2024 info
RULES
Qualifying standings:
Not yet posted
Playoffs Bracket:
Stream Link:
www.twitch.tv/ypsipinball
2023 info
RULESHEET:
STREAM:
www.twitch.tv/ypsipinball
2022 info
Registration:
Player List:
2020 info:
Postponed
Registration:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-amazing-pinball-race-5-tickets-86621446077
2019 info:
Results: International Flipper Pinball Association!
Video: https://youtu.be/HUH3zbdUDg4?t=697
Playoffs Bracket:
Qualifying:
Www.neverdrains.com/tapr2019
Stream:
www.twitch.tv/levelonebar
Results:
https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=30802
2018
Results:
https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=24926
Video:
Bracket:
Next weekend (July 7/8) I’m running a tournament here in Columbus, OH. We’re trying something different with the format than what we did the past two races. Traditionally the race goes as such: everyone plays the same game and lowest score is knocked out…move onto the next game and repeat. We have done the tournament this way successfully and in a reasonable amount of time with 43 players in 2014 and 48 players in 2015. Since the Columbus scene has been growing we wanted to figure out a way to include more players while still including some aspects of the original format.
What we decided on was a matchplay qualifying portion with a modified amazing race finals. 64 player cap this time around. Feedback I had received from players was that they are apprehensive of paying an entry fee to enter a tournament only to get knocked out in the first round.
The qualifying portion, which for this tournament happens to be 10 rounds, decides the players who have earned the right to play in this unique finals format. Finals is separated into three rounds. Seeds 9-24 play the first 8 games with the lowest score getting knocked out on each game. In the second round we bring in the top 8 qualifiers, reorder by initial seeding and play out the next 8 games. In the finals rounds we reorder by initial seeding and play out the final 7 games. EDIT: To keep things running quicker, we will not reorder by initial seeding for the final 7 games.
What’s unique here?
Large pump and dump tournament play is essentially turned upside-down. Multiplayer games are featured in qualifying while the finals feature single player games. Since matchplay and best score qualifying games are often played with differing strategies, viewers get a chance to see a player’s ball to ball decisions without having to wait three other players’ turns in the interim.
Another benefit is the ability to use games that otherwise would be frowned upon due to lock stealing, odd score stealing rules, multiplayer bugs, etc.
It’s also fun and a refreshing change of pace. After a few test runs, I’m convinced that a modified amazing race could be a viable finals format for almost any tournament. I invite anyone to watch the stream Sunday July 8th at 1:30pm. Like most tournaments, you won’t see every game played. The viewer, however, should still have a good understanding about how the tournament works, who is still in the tournament, who is currently playing on the stream, the order of games played, and most importantly, the current lowest ‘score to beat’ on any machine. Would love to hear any feedback and constructive criticism about the tournament and stream.
If you can’t tell, I’m super stoked about this tournament 
