THE IOU – WHEN MULTIPLE PLAYERS WANT TO PASS BLIND (Article 152)

Commentary: The last pass of each Charleston round – first left and last right – players have the option to pass up to three tiles blind. This is when the “IOU” method is used. Since three tiles are needed for a full pass, the player with most tiles to pass starts the process. They give the player on their right an IOU for the missing tiles. Ultimately, the player will fulfill the IOU to the player on their right. Here are some examples: 

• All players want to pass three tiles blind, but this is impossible because the process requires a player to take supplement tiles from an incoming pass. If all three players want to pass blind, they should all agree to stop the Charleston and do the optional across to end the Charleston.
• One player has three tiles to pass, and the rest want to pass two with one tile blind. The player with three tiles passes normally, and the other players pass two with one tile blind from their incoming pass.
• All players want to pass two with one tile blind. East passes two to South and gives them an IOU for one tile. The other players pass two with one tile blind. When East gets their pass, they fulfill the IOU to South.
• All players want to pass one with two tiles blind. East passes one to South and gives them an IOU for two tiles. The other players do the same. When East gets their pass from North, they pass one to South and gives them an IOU for one more. The other players do the same. When East gets their pass from North, they fulfill the IOU to South. The other players do the same. 

Question from a player:  What do we do when everyone wants to pass blind in the Charleston?

Answer from the League:  In the event that all players want to do a “Blind Pass,” the player with the greatest number of tiles to pass begins by passing 1 or 2 tiles and says to the next player “I.O.U.” Each player repeats the same thing, with the first player who passed picking up the last pass of that Charleston and making good to the player to whom they owe a tile or tiles. In the unlikely event that no one has a tile to pass, then the Charleston ceases and play begins.

Source: Mah Jongg Made Easy (2024, page 13)