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, the Charleston ends and East discards to start the game. 
• 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. Player 1 passes two to Player 2 and gives them an IOU for one tile. The other players pass two with one tile blind. When Player 1 gets their pass, they fulfill the IOU to Player 2.
• All players want to pass one with two tiles blind. Player 1 gives Player 4 one tile, Player 4 takes the one incoming tile to pass one blind plus their one tile so they pass two tiles to Player 3, Player 3 takes two incoming tiles with plus their one tile so they pass three tiles to Player 2,  Player 2 takes two incoming tiles plus their one tile and passes three to Player 1, Player 1 takes two incoming tiles and passes them to Player 4, Player 4 takes one incoming tile and passes it to Player 3 which fulfills all IOUs. 

If anyone in the group has challenges with short-term memory, use markers to serve as the IOU (e.g., flat-bottom decorative marbles, dimes). Here is an example: 

Player 1 gives Player 4 one tile and two dimes, Player 4 takes the one incoming tile to pass one blind plus their one tile so they pass two tiles and one dime to Player 3, Player 3 takes two incoming tiles with plus their one tile so they pass three tiles to Player 2,  Player 2 takes two incoming tiles plus their one tile and passes three to Player 1, Player 1 takes two incoming tiles and passes them to Player 4 in exchange for their two dimes, Player 4 takes one incoming tile and passes it to Player 3 in exchange for their dime which fulfills all IOUs. 

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)