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IFPA WA State Championship Weekend
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To be eligible, a player MUST have completed their IFPA profile with current contact information, including email and current location. To verify, go to your IFPA player page, look under "Player Information" on left, and ensure your location is listed and it says "Registered". If it doesn't, please visit https://www.ifpapinball.com/user-profile-3/ to update profile.
Schedule
Doors open 10:00am.Check-in by 10:45AM.
Announcements at 11:00am, with play expected to begin by 11:15am.
Players can warm-up and practice between 10:00am and 11:00am on any available machines.
The State Match Play Tournament is expected to begin at 3:00pm, after the quarter finals (Round of 8) begins. Thus players who do not make the final 8 will be able to play in that tournament without conflict.
While exact length of tournament cannot be guaranteed, it is estimated that the Finals (final two players) will commence before 9pm, and be done by 11:00pm.
Tournament Summary
The state championship brings together the 24 top-ranked players from the state who are able to make it to the event. They will be seeded in a 24-player single-elimination bracket of head-to-head competition, with 8 highest-seeded players earning a first-round bye. Each match is best 4-out-of-7.
At the start of the match each player will choose an "OLD", "MID" and "NEW" machine. The lower seeded player will choose the first machine, followed by the higher seeded player choosing the second machine. This picking order will continue until all 6 games have been chosen. A machine may not be picked more than once in the same match.
All participants should read through the IFPA SCS Official Rules prior to the event.
Prizes
The prize pool grows based on number of players in IFPA sanctioned events in the state of washington. Current prize pool is updated ON THIS PAGE. Please note any prize over $600 will be through a check and will require a W9 to be filled.
The winner also gets a plaque provided by IFPA. Here is a photo of this year's plaque:
The winner also gets an entry into the 2023-2024 IFPA North American Pinball Championships at District 82 in DePere, Wisconsin on Thursday March 7, 2024. If the winner cannot make it, then second place finisher has option of going.
Second, Third, and Fourth Place winners each receive a plaque, graciously provided by the host, The Ice Box Arcade.
Malfunctions and Rulings
Anytime an abnormal circumstance occurs, a tournament official should be notified. To ensure consistency throughout the tournament, PLAYERS SHOULD NOT RESOLVE ISSUES ON THEIR OWN. Except for customized rules explicitly covered on this website, PAPA/IFPA Tournament Rules will be used to address malfunctions and as the basis for rulings. Note also that any rule posted at the event, such as on the backglass of a machine, will override any rule described herein.
Head-to-head Runaway Score Rule: Pinball is not a timed game, and occasionally a player has a dominating game that could take a half hour to an hour or more. While these can be impressive games to watch, they wreak havoc on a tournament schedule. This rule is to address such long games to ensure sufficient time to play every game within constraints imposed by the schedule. If a player has such a game, a tournament official may ask the player to end their ball and game, in favor of saving time. Should this occur, the other player can complete their game. If the second player catches up, the game is void and a new game played on a different machine. If the second player fails to catch up, the player who was asked to stop playing will receive the win.
Machine Setup Changes: Tournament officials reserve the right to modify any machine between games or between rounds, including changing of settings, tilt sensitivity, machine level, or any other adjustment that is deemed desirable to make the tournament run more smoothly and be more fair and fun. Since a player is only competing against the other players in the same game, all players will encounter such changes at the same time, and it is part of pinball to be able to quickly adjust to changing conditions of a machine. Tournament officials also have the option to remove any machine from play even if machine playing well, due to long average ball times, problematic location within the venue, and minor malfunctions that may still be fair for both players but determined to take away all reasonable strategies on the machine.
Tilt Bobs: The tournament machines will NOT be equipped with ear plugs on the Tilt Bobs mechanism. Player are responsible to manage their nudging in risking to tilt or even tilt through the machine. As per IFPA rules "Intentional delays - No player may delay their game for more than 60 seconds, except to await a ruling or resolution of an environmental inconvenience."
Practicing on Tournament Machines: During the championship, players not actively engaged in a match are free to practice on other available machines with two constraints: (1) do not start a new game on any machine that is adjacent to an active match; and (2) if an active match needs the machine they are practicing on, they immediately stop playing and yield the machine. Per IFPA SCS Rules, prior to any game, each player has the option to practice the machine for 30 seconds. It is the responsibility of the player(s) who want to practice to pay for the game, if a free credit is not available.
Final Tournament Standings: Final finishing position for players will be ranked based on number of wins that round. If same number of wins each round, then those those players will have their final tournament position listed as a tie.
Additional Information
Tournament Officials: Germain Mariolle and Lonnie Langford.
For questions and inquiries regarding this tournament, please contact
contact@seattlepinballservices.com.