These changes don’t represent everything that will likely be coming in 2023, but does focus on the event value changes we have planned.
While these changes have been discussed with both the Country Directors and State Reps, these are still in the proposal phase. We’ll be announcing on our site next month, with of course everything subject to change prior to the end of the year.
#1 - UPDATE TO TGP RULES
The plan starting in 2023 is to allow the ability for events to grade out to 150% value versus the current 100% max value that is in place now. This should give some additional events that go ‘above and beyond’ with respect to the number of games played for their league or tournament. Previously 25 meaningful games played at 4% each would hit that 100% max. This will now be 38 meaningful games played at 4% each to hit this new 150% max.
#2 - UPDATED RULES FOR IFPA CERTIFIED EVENTS
Currently IFPA Certified tournament receive an event weight of 120% for 2022. The plan for 2023 is to increase this event weight to 150%, but with that additional boost comes updated criteria to become eligible:
a) 128 player minimum (up from 64)
b) Limited Herb/Card - minimum 24 attempts with minimum best 12 games being counted,
minimum 20 hours of qualifying time.
d) Unlimited Herb/card - minimum 20 hours of qualifying time, minimum 5 games being counted.
e) Match Play formats (4-player groups) require minimum of 20 qualifying games (up from 12).
f) Head to head formats require minimum of 40 qualifying games.
g) 24 finalists minimum (up from 16) - Same finals format requirement as 2022
h) No other qualifying formats eligible (Flip Frenzy, Pin-Golf, etc)
#3 - EVENT WEIGHT INCREASE FOR “MAJORS”
Previously the IFPA World Pinball Championship, PAPA World Pinball Championships, European Pinball Championships, Pinburgh Match Play Championship and THE OPEN had an event weight of 150%. This will be increased to 200% for 2023.
#4 - EVENT WEIGHT INCREASE FOR IFPA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES EVENTS
Previously these events had a event weight of 125%. This will be increased to 150% for 2023.
This includes the following events:
- Any IFPA Country Championship Series final
- Any IFPA State and Provincial Championship final
- IFPA North American Pinball Championship
- Any IFPA European Championship Series event along with the ECS Final
- IFPA Pin-Masters Championship
- IFPA Heads-Up Pinball Championship
- IFPA Power100 Championship
Correct. The Event Weight metric is increased by either being Certified, or a Major, or a Champ Series event, but not any kind of combination of multiple factors.
So does this mean theoretically any event that fits certification criteria and 38 games can build-your-own-major with a 225% value tournament? I guess majors still have potentially more with 300% value assuming a 38 game format
Since 1/1/2019 we’ve sanctioned 14,123 events. 42 tournaments from that list had 128 rated players or more participate. This list does not take into account the format criteria that is needed to become certified.
First, many many thanks for giving the community a chance to see these these changes well ahead of the new year so that it can be planned accordingly. I know we’ve exchanged a number of messages over email based on some of the things I like and don’t like about these changes. I greatly appreciate the time you take to reply to the community’s questions. I also have a better understanding of the IFPA’s view that a 100% event isn’t necessarily one that should be completed in a single day, and the greater goals of differentiating a standard tournament with one where there is above and beyond a 100% TGP effort put in by organizers.
I’m interested to hear from other event organizers if you’re going to make changes to your events in order to go for certification.
One of my concerns, which is still a concern, is what I think are too-stringent requirements for Certification for next year. The combination of 128 players + 20-hour qualifying requirements in my view puts things too far out of each for a number of events. One of your replies to me was that events are still free to go after the new 150% cap, which is certainly a valid point, but I’m having a very difficult time seeing where existing events can improve their offerings to meet both requirements.
On that list you shared, there were 42 tournaments, of which 30 are unique events.
Two of these events are already Majors (The Open and the now-defunct Pinburgh)
Three would qualify (NYCPC, Brisbane Masters, INDISC High Stakes)
Seventeen aren’t eligible as-is
Four of these events I’m not sure about (Swedish Open/Classics and Dutch Opens/Classics)
Many of these events fall short on the hours requirements, and others fall short on the qualifying requirements. Shows that are two-day shows (like PinFest) have no chance of meeting these requirements. Local places like the Delaware Pinball Collective can run longer events, but can’t meet the 128 person requirement because of fire code limitations (unless you have people go in shifts, but at that point aren’t you violating the 20 hours requirement?).
My assessment below. I put questions marks where I was unsure.
Tournament Name
Date
Player Count
Event Name
Format Comments
New Rules Certified?
D82 Great Lakes Pinball Open Main Event
4/10/2022
131
Main Tournament
12 Games Qualifying
No
D82 GLPO Event 1: Target Match Play
4/8/2022
129
Main Tournament
No Finals
No
D82 GLPO Event 2: 8 Strike Classics Knockout
4/8/2022
132
Main Tournament
No Finals
No
Texas Pinball Festival Wizards Tournament
3/26/2022
150
Main Tournament
16 Hours of Qualifying
No
Texas Pinball Festival Classics
3/26/2022
192
Classics
13 Hours of Qualifying
No
It Never Drains in Southern California
2/6/2022
161
High Stakes
Yes
The Open - IFPA World Championship
2/6/2022
237
Main Tournament
Already a Major
It Never Drains in Southern California
2/5/2022
180
Classics II
7.5 Hours Qualifying
No
It Never Drains in Southern California
2/4/2022
182
Classics I
7.5 Hours Qualifying
No
The Swedish Championships
11/28/2021
187
Classics
Couldn’t Find Format Info
???
The Swedish Championships
11/28/2021
191
Main Tournament
Couldn’t Find Format Info
???
Silverball Rumble at Pintastic New England
11/20/2021
134
Main Tournament
12 Hours of Qualifying
No
Pinball Expo Flip Out Tournament
10/31/2021
185
A Division
12? Hours of Qualifying; Finals Format Not Compliant
No
Pinball Expo Flip Out Tournament
10/31/2021
150
Classics
Not Enough Qualifying Hours
No
IFPA Pin-Masters
3/8/2020
138
Main Tournament
Pin-Golf
No
The Open - IFPA World Championship
1/12/2020
283
Main Tournament
Already a Major
It Never Drains in Southern California
1/12/2020
150
High Stakes
Yes
It Never Drains in Southern California
1/11/2020
215
Classics II
7.5 Hours Qualifying
No
It Never Drains in Southern California
1/10/2020
200
Classics I
7.5 Hours Qualifying
No
The Swedish Championships
11/24/2019
256
Main Tournament
???
???
The Swedish Championships
11/24/2019
251
Classics
???
???
Pinball Expo Flip Out Tournament
10/20/2019
140
A Division
12? Hours of Qualifying; Finals Format Not Compliant
No
European Pinball Championship 2019
10/13/2019
349
Main Tournament
Limited Entry - Only 10 Games; Time-Slotted Qualifying Hours
No
Danish Pinball Open
10/13/2019
336
Main Tournament
Limited Entry - Only 8 Games; 16 hours Qualifying
No
Belgian Open Pinball
10/6/2019
204
Main Tournament
Limited Entry - Only 8 Games; Time-Slotted Qualifying Hours
Not for me with Pincinnati at least. What makes it unique is that we have different style tournaments each day, and you can pick and choose what you want to play in.
Seems with these changes there’s little to no chance we ever award enough WPPRs to get on the circuit, but oh well. I think most of the pinball show tournaments will move to 150% while Pincinnati will still be only 90 something and 100% for its two main events with the gauntlet being worth almost nothing like usual.
The main thing we didn’t want to do was make another multi-day HERB weekend.
So wait. You can have an event with 38 meaningful games for 150% value, or certify for 150% value? Why are they weighted the same when certifying is way harder to achieve?
