Tournament Circuit: Frequently Asked Questions

As a player, what do I need to know about the Circuit?

Everything you need to know is in our How It Works document, and the painful details are in the Official Rules.

In short, attend the Circuit events and win points by placing well. Make the top 20 in total points, or win any Circuit event, and you qualify for the Circuit Final. The better you place, the better your chances of making it through Endurance and into the Marathon phase!

Who can play in the Circuit Final?

The top 20 players in the Circuit standings after the last event of the Circuit will receive a spot in the Circuit Final, along with any winner of a Circuit event who is not already in the top 20. There are no substitutions or replacement players. Any player who does not attend the Circuit Final will forfeit his or her entry as well as any prize money.

How much does it cost to play in the Circuit Final?

The Circuit Final is free to all qualified players, with a guaranteed minimum cash prize for each player.

How does the Circuit Final work?

The Circuit Final consists of two phases. The Endurance phase is a series of four-player games, always featuring the lowest four remaining qualified players. In each game, the first-place player wins $100. The last-place player is eliminated, to be replaced by the next qualifier. Higher qualifiers will need to survive fewer games, and the top qualifier will advance directly to the Marathon phase.

The final four players advance to the Marathon phase, which plays like PAPA finals (4-2-1-0 scoring). Its name comes from its length: this will be a seven game final. Like Endurance, the winner of each game wins $100, in addition to the cash prize each finalist will receive.

How much does it cost to play in the Circuit events?

Each event uses its own qualifying system. Some events, such as Pinburgh or Pinferno, have a single entry fee for the entire tournament. Other events, such as the PAPA World Pinball Championships or Chicago Pinball Expo, have a per-game entry fee. For more information, check the Web sites for each Circuit event.

How are events selected for the Circuit?

For the inaugural Circuit, we have chosen ten high-quality events in North America. Heavy consideration was given to balancing the calendar (no two events are in the same month) and to balancing locations (no two consecutive events are within 300 miles of one another).

We also considered tournaments' rules and structure, their existing payout ratio of entry fees, and multiple players' feedback on the quality of tournaments.

Will the selection of events change for 2013?

Probably. We will listen carefully to player feedback about the tournaments and the Circuit structure, and make adjustments accordingly. Adjustments may include rotation, addition, or replacement of Circuit events.

How does being part of the Circuit affect an event?

PAPA sponsorship includes a boost to each tournament's total prize pool, and assistance with running the tournament in some cases. One of our objectives is for all Circuit tournaments to record and/or broadcast their final rounds live, so that those videos may join the Pinball Archive Videos.

Is there an unfair advantage to players who attend more events?

Only the five highest results are considered for each player's Circuit points total. We encourage every player to attend as many events as possible. A player who attends more Circuit events will have more opportunities to accumulate points, but only if he or she consistently plays well. Winning any Circuit event automatically qualifies a player for the Circuit final, and many players may qualify after attending fewer than five events.

How does the Circuit relate to WPPR points?

There is no relationship between the Circuit and WPPR. Questions about the WPPR system can be answered by the IFPA. The two systems are not mutually exclusive; a player may earn both Circuit points and WPPR points at a Circuit event.

What if I would like to opt-out of the Circuit rankings?

Simply contact us and we will remove you from the rankings.