Mahjong for Marcus returns to Atlanta for a third year

Atlanta's Mahjong players have a date to save: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Cherokee Town Club on West Paces Ferry Road. That is when the third annual Mahjong for Marcus is set to be played, according to the event page on the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta site, with proceeds benefiting Marcus Autism Center.

The page promises a day of Mahjong with refreshments, light bites and a DJ. It is an American Mahjong event, and players are responsible for bringing their own tiles, racks and 2026 National Mah Jongg League cards, along with anything else their table may need.

Who the day is for

Marcus Autism Center describes itself as a subsidiary of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta that supports children with autism and their families from diagnosis through treatment. Its site lists assessment and diagnosis, complex behavior support, a feeding program, medical and therapeutic services, research labs, a training and outreach program and a school consultation program. The center also says its researchers developed the first biomarker-based, eye-tracking diagnostic technology to help diagnose autism.

The event page offers more than one way in. Alongside registration, it links to sponsorship information, a way to donate to Children's through the event without playing, and a matching gift page for donors whose employers match contributions.

Three years, three cards

Mahjong for Marcus began in 2024. An archived copy of the page from February 2025 describes the inaugural tournament on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta: an intimate morning of play with refreshments, light bites and a raffle, on the 2024 League card. Players picked a skill level at checkout, Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced, played three scored games under League rules, and found guidelines and scorecards waiting at each table.

The second year moved to the Cherokee Town Club. An archived copy from March 2026 shows the second annual tournament on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, with a silent auction, the 2025 card, and a sponsor level named for the Charleston. Each year's page has named that year's card, which suits a game whose League publishes a new card every year.

New to the game?

The event has a partner for that. Its page encourages anyone who would like to learn beforehand to take a lesson with Buckhead Mahjong Club, which was also named as the lesson partner for the first tournament in 2024. Lessons can be arranged by email or through the club's Instagram account, both listed on the page.

As of this writing, the event page carries the registration link, and questions go to the event contact it names. Order of the Tile is not affiliated with the event or with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and does not sell tickets, tables or sets.

Prim's view

Three years in, Mahjong for Marcus has the marks of an event that knows its players: a skill level chosen at checkout, scorecards on every table, and a sponsor level named for the Charleston. That last one made me smile. Somebody planning this one plays.

A Tuesday in late September, a lunch hour with a purpose, and a center for children with autism on the receiving end. If you are in Atlanta, dust off your tiles, find your racks, and make sure your 2026 card is in your bag. The table you sit down at that day will help families you may never meet.