Here's a solution since Jokers are not permitted to be passed during the Charleston.
The NMJL version does not include a Charleston, but, you can certainly add The Charleston as a house rule. When the Charleston is added to the National Mah Jongg League version, it is considered a table rule. In this case, I prefer the version, "Playing with Sally (or whatever name you give the dummy wall),"
Here are the steps to playing with Sally:
1. Before setting up 4 walls, each player picks one tile, looks at it it's a joker, you put it back among the tiles and pick again. Those 3 tiles are set aside for now.
2. Next, set up 4 walls.
3. Let's name the dummy wall, Sally.
4. Now take the 3 tiles that everyone picked and place them in front of Sally's wall.
5. These 3 tiles become Sally's first right.
6. Proceed with the Charleston as you normally would.
Playing this version of the game ensures a Charleston experience as in the 4-player version and assures no one will get a Joker from Sally, the dummy wall.
Play be League rules:
When playing with three people, follow these steps and important points about the game:
1. Build the Walls: The walls are built just as in four-handed Mah Jongg.
2. Tile Distribution: Tiles are dealt out with East taking the first tile, the next player takes the next tile, and this continues until all players have 13 tiles.
3. East’s 14th Tile: East takes their 14th tile.
4. Empty Seat: No tiles are given to the empty seat.
5. The Charleston: The Charleston phase is omitted from this version of the game.
Starting the Game: East begins the game by discarding their 14th tile but does not pick, just like in the 4-handed Mah Jongg.
6. Continuing Play: Play continues with each player picking and discarding as usual.
Source: Mah Jongg Made Easy 2024 page 26
