High Stakes Tourney $4K Guaranteed For 1st

Events
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That’s my long term focus, to build up Delaware. I’ve donated machines to the tournaments run at Allentown and York this year and will continue to do so if they continue to ask for machines. I will say and acknowledge that Corey Hulse has been pretty instrumental in helping me organize the events in Delaware. Also, Mr. Kevin Stone has been very helpful offering his insight and cheat sheets. The pinball community is great and I can’t say enough nice things about everyone that is in it.

Getting Delaware to be a part of the SCS is a big accomplishment in my opinion and I’m looking forward to crowning the first ever state champion for Delaware.

On a side note, I’m currently qualified for the SCS and wanted to know if I am allowed to play in the SCS since I’m also the TD?

Fixed!

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Yep . . . I would say that most SCS TD’s are also playing in the event. Just make sure you have an alternate TD available for rulings that directly involve yourself.

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I have heard of similar cases, but in this instance it would be based in hearsay, without any direct experience.
Seems strange to me.

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@djreddog: further, I’d try to have two alternate TD’s… or if you and your one alt TD end up facing each other, then BEFORE that match begins, quickly deputize someone with the next-most experience in making rulings.

There’s also a great IFPA rules quick reference guide that @alwysmooth put together that works great for anyone who needs to make a ruling without trying to dig through the whole rules document.

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So what you may be missing here is that the player many are talking about was likely banned due more to behavioral problems rather than outright cheating. He often has a very short fuse and will drop an F bomb, then storm out of the room when a ball drains. Lots of folks swear after a bad ball, but he does if too often and sometimes when kids are around. He’s also a pretty big guy, so it’s can be intimidating when he goes off. Would never hurt anyone, but people get nervous when a big guy starts getting loud. The whole tournament sees his shenanigans. No hearsay.

I wasn’t trying to make excuses for him earlier or suggest he deserves another chance. I just didn’t get why a smiley was added after a comment about him not being able to compete any more. Still don’t.

Worth noting that he still plays on location regularly and is definitely an A level player. He doesn’t travel to compete because he can’t afford to. He still contributes to the hobby, just not on the competitive side.

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I’ve played many poker tournaments across the country. I’ve participated in many traveling bowling tournaments across the state. Never in my life have I ever seen such a lopsided payout. The reality of it is that there would be a lot of conclusion and deal making done before the final game. Players would be chopping and cutting deals on the side because of the ridiculous payout. Awful idea.

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This happens at a lot of pinball tournaments too no matter the payout structure.

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Colorado Coin Jam is a new event in 2018. http://www.the-1up.com/the-colorado-coin-jam/

The pinball tourney is $3k for first, and $600 for 2nd. Still steep, but less steep. Entry is $35-$50, depending on when you buy your tickets.

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And have @pinwizj and @PAPA_Doug on speed dial. :slight_smile:

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For Pinburgh, yes. That would be madness. For PAPA, no. We don’t participate because there’s an appearance of impropriety. WE know it’s on the up-and-up, we hope YOU know it’s on the up-and-up, but to a casual observer, or someone new to competitive pinball, having the organizer of a large event win that event can look shady. Like others have said, shenanigans abound and there are some… let’s say “less than reputable” tournament directors out there.

This pisses me off so much. The ruling is the ruling, you giant baby.

I think the criticisms in this thread have been entirely fair. He’s a novice director with a nebulous idea for a high stakes tournament where the format has not been fleshed out. Since he’s kind of new to all of this he’s being urged to bring on a co-TD, and to not play in his own tournament when the money is this big, and the reasons why are then listed out to some degree the collective can supply, with some examples. There’s nothing that’s going to beat experience on this.

You appear to be upset that no one has told you of bad actors in your area. Maybe you don’t have any? That would be a good thing. We did have some here in Pittsburgh, but we seem to have weeded them all out.

Pinburgh costs $120 to enter and pays $15,000 to first place.

Several people in Pittsburgh have kicked around the idea of running “some form” of a smaller high-stakes tournament like you suggest, but no one has yet. I think they keep running in to the enthusiasm gap you’re seeing. It’s a shame, because I think it may be neat to see.

I would really urge you to flesh out your tournament details first, though. Decide exactly what format you want to use, who is going to help you run it, where you’re going to run it, which rule set you’re going to use, what you’re going to do in case of a game going down, etc. etc… The more confidence people have in the fairness of the tournament the more likely they are to sign up, and the better experience everyone will have, win or lose.

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Or… here is a guy eager to try new things… no he doesn’t have all the details sorted yet (nor is it really necessary when just floating the idea) and instead of supporting and suggesting things he should consider… the response right from the top are “get someone else involved or we won’t play”. Not, hey here are resources to help you flush it out… not here are examples… the message is it’s beyond you. You need to get one of us pros… that’s the first message.

And that’s my beef with the tangent about the bad players. Again the message is “oh if you needed to know… you’d know already”. Or “if you needed to know… we’d tell you”. Again with the “we know best…” superiority projection. Because if you aren’t a familiar face in the circle… you must not be experienced. F that… the assumptions are insulting and pretentious.

The guy is eager and trying new ideas. Instead of pointing out what he can’t manage… why not focus on handing him the tools and insight he does need.

The environment now with all the software and rules online are awesome for people to get started and work up their skillsets. I’d rather encourage people to understand what is needed and how to get there… without starting with the ultimatums.

i know lots of players that are eager for higher stakes games. They aren’t the majority… but no format needs to only service the majority.

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To me, saying as individuals that they would not be comfortable with a new TD, and that if large cash amounts are involved and the TD is also participating… That’s not saying “don’t do this or we won’t play.” No weight is being thrown around here to influence format. The OP asked for input, it has been given as such. They would not feel comfortable competing given the conditions.

I’m sorry, what? TDs share info, ideas, successes and failures, much like competitors do. The ratio is much smaller for people running them than participating. I don’t think your not being included in those discussions is the same as a clique in the slightest. Someone asked you if you’ve approached your local TDs and discussed these sort of matters with them. Have you?

How many events have you attended where someone was ejected? If you haven’t seen anyone be removed, maybe it’s because everyone is acting civil, or any matters that were causing distress were taken care of in a quiet aside with the player in question, and not made a public affair. Not being part of private discussions is not the same as a collusion or conspiracy.

I promise you TDs don’t spend our time frantically running around making rulings , sometimes participating in our own tournament to feel superior. We run them because the event is fun, and we want the maximum number of people to have fun. If that means barring an individual that would make 20-30 people not return, I’ll bar them.

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Let me interject and say that I got part of this idea from my other hobbies and part of it from Josh’s Top 250 invite tournament at his house. My guess is he will also be playing in that tournament, and my other guess is no one will complain because of his stature. If the biggest detractor for this event is me playing in it, I will gladly pass and sit on the sidelines. I just really wanted to play because I like participating in things of this nature. If it does gain enough traction and someone volunteers to be the TD that has the clout, then I will definitely play. However I’m still only sitting on about 10 people interested.

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I don’t have a problem with the TD playing if they have a reputation that makes me comfortable that they will handle everything fairly without giving themselves an unfair advantage. That’s the difference between Josh’s event and your proposed concept as far as my interest is concerned.

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Uhmmm… I’ve been part of running organized pinball events for over 25 years and have been staffing and running events long before TD was coined for the job. So yes, I’m close with all the IFPA reps in the area. Do you not get how condescending such “well if you needed to know we’d would have told you…” type posts are? I didn’t respond because it’s insulting and didn’t want to keep going down this path about how people start off with assuming they are in the know and others are naive.

the root issue brought up was the continued talking about individuals in code… verse being up front about it.

If we are going to be talking about sanctioned events - imo all those rulings and the participants are fair game.

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I don’t, because nobody in this thread ever said anything remotely like that. The closest thing I could find was

That is implying you already know what’s up, not that you’re missing out on the TD newsletter.

There we go, that’s the true root of the matter. You feel like it should be an open talk, others disagree with you, myself included. That isn’t the same as exclusion, despite your insistence it is. I’ve already listed reasons why TDs would choose not to publicize these subjects. At this point this topic is really detracting from the original post, it might be time for its own thread if you want to discuss this further.

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Josh has a reputation for running a clean event and making fair rulings, and handing off duties that would directly affect him. It’s a reputation built up over years. That’s why people would be OK with it. I wanna point out, though, that there are some people who have been in the scene for years and years and years who do NOT have that reputation and people would not be cool with playing under those conditions.

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The fact you didn’t take the opportunity to take the shot . . . “Josh also makes sure to NOT WIN these tournaments” . . . I’m almost disappointed in you :stuck_out_tongue:

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I do understand the reputation he has built up, and it’s one I’m slowly trying to build up. I would like to also look at it from the other side, I don’t know anyone in the pinball world and no one knows me. So there would be no bias given to any certain players. I’m going to call it how I see it, and that’s that.

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You enjoy this time off from my snark, Sharpe, because once this concussion goes away I’m coming after you with… something something metaphor ow.

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