Yes, you can play American mahjong with three players. Use the normal tiles and current card, build all four walls, skip the empty seat during the deal, and do not perform the Charleston. Once play begins, the standard rules apply.
This is a useful adjustment when one player cancels or a fourth person is not available. You do not need a special set or an imaginary player holding tiles.
Build four walls with three people
Set up the table with four walls, just as you would for a regular game. Each wall is 19 tiles long and two tiles high.
Each person builds one wall. One player also builds the wall in front of the empty seat. The American Mah Jongg Association three player guide suggests that the person with the empty seat to their right usually builds the extra wall.
Keep all four walls in the game. The empty seat is only a position at the table. It does not receive a hand.
Deal around the empty seat
Deal in the usual groups of four tiles, but skip the empty seat completely.
Each real player takes four tiles in turn. Repeat that process three times so everyone has 12 tiles. Each player then takes one more tile for a total of 13. East takes one final tile and begins with 14.
East starts the game by discarding. From that point, play proceeds under the standard American mahjong rules.
Skip the Charleston
The official three player adjustment omits the Charleston. Do not pass through the empty seat, invent a player, or try to create a three direction passing pattern. Begin normal drawing and discarding immediately after the deal.
This is the biggest change from a four player game. If you want a refresher on the normal passing sequence, our American mahjong Charleston guide explains how it works when four people are playing.
Rotate East normally
After each completed game, East rotates counterclockwise to the next real player. Continue skipping the empty seat.
With only three hands in play, turns come back around faster and more tiles remain available in the walls. The game still uses the current card, the same winning hands, and the normal rules for Jokers, exposures, and Mah Jongg.
If the group keeps score, use the same scoring method agreed on before the game. Our American mahjong scoring guide explains the standard payments for a winning hand.
You do not need a special three player set
A regular American mahjong set is all you need. Three players will use fewer racks at the table, but the complete tile set and four walls remain part of the game.
The Beach Set includes 160 full size American mahjong tiles, with 10 Jokers and 6 blanks. It works for the usual four player table and for the nights when three people decide to play anyway. Racks, pushers, the current card, and other accessories are purchased separately.