The Charleston

The Charleston tunes the starting hand before play begins

The Charleston happens before normal play and gives each player a chance to improve the starting hand. You do not need every house variation at once. You do need the order, which parts are required, and the rules around courtesy passes and jokers.

Learn the two rounds in the right order

The first Charleston is the one every beginner should anchor first: right, across, left. That first round is required at most tables. A second Charleston may follow in the order left, across, right, but that second round is optional. If your table uses a blind pass, it belongs in that optional part rather than in the required opening three passes.

• First Charleston: right, across, left.
• Second Charleston: left, across, right.
• The first round is required; the second may be skipped.
• Blind passes belong to the optional part, not the required first three passes.

Courtesy pass is optional, and jokers never travel

A courtesy pass is an across exchange of one to three tiles that only happens if both opposite players agree to do it. If the player across from you wants one and you do not, you may refuse and that courtesy pass does not happen for that pair. Jokers are never passed during the Charleston, even if you would rather move them out of your hand.

• Courtesy pass happens only if both players agree.
• A courtesy pass can exchange one, two, or three tiles.
• If one player says no, there is no courtesy pass for that pair.
• Jokers cannot be passed.