Tournament Directors (TDs) do more than schedule tournaments. It’s literally their job to make sure that each tournament runs smoothly and is fair for all players. But what does that exactly entail? What is a ruling, and when should you ask for one? Let’s dig deeper into the role of a TD.
Despite it being a hobby, competing in pinball tournaments can be a stressful experience. How do you get into the right headspace before? How do you keep your cool during the event? And how do you lock in during a critical moment without putting too much pressure on yourself? Paige Peck and Marc Jackson, Utah’s 2025 state champions, share the advice that helped them to win the biggest tournaments of the year.
When joining the world of competitive pinball, there are a few terms you might hear thrown around about types of competitions: tournaments, series, and leagues. What is the difference between them? What makes the most sense for you? Let’s dig into each to better understand them.
Another year of pinball has come and gone, and 2025 had some incredible highlights in the pinball community. Let’s take a look at the proverbial highlight reel of pinball in Utah: open tournaments, women’s tournaments, and more!
Technology can be a beautiful thing. Look at how things like lights, screens, and ability for deeper code have changed pinball over the years. If you’re looking to track your progress, find games, or even hunt achievements, there are plenty of digital pinball tools to help.
If you want to immerse yourself in the pinball community from the comfort of your own home, there are streams and channels aplenty for you to enjoy. Whether they are tutorials, individual streamers, or streams that focus on events and tournaments, there are tons of options available.
Drop targets. Standup targets. Backhand. Skill shot. Soft plunge. When you ask someone for help with game strategy, it can quickly feel like they’re speaking a whole other language. Let’s define some playfield terms and shooting terms to help you talk the talk of pinball.
When you start getting involved in pinball competitions, you’re probably going to hear a lot of acronyms and terms that don’t make sense. What’s the IFPA? What do they have to do with tournaments? What’s the difference between sanctioned and non-sanctioned tournaments? And why are people talking about burgers?!
Fear not, these questions and more will be answered.
Decoding the language around tournament formats can be difficult for beginner players. Even more experienced players come across tournament formats they might not be as familiar with. For this month, we’ll cover some less common formats and how they work.
If you’re new to pinball competitions, it can be hard to decode the language describing how tournaments work. Even harder is deciding what kind of format that you like and want to participate in. We’ll help you learn the basics of common tournament formats so you can start to pick your favorites.
