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Pub tournament - help!

SilkySox

Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
248
Location
Kent
Alias
Silkenone
My local village pub has had a pin for a few years now (we’ve had Iron Man, GB, BM66, ST, SW and currently TWD).

It’s proved popular with locals and now the landlord wants to put on a tournament, with five machines in place on a Saturday and Sunday night.

They seem confident they can get the machines but have asked me about how they would format it. Hence the help request!

My only tournament experience so far has been a flip frenzy style affair but I don’t think that would work in a pub setting.

So, lovely folk of pinballinfo - five machines, one room in a pub, two nights, an unknown amount of entrants, who will be even less familiar with tournaments than me.

How the devil should it work?
 
Hi Matthew,

It will probably be much easier to run 2 separate competitions.

When 'real' competitions take place over 2 days it already discourages a good number of players from entering. I guess it'll be even more pronounced with complete newbies. It also messes up any format where people qualify on the Friday need to play on the Saturday and then don't, or can't, turn up.

Assuming that you don't want something too intensive, there's a few options:
1: Run it the same way as a modified league meet.
Each player plays each machine once (in pairs or groups if desired) and the scores are ranked from there.
The top 4 then play either semi finals (2 head to head games)then final, or a straight final 1 4 player game.


Pros
Will work for any number of players
Everyone is guaranteed at least 5 games
Very easy to understand and manage (I can provide scoring a very easy to use spreadsheet)


Cons
requires a bit of time commitment to play all 5 games
Ideally needs a screen or large tv to display scores/results


2: Have an FA cup style knockout. Can use best of 3

Pros
Very easy to understand (can use a wall chart)
Not much time commitment required from casual (forced on the night :)) players
Better (more committed?) plays will play the most


Cons
Half the people will only play 1 game (or set of 3)
Waiting around for games, or opponents to be available.


3:
Everyone plays everyone else once, or split into 2 groups and everyone plays everyone in their group.
Player with most wins goes through to the final.


Pros
Will work well for a smaller group of people per group (6/7)
Players get to play plenty of different people.


Cons
Can get confusing as to who you're meant to be playing next (See UK Open:confused:), although I do have a format which completely negates that.


4:
The Flip Frenzy style comp you played at Flipout could be successful - depending on how many people you have enter.


If it was less than 15 there wouldn't be much of a queue (with 5 games) and people would be playing the majority of the time - not necessarily what you want when you've gone to the pub at the weekend for a pint.
If it was more queues would be longer and allow more 'away' time, but people could lose interest, wander away, etc.




There's a reason that the format of UK league meets hasn't changed in 13 years - it works and is enjoyable for both serious and casual players alike, only requires 5 games - no matter how many entrants. That's certainly my recommendation.

Whereabouts are you based? Maybe one of the more experienced people on here could take a trip over to give you a hand (not to enter and walkaway with whatever prize there might be) if they're not too far away.
 
Wayne - that’s brilliantly helpful thank you.
Totally agree about two separate tournaments, logistically.
Maybe we could do a grand final on the Sunday, between both day’s winners, should the Saturday winner still be about.
(And if not, there’s always one machine there so we could do it another day)

Instinctively, and it’s very early days, I reckon two modified league meets is probably the way to go.
There’s a large TV on the wall in that room - I’d just need to borrow a laptop from someone and if you could help me out with the spreadsheet that’d be ace.

The pub’s in a village just outside Herne Bay, Kent. it’s been wonderful watching the pinball love grow there - i’m keen to encourage it!
 
The pub’s in a village just outside Herne Bay, Kent. it’s been wonderful watching the pinball love grow there - i’m keen to encourage it!

A bit too far for me to travel down, but I'm sure / hopeful that someone will be close enough to offer you some assistance.

The London & SE League will be starting after Christmas, so check out the FB page and the UKpinballLeague website to find out what dates they are, and bring some of the locals. You never know the landlord may even be able to host in coming seasons?

PM me your email and I'll send something over to you.
 
We have a winter tournament running at the moment - probably not the format you would want - well maybe not - but our next round at liphook would be a good place to see tournament in action and ask any questions etc. Find out more at playpinball.uk all money raised is going to charity.

Cheers
Neil.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
We have a winter tournament running at the moment - probably not the format you would want - well maybe not - but our next round at liphook would be a good place to see tournament in action and ask any questions etc. Find out more at playpinball.uk all money raised is going to charity.

Cheers
Neil.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks Neil, yeah would certainly have joined the fun but for work shifts and gigs with my band - they ruled out every round bar the final!
 
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