How to Play 3-Player American Mahjong: Two Rule Variations for a Smaller Table

Whether you're short one player or just prefer a more intimate game, three-player American Mahjong is absolutely playable—and still tons of fun. In this guide (and accompanying video), Jessica from Southern Sparrow walks you through two popular ways to play Mahjong with three players, including one that follows official NMJL rules and another that creatively preserves the Charleston.

If you love American Mahjong but can’t gather four players, don’t worry—this post will show you exactly how to adapt without sacrificing strategy or gameplay flow.

Option 1: NMJL-Approved 3-Player Rules

According to the National Mah Jongg League’s “Mah Jongg Made Easy” rulebook, playing with three people is simple and straightforward:

• Deal in all three players as usual.
• No Charleston—skip all tile passing.
• No courtesy pass.
• The dealer discards a tile to begin the game.

This method keeps things clean, fast, and fully compliant with NMJL rules. It’s perfect for players who want to stay true to the book and jump right into gameplay.

Option 2: Using a Ghost Player to Keep the Charleston

If you’re like Jessica and love the Charleston for refining your hand and building a strong strategy, you might prefer this clever workaround using a ghost player.

What Is a Ghost Player?

A “ghost” is a non-existent fourth player. You won’t play their hand or build a rack, but you will build their wall and use it solely to facilitate the Charleston and courtesy pass.

How to Set It Up

• Deal tiles to the 3 real players only—no rack is built for the ghost.
• Each player racks their tiles as normal.
• Build a full ghost wall with 19 stacks of 2 tiles (just like a normal wall).
• Pull out 7 sets of 3 tiles from the ghost wall—one for each pass during the Charleston.
• When passing to the ghost, players place their pass directly into the ghost’s wall.
• When receiving from the ghost, players take the next untouched stack from the pass pile.

House Rule Options

What if someone passes a joker or blank tile to the ghost?

• Officially, that tile should go back into the ghost wall.
• However, some players house-rule that the ghost “passes” it back for a fun surprise. Just agree on your rule before starting!

Why Use a Ghost?

Preserving the Charleston and courtesy pass gives players a chance to:

• Select a hand from a section of the NMJL card
• Refine their initial tiles
• Develop a pivot line or backup hand early in the game

This method mimics the full experience of a 4-player game, while keeping the table smaller and more flexible.

Watch the Full 3-Player Tutorial

Jessica demonstrates both 3-player variations in our video guide—including step-by-step Charleston tips and how to organize your ghost wall for smooth gameplay.

Play Beautifully, Even with Three

Whether you're keeping it official or adding a ghost for the Charleston, 3-player American Mahjong is a great way to keep playing when your fourth can't make it. The key is clarity: just decide on your rules before you start, and you’re in for a strategic and satisfying game.