Definition
The Charleston is the passing ritual before play in which each player passes three tiles right, across, and left, with an optional second round and a courtesy pass.
It exists to give everyone a chance at a workable hand and it is where most hands are actually decided. The first Charleston is mandatory; the second only happens if all four players agree.
Read the full guide: The Charleston in American Mahjong: Rules, Order & Strategy.
See it on real tiles: the coach reads any hand and names its direction, free, at the free read. Members get the coach on call for their own games.
More terms: Pung, Kong, Quint, Pair, Blind pass, Courtesy pass, Joker, Joker exchange.