Initial Deal
The process of distributing tiles to each player at the start of the game. Each player receives 13 tiles, except East (the dealer) who receives 14.
How the Deal Works
After the wall is built and broken, tiles are distributed to players in a specific pattern:
- Four tiles at a time, Starting with East, each player takes four tiles (two stacks of two) from the wall, moving counterclockwise. This continues for three rounds, giving each player 12 tiles.
- Final picks, East takes two more tiles (jumping one stack), and each other player takes one more tile. This gives East 14 tiles and everyone else 13.
- Flower replacement, Any Flowers in the initial hands are placed face-up and replacement tiles are drawn from the wall.
- Charleston begins, Once all Flower replacements are complete, players arrange their tiles and the Charleston passing rounds start.
The dealer (East) starts with 14 tiles because East takes the first turn. With 14 tiles already in hand, East's first action is to discard rather than draw, effectively making East's first "draw" the extra tile dealt at the start.
All other players begin with 13 tiles and will draw their 14th tile from the wall (or from a called discard) on their first turn.
After the Deal
Once tiles are dealt and Flowers are replaced, players survey their starting hands. This is the first critical strategic moment of the game:
- Evaluate your tiles, Look for pairs, pungs, suit concentrations, Dragons, Winds, and Jokers
- Consult the NMJL card, Identify two or three candidate hands that overlap with your tiles
- Plan your Charleston strategy, Decide which tiles to pass and which to keep
- Note your Flowers, The number of Flowers affects which hands are practical
The initial deal sets the foundation for the entire game. Strong players begin their hand selection process immediately, making the most of the few seconds before the Charleston begins.