Big congratulations to Preston. Very glad for his success in a tough field!
As Pinburgh TDs we get to hear about the sandbagging incidents; we also saw one directly. I’m not sure how common it is, but it definitely comes up every year.
Knowing all four finalists in B, I am dead certain that none of them were sandbagging into that division.
Thanks for coming out. See you again next time!
Thanks Bowen.
We will most certainly be back.
The event ran so smooth from our perspective. Thanks again for all you do for the hobby.
I personally know Preston, Todd, Greg and Tim and know that each would have loved to play in A. I know about half of the others in the B playoffs, too [Escher, Lee, etc.] and that they’d have preferred A. The problem is [fortunately] not widespread, just annoying that it exists at all.
BTW, congrats to Preston and I’ll see you guys in Dallas next March!
Your son was very generous! Preston played great in B finals and deserved the win. One thing that a TD brought up about an attempted pot split is that the prize money is still distributed by the Replay Foundation as it is set, so that means it would be the responsibility of the 1st place winner (and 2nd place too) to somehow distribute the money to the other 3 finalists after-the-fact. But, the entire tax burden will still fall on the 1st place winner. I think this simply becomes too difficult to figure out and coordinate. I can assure you that I’m much more disappointed with my play on Dirty Harry and Frontier than however much money it would have worked out to. Plus, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to split the pot that doesn’t hurt 1st place in the end.
Bowen did sort of address this earlier that the accusations of sandbagging were made to players who felt that they themselves personally did not “belong” in the division they were on track to be placed in. It wasn’t necessarily that the players who won any particular division “cheated” their way there. So the problem isn’t really about the prize money but more about the competitiveness in the tournament, if I am understanding him correctly.
From what I understand about the philosophy of what or who a “B” player is in pinball, the names here make sense. There has to be a winner of B, C, and D and that player still needs to play up to 40 games of pinball once divisions are locked in to win their division. There’s always a case that someone who can do that and win that much should have been “bumped up” but that’s just what is going to happen. Seeing players like Preston or Escher here is awesome because you know that these guys are well on their way to being very competitive A players and they have the mindset that will one day push them into the top 4 in Pinburgh or PAPA A.
Thanks guys for all the kind words.
And yes I agree the way Pinburgh does with mailing out checks to the winners would have made splitting a bit more difficult.
At the time we did not realize it was done that way. Every other tourney we have attended you get anything you win on the spot.
I only brought it up because some seemed to be saying that a money grab might be in effect somehow.
Live and learn. Lol
Regardless everybody we met was great and it was some of the best, if not the best, competitive pinball we have ever played.
Enjoyed it much more then PAPA.
The only way that “A” can have some “non-A” players get to enjoy making it into that division is if some people who are in the top quartile of the tournament field, but not A-restricted, end up in B. Those players are the ones most likely to do well in B, and most are B-restricted. Only 42 players were A-restricted this year, while 113 were B-restricted, so A is more “up for grabs.” You can be world #51 and still compete in B. There are a lot of really good players not in the top 50.
I’m Arcade’s brother and Preston’s Uncle. I just joined Tilt Forums after my brother told me about it. I’m sure sandbagging exists but I just wanted to throw in I never saw any of it. I know Preston wanted to make A and I also played against two of his three opponents for the B finals. Neither of them gave me a point for free and I sure needed one. I missed the B finals cut by one LOL.
The field of players is amazing and IFPA points might tell a form of ranking but it doesn’t tell all. You have to be good to travel for a 4 day event and spend that kind of money. Not many below average players are going to spend $1000+ on air, hotel and tournament fee’s. The truly great rise to the top and some falter and fall because, well, it’s pinball for gosh sake and that’s the way the ball bounces. A bad day of pinball doesn’t mean someone sandbagged.
Edit: I forgot to mention how much I LOVED it and can’t wait to return!! So well run!
sorry 
This was my first Pinburgh. All I can think about is how many more days until I get to go back. 
I had no restrictions, as I was around 1500 going in. I was expecting C division at best and was afraid I might be D. When I qualified for B I was shocked and extremely excited. I knew I didn’t have a snowflake’s chance in hell of making B division finals, and I didn’t care. I considered it an honor to get stomped (and I did) in B. All I’ve talked about since is how exciting it was to be considered a B player. So for my part I’d much rather have the glory of trying and failing in a division above my normal level.
I can totally understand how it’s different for people who are used to winning money in tournaments, though. Being the, shall we say, undeveloped player that I am, I basically assumed I was kissing my entry fees goodbye in payment for a great time – I had no reasonable expectation of winning money.
Coming in near the bottom of B did some very nice things for my WPPRs, anyway. Better yet, whenever I’m tempted to get too down on my own abilities, ever since Pinburgh I tell myself “you’re a B division player now!” and feel a little encouraged.
Writing this post brought me 12 minutes closer to next Pinburgh! Yay!!
Awesome post sir. 
Im most likelly one of those B/C players you mention who read the board (based on my WPPR ranking).
Getting to play the best or have a chance to win some money? Not even a question as I see it. Then again our montly competitions are hard as “censored” every month, and thats part of the fun in it.
I also think that a big part of why alot of swedes show up on Pinburgh year after year is the format itself, the tight lines between divisions after day 1 and so on. Aso that the competition is very very very well run ofc.
(Deleted because I failed at reading that day. ha.)
replace ‘censored’ with the swear word of your choice
Wow. Yeah. My reading comprehension wasn’t working too well. 
Thanks.
Colin, wake the “censored” up! LOL…
This makes me want to come play in this thing 
100 spots sold out in minutes. Can put you on the waitlist but it’s pretty deep at this point. Think you’d be about #50
will there be a pre-pinburgh tournament?
ReplayFX hype!