Quick Links:
[Official Rulesheet]
- Game Information
- Rules Overview
- Layout
- Skill Shots
- End-of-Ball Bonus
- Hold 'em Hands
- Tournaments
- Poker Corner Modes
- Side Pots
- Multiballs
- Drop Target Poker
- Triple Scoring
- Chip Tricks
- Cut the Cards
- Hurry Ups
- Other Features
- Wizard Modes
Game Information:
- Lead Designer: Steve Ritchie
- Code/Rules: Keith Johnson, Dwight Sullivan
- Lead Mechanical Engineer:
- Artwork: Brian Rood
- Display and Animations: Mark Galvez
- Sound Design: Chris Granner
- Release Date: February 2006
- Wiki Rulesheet based on Code Rev: 14.0
- Edit the Code revision, if applicable, when you make changes
First, the physical features of the game:
Layout:
Left to right, along with the associated feature names. (see feature description for more info).
There are 6 major shots each marked with a Red Arrow and the features listed:
- Left Orbit - Chip Trick, Main Pot Spinner
- Left Ramp - Flop, Turn, River, Chip Trick
- VUK - Cut the Cards, Extra Ball, Lock
- Scoop - Chip Trick, Spin a Card, Poker Corner, Lock
- Right Ramp - Flop, Turn, River, Chip Trick
- Right Orbit - Chip Trick, Main Pot Spinner
Mini-playfield - from left to right
- Re-light Mystery
- White Stand up
- White Stand up
- Ace in the Hole
- White Stand up
- Exit to the pops
Below the mini-playfield are three pop bumpers, and four red stand-up targets. Then there are 16 drop targets in three banks (8 on the left, 4 in the center, 4 on the right).
Skill Shots:
The skill shot light cycles before plunging the ball, new balls are plunged for each ball of play, and after physically locking a ball in the Ace in the Hole jail mechanism. Advance Hold 'Em is locked on for your first plunge of the game (to give you your initial hole cards).
The three skill shot awards are:
- Advance Hold Em - Progresses your hold 'em hand.
- Mystery - Awards a mystery award (see Cut the Cards)
- Skill Flip - Shoot the left-most shot on the Mini-PF quickly and without hitting any other switch for 1M (+1M per up to 5M)
End-of-Ball Bonus:
Bonus is comprised of: * 10K per hold 'em hand (cumulative from all balls) * 50K per trophy collected from modes (cumulative) * 25K per city won (cumulative) * Sharpshooter bonus (based on each ball; 500 * hand level * number of unit drop targets remaining) * An end of ball bonus (may be based on switch hits?). Instant Info says "Pop Targets add Bonus X" - the standup targets below the backbox add +1 bonus x per completion.Hold 'em Hands:
Shown in the large DMD in the center of the playfield. Progress through hold 'em hands (Flop>Turn>River) by hitting ramp shots, the Advance Hold 'Em skill shot or by getting All-In Multiball (see description below).Completing hands lights Poker Corner (see below) and progresses tournaments (see below). The award for completing a hold 'em hand is the value of the main pot (see description for All-In MB) multiplied by the strength of the hand:
- High card: x .5
- Pair: x 1
- Two pair: x 2
- Three of a kind: x 3
- Straight: x 4
- Flush: x 5
- Full house: x 6
- Four of a kind: x 7
- Straight flush: x 8
- Royal flush: x 9
In tournament mode, the hands are dealt to the player in ascending strength, (the first hand will be pair, with improving hands from there on out).
Tournaments:
Shown by the red inserts between the sling shots. Winning your first tournament requires completing one hold 'em hand, and awards 1M points. Winning your second tournament requires two hands, awards 1.5M. Third tournament three hands, 2M points (Subsequent tournaments award +500k each and require 4 completed hands). Extra ball is lit after winning your 2nd and 6th tournament. After completing a tournament, red arrow inserts are lit to award 100k each. They unlight after awarding. I believe the award increases for every tournament completed on the same ball. (This may be per completed hand).Poker Corner Modes:
Completing a hold 'em hand lights Poker Corner at the scoop. If you play a Poker Corner mode, you must complete another hand to relight the next (mode relights do not stack from multiple hand completions). Starting a Poker Corner mode also relights the Ace in the Hole lock.Every mode has a “goal” (usually making a certain amount of shots). Completing the goal earns a trophy. Each Trophy scores 1M and increases the value of the Poker Wizard mode. Poker Corner modes last 30 seconds; if there’s still time left, the first award from Cut the Cards will add 15 more seconds.
Modes cannot be started during multiballs, but you can start Ace in the Hole, All In, and No Limit Multiball during a mode. Drop Target Poker is available during every mode except Know Your Outs and Chip and a Chair.
In terms of tournament strategy, ignore the drop target modes. You don’t need to time them out, you can just ignore the drops. Don’t start Change Gears until you have a quickly accessible multiball.
-
Steal the Blinds: All main shots are unlit. One shot is the Big Blind, initially worth 500K; the rest are Small Blinds which start at 100K. Making any shot adds 100K to the Big Blind value, and 25K to the Small Blind value. Each bumper hit increases the Big Blind value and changes the Big Blind’s location–pay attention to the shot arrows! Collect two Big Blinds for the trophy.
-
Play the Button: One flashing arrow (the button) is worth a large value starting at 500K, while all other unlit shots start at 50K. Hitting a shot adds 100K to the flashing shot value, and 10K for the unlit value. Once any shot is made, the flashing shot moves to the leftmost shot on the playfield. Making three flashing shots earns a trophy.
-
Know Your Outs: Hit 16 drop targets for the trophy. Drop targets start at 250K and increase by 25K per subsequent drop. Drop targets stay down until all 16 of them have been hit, upon which they all reset. This is a challenging and dangerous mode to complete if you don’t have a multiball running. Completion may yield 8M+.
-
A Chip and a Chair: Hit 20 drop targets for the trophy. Each target scores 100K, increasing by 10K per target hit, and resets immediately when hit. Dangerous mode to complete without multiball, completion will net you 5M+.
-
Spot the Tell: The DMD shows six faces, each corresponding to the six main shots on the lower playfield. Occasionally, a face will show a tell. Hitting the corresponding Tell shot awards 1M + 250k per and creates a new Tell shot (which could be on the same shot), No tell awards 100k + 25k per. I’ve gotten around 4M out of this mode.
-
Change Gears: Eight to win trophy. Hit shots on the lower (any of the 6 main shots) and upper playfield (white stand ups). Shots on the lower playfield start at 500K, shots on the upper playfield start at 300K, each will increase both, +50K for Low gear and +25K for high gear. Low Gear shots max out at 1.5M, High Gear shots max at 750K. This is probably the most lucrative mode, especially if you can bring a multi-ball in; it is possible to score 30M or above.
Side Pots:
Side pots are collected by hitting the orbits during a multiball. Extra ball is lit after 10 side pots. Side pot starts at 100K, increased by hitting the bumpers. Side Pot value resets each ball, unless hold Side Pot is awarded (through mystery, or through WPT hurry-ups) All MBs can be stacked and except for Poker Hands, can be started during any mode.
Multiballs:
World Poker Tour has 4 primary multiballs. They can run with one another. Poker Corner modes cannot be started during multiballs, but both can be “stacked” if you start a mode before a multiball.
Ace in the Hole Multiball:
Hit the jail on the mini-playfield to open the bars for a ball lock. Hitting the captive ball 3 times releases it and starts Ace in the Hole Multiball.
With two balls initially on the mini-playfield, quickly locking a ball back in the jail awards a 1M “Instant re-lock” and adds another ball into play. Otherwise, if either ball leaves the mini-playfield, the jail bars lower and Ace in the Hole begins as a two-ball affair instead.
The jail and the ramps are worth jackpots starting at 200k, but eventually increase to 400K and 500K. After 3 jackpots, the jail reopens to lock a ball and add another into play (which also briefly lights the ball save). The captive ball can be hit 4 times before it is released, after which another 4 jail bar hits are required to open them again.
After 10 jackpots (?) and a ball is locked back in the jail, each captive ball hit is a super jackpot worth 1.5M each. There may be a timer in this phase (?). If you have a ball in the jail when you drain to one ball, the jail will open and release the ball to allow you to continue multiball.
A good strategy with Ace in the Hole is to get it to “1 hit to start multiball”, start a Poker Corner mode, then get the ball back to the upper PF and start multiball. If the jail is open during any multiball, try to lock a ball in it as it will briefly light ball save and replace the locked ball with a fresh ball.
All-In Multiball:
The left and right spinners at either orbit raise the value of the main pot. The main pot starts at 250K, and increases by 25K with each completed hand. Each spinner spin adds 5K to the pot, increasing by 500 per completed hold 'em hand. All In Multiball starts when the main pot value reaches the All In value (starts at 750K, increasing by 250K after each All In Multiball).
When All In Multiball begins, you’re awarded a completed hold’ em hand, and the current base value of the main pot. Jackpots are all main shots excluding orbits, starting at 150K and increasing by switch hits.
All In Multiball can be reached with pretty consistently with 2-3 good full orbit shots, or 1 strong orbit with Triple Scoring active.
No Limit Multiball:
Hitting the left standup target a set number of times lights locks for No Limit Multiball. Initially, three hits lights all three locks at either the VUK or the scoop; you can stack locks. The second No Limit Multiball does not allow this; you must light a lock and collect it before lighting the next.
During No Limit Multiball, the left ramp is worth a 1M jackpot. Completing a drop target bank relights it with varying multipliers; 1X from the center bank; 2X from the right bank; and 3X from the left bank.
Tip: The lock insert will flash when you have the third lock lit. If you have two balls locked, and third lock and poker corner are both lit, you can start No limits and a mode by hitting the scoop.
Poker Hands Multiball:
A mini (micro?) wizard mode. Light all the poker hands shown on the playfield (see Drop Target Poker) to start a four ball multi ball. This can be started during other multiballs. Jackpots start at 1M, spinners raise jackpot, after 9 jackpots Super Jackpot is lit for 5M.
Drop Target Poker:
Poker Hands are shown on the inserts in the playfield below the center drop target bank. Light an insert by hitting the drop targets to make that hand (hit two Qs to light One Pair, etc). Each drop is worth 10k to begin, gaining an additional 1K . You are awarded 100k multiplied by the position of the insert (100k for one pair, 200k for two pair, etc except Royal Flush which scores 1M base) plus 100k per unlit insert below it. So, completing Straight first will award 400k+300k. You can also complete higher hands that may include a lower hand by hitting the drop targets before the award is shown, i.e. you can complete Three of a Kind before completing One Pair if you hit the second and third targets in quick succession. Completing all hand types will start poker hands multiball which is a mini-wizard mode. Spotted cards are indicated by lit inserts, and persist from ball to ball (though the target will reset to the up position). Flashing card inserts indicate cards that will complete an available hand. These poker hands cannot be progressed during Know Your Outs or Chip and a Chair (because those modes use the drops).
Triple Scoring:
After completing a drop target poker hand, triple scoring will be lit on an inlane. You can switch which inlane is lit with the flipper button. This is essentially triple playfield scoring for 3 seconds --if the action awards points, they will be tripled-- and counts as triple progress towards super jackpots (in applicable multiballs).Chip Tricks:
These are the shot combos in the game. Chip tricks are available on all the major shots except the VUK. Left side chip tricks will flash when you do left orbit or right inlane, right side CTs flash on right orbit and left inlane. Hitting a flashing shot will spot that insert and award points around 15-50k'. Subsequent chip tricks award higher points for the rest of ball and comboing them will award 2X, 3X etc the value. Upon spotting your fifth Chip trick you start Super Trick: you have 10 seconds to hit a flashing Chip Trick. Hitting that shot unlights it, awards around 200k and the timer resets to 10 seconds to hit another flashing Chip Trick for 300k, then 400k etc. This is actually calculated as 2/3/4/5/6 times a base value of 100k, which can be increased somehow, but I'm not sure how. Extra Ball is lit for hitting all flashing Chip Trick shots during Super Trick, but must be collected before draining as it does not carry to the next ball. After completing super trick, chip tricks have a higher starting value.Cut the Cards:
This is the mystery award. (Longest shot in pinball?) VUK hanging off the back of the playfield, sends the ball up to the mini-playfield. Mystery awards include: advance hold'em, small points (around 15k-120k), medium points (around 350k-600k), large points (around 900k-1.2M), double hurry up (starts at 2M), increase bumper value, add 2x/3x/4x/5x bonus, add bonus points, increase drop target value, increase side pot, light triple scoring, raise bars (opens AITH jail), increase chip trick value, hold chip trick value, hold bumper value, hold drop value, hold side pot, light extra ball (rare). The possible awards are the same on the skill shot mystery and cut the cards. During multi-ball this will award an add-a-ball (unless all 4 balls are in use), while during a mode it will award more time (15 seconds). Cut the Cards is re-lit by hitting the left-most shot on the mini playfield. Mystery Award can also award All In Multiball or No Limits Multiball as a pity award on your third ball. For NL, I believe you need to have Lock and Cut the Cards lit at the VUK, All In MB can be awarded from the skill shot.Hurry Ups:
Hitting any of the white stand up targets on the mini-playfield three times will begin a hurry up, starting at 1M and decreasing. Hitting the white targets while the hurrry-up is running will increase the value. Complete the hurry up by hitting the right slot that exits to the pops. There are random “hold” awards every two hurry ups. These are things like “hold trick value”, “hold side pot value”, “hold main pot value”, “hold bonus x”. 10 Hurry ups lights extra ball.
Other Features:
Spin a Card - The scoop will spot a random drop target to add to your drop target poker hand. Relight by going through the left inlane.
Red stand up targets - These are there in place of the usual rollover lanes, above the pops, light all four targets by hitting them (cycle them with the flipper buttons) to increase bumper value and add bonus X multiplier.
Pop Bumpers - Base value of 1K points, can be increased with the stand up targets, or through mystery awards. Hitting the pops also increases Side Pot Value. 3x and 5x bumpers occur sometimes but not sure why.
Wizard Modes:
Poker Wizard:
Available at the scoop after playing through all 6 Poker Corner modes. Shot awards are increased based on how many trophies you’ve earned. With two trophies, jackpots are worth 1.6M; with three trophies, jackpots are worth 2.3M; with four trophies, jackpots are worth 3.1M.
WPT World Championship:
Begins after completing your 6th tournament, to complete you need to collect 10M points by hitting ramps repeatedly, Flops, turns and rivers all award points. Hand awards are increased by hitting drops. 10M points awarded upon completing.
Keefer Invitational:
The final wizard mode. This has a lot of requirements that are mostly listed in the status report.To qualify, you must win the WPT World Championship and score 25 million in each of the following:
- Ace in the Hole Multiball
- No Limit Multiball
- Pot (completed hold 'em hands)
- Targets (drop targets, hands, and Poker Hands Multiball)
- Hurry-ups
- Poker Corner (modes and Poker Wizard)
Once these tasks are finished, start Keefer Invitational by collecting a Cut the Cards award.
Keefer Invitational awards you 25M and a four-ball multiball with the following rules:
- Spinners score 25k
- Bumpers score 50k
- All shots score 1M
- Lock a ball in AITH jail and hit captive ball to increase jackpot
- Hurry-ups start at 2M and always run
- Complete drop targets for 2M+ and an add-a-ball
Keefer Invitational ends once you drain down to 1 or fewer balls. Subsequent Keefer Invitationals during the same game require 5M more in the scoring criteria to qualify.
Please feel free to contribute any additional info.
