If the concern is that a tiebreaker would take too long, why not something like a timed playoff where you only get 30 seconds per ball? A second ball is played if still tied after the first. Etc.
I’ve always kinda felt like this concept is overblown. I don’t think it’s that much of a disadvantage to go first. In my ~20 years of competitive pinball, I think I’ve had roughly an even distribution of:
- going first and playing poorly, thereby allowing my opponent(s) an easy strategy change to beat me, and
- going first and crushing a machine, putting pressure on my opponent(s) such that strategy is not really a factor
Basically - play well no matter what your position and you’re probably going to win. So I wouldn’t compensate player 1 here at all, other than the mini-comp of winning ties (I chose that option).
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