can be released safely and must dismantle a pair, suit concentration, or natural requirement.
The Opposite Player Is Not a Partner in Strategy
The word courtesy describes the exchange procedure, not cooperative play. Do not announce which suit, number family, or hand section you want. Select legal tiles privately and continue the game as independent opponents.
Courtesy Pass Questions
Must both players pass the same number?
Yes. The exchange should use the mutually agreed count under the applicable procedure.
Can I decline the courtesy pass?
The exact procedure should follow the current recognized rules and the table's agreed convention.
Can a joker be passed as a courtesy?
No. Jokers do not enter any Charleston or courtesy pass.