Tag: Tournaments

Denver’s Annual Tournaments: Ultimate Pinball Carnage and Ultimate Pinball Challenge are happening this weekend!

It’s time for Denver’s end of the year annual tournaments! Donavan Stepp, Adam and Escher Lefkoff are all likely to play in at least one, if not both of these tourneys. Plus – word on the street is Mr. Trent Augenstein will be making appearances at both! So come one, come all to get your last minute WPPRs!

Ultimate Pinball Carnage

Saturday December 15th at 1pm
The 1up Colfax, $20 entry

This event will be the same format as the 3rd Sunday monthly also known as the Helenament. In fact this IS December’s Helenament, it’s just being held on Saturday. There will be no monthly tourney at 1up Colfax on Sunday. If you’re not familiar with that format, get all the details here.

Don’t be bummed if you can’t make it because the very next day is the…

Ultimate Pinball Challenge

Sunday December 16th at 1pm
The 1up LoDo, $20 entry

Very exciting as this year will be the first time Dan’s using the “fair strikes” format and to my knowledge, the first time anyone has run this format in Colorado (though Ryan Wanger may have done it before – he likes to mix things up at the monthly Boulder tourneys).

This will be a 12 strike tournament. Yep, you read that right. But in reality, it’s more like the annual 4-strike format we’re used to during U.P. Challenge. Here’s how it works:

Players are paired against each other in groups of four. In that group, 1st place gets to smile (receives no strikes). 2nd place gets 1 strike, 3rd place gets 2 strikes, 4th place gets 3 strikes. Once a player gets 12 strikes, that player is eliminated. Last person standing is the winner.

So as you see, absolute worst case scenario, you take 4th on 4 games in a row and you’re out. Should be interesting indeed! And it should work out to 100% TGP. It’s like it’s Christmas!

Novice Tournaments Dec 7th & 21st!

Never tried a pinball tournament before? Or maybe you have but were overwhelmed? Then this one’s for you – courtesy Ryan Wanger! View the event’s Facebook page here.

When: December 7th & 21st at 7:00p
What: Casual pinball tournament (format TBD). Free to enter, you only pay to play the machines. Prizes & giveaways for top finishers. No WPPRs, just fun and glory!

Silver Balls Rock III – This Friday and Saturday!

The 3rd annual Silver Balls Rock tournament is happening this weekend – now with a new format and non-conflicting weekend! This year’s tournament will be a multi-day, limited entry, Herb-style format and as always Neil’s got swag to give away!

And there will be FREE WINGS courtesy Cory Moren and Buffalo Wild Wings!

Get the full details on our calendar or on the Facebook event page.

QUALIFYING
Friday December 7, 2p-9p &
Saturday December 8, 9a-11:30a
FINALS
December 8, 1pm

2018-19 Colorado State Championship

2018 is quickly coming to a close and with that comes the close scrutiny of our state’s pinball standings. 

For those who might not know, playing in IFPA-sanctioned events earn you WPPRs (world pinball player ranking points) that contribute to both your world and state rank (or province/district rank for those in Canada or  Washington DC). Only points earned playing in tournaments held in Colorado in the current calendar year will contribute to your Colorado state rank.

Changes for 2018-19

  • First of all, Colorado is an IFPA Super State which means the top 24 ranked players will be invited to play in our State Championship with those ranked 1-8 getting first round byes!
  • Secondly, there will be no entry fee this year and we’ll be paying out to all 24 players who compete!
  • Finally, Adam Lefkoff who has been Colorado’s long-serving IFPA State Representative has passed the torch to Snow Galvin who will be running this year’s State Championship. So a giant thank you is in order to Adam for his time and commitment to pinball in Colorado over the many years. I personally would like to thank him for his ongoing support and encouragement from literally my first tournament to today. 

For Those on the Bubble

There are multiple opportunities remaining to make this year’s cut. The following tournaments are scheduled in December with those events underlined having the biggest point-earning potential.

The When and the Where

Colorado State Championship
When: January 19, 2019
Where: The 1up – Colfax
Practice: 10am – 10:30am
Start Time: 10:30am

Qualified Player Invitations

On January 1st all qualified players will receive an emailed invitation. If anyone in the top 24 declines to play, I will work my way down the list of players until all spots are filled. The two players just beyond the cutline will be asked to appear as alternates in case of no-shows.

Tournament Format

The tournament will be run as a best-of-seven, single elimination bracket with the top 8 ranked players receiving first round byes. There is no entry fee, just quarters needed to play machines. Payouts to all 24 players. DO NOT LEAVE without getting your cash. Don’t make me chase you down, please.

Each match will be a best-of-seven. The higher seeded player will have choice of machine or position for the 1st game, with the loser of each subsequent game having choice of machine or order, until someone has won 4 games. A machine may not be played more than once in the same match.

Each player will have the opportunity for 30 seconds of practice time before starting every game of every match. This is to ensure that both players have a chance to get familiar with the machine.

The winner of the match advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated.

The 3rd/4th place Consolation Final will be played as a best-of-three instead of a best-of-seven like all other rounds, using the same rules. This match is required due to payouts.

Read the full State Championship Rules here.

Payouts

  • 1st place – 28% of the prize pool
  • 2nd place – 16% of the prize pool
  • 3rd place – 10% of the prize pool
  • 4th place – 6% of the prize pool
  • 5th through 8th place – 4% of the prize pool each
  • 9th through 16th place – 2% of the prize pool each
  • 17th through 24th place – 1% of the prize pool each

You can see the payouts as they exist with the tournament results that have been posted thus far on the Colorado’s IFPA ‘stats’ page. (Yes, I know the IFPA and/or our TDs are a little behind with posting/submitting results.)

In addition to money, the winner will receive a trophy and secure his/her spot in the IFPA National Championship. If Colorado’s Champion is unable to attend the IFPA National Championship, our runner-up will take his/her spot.

The sixth annual IFPA National Championship will be held on Thursday, March 28th, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. Additional details on the format and prizes can be found HERE.

So get to practicing at The 1Up Colfax!

Fall Flip Out November 10th & 11th in Fort Collins!

This year’s Fall Flip Out Tournament will be held at both Pinball Jones locations in Fort Collins. New Belgium Brewery is sponsoring the event and all participants will receive a free Fall Flip Out / New Belgium t-shirt with entry! Sizes first come first serve.

There will be an A, B and Novice Division – so there’s lots of opportunity to advance! There’s even a Side Tournament on Saturday to keep you occupied. So plenty of reason to spend the whole weekend in Fort Collins playing pinball!

Never Drains software will be used for both tournaments.

Qualifying - PBJ Campus West

Saturday, November 10th from 10am – 8pm
$30 entry, all games on free play
Limited Herb format: 15 attempts on a bank of 10 games. Top 5 unique scores count.
Side Tourney qualifying until 5pm with Finals starting at 6pm.

Finals - PBJ Old Town

Sunday, November 11th starting at 10am
Top 16 players play A Finals (assuming at least 32 players enter tournament). Next 8 play in B Finals. Next 4 players ranked outside the top 4000 will play in Novice Finals.

Qualifying - Full Details

Main Tournament: Qualifying at Pinball Jones Campus West on Saturday Nov 10th 10 AM – 8 PM (Volunteers will get bonus time after 8pm until 9pm to finish any tries not used yet. Anyone gracious enough to help out can sign-up here)

$30 entry free / Qualifying games on FREE PLAY
all entry fee money goes to pot for payouts
Pinball Jones is adding $300 to the event (some of this is used for trophies and medals, rest to the pot)
Limited Herb 15 Tries on a bank of 10 games
Best 5 go towards your total (1 score per machine)
Scoring 100 for first, 95 for second, then 90, 89, 88 etc.

Main Tournament Qualifying Bank (subject to change)

Metallica, Congo, Eight Ball Deluxe, Dialed In!, Iron Man, Strikes and Spares, The Walking Dead, Judge Dredd, Spider-Man and Total Nuclear Annihilation

Side Tournament (PBJ Campus West)

Saturday – Qualifying from 10am to 5pm.
Finals also on Saturday at 6pm.

$5 per entry (unlimited buy in)
all money goes to pot
Games on COIN DROP
1 entry is 1 play on each of the 3 games
Same scoring 100, 95, 90, 89, etc
Top 4 make finals
Finals Group on same 3 games. 4, 3, 2, 1

Side Tournament Qualifying Bank

Side Tournament Games (subject to change): Game of Thrones, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Terminator 2

A, B and Novice Division Finals

FINALS Sunday Nov 11th 10 AM at Pinball Jones OLD TOWN
Field must be cut at least in half. We will take 16 to finals if we have at least 32 players.

“A” restricted players – If you do no qualify for “A” you do not advance. “A” restricted players are ranked 500 or better

Groups of 4 on a bank of 4 games (banks TBD)
Scoring – 4, 3, 2, 1
Top 2 from each group of 4 Advance

8 for B finals, no byes , same rules as A
Players ranked 4000 or better are restricted to “B” and cannot play in Novice but can play in B or A

4 for Novice finals, same rules as A 
Any player that is ranked 4001 or less can play in Novice, B or A

Got Questions?

Dave Andersen has answers. Shoot him an email here.