PAPA 15: Mini-Tournaments
Since 2008, our mini-tournaments have officially been dedicated to charity. We are offering donated prizes, rather than cash, for mini-tournament winners, and all proceeds will go to our designated charity or charities. Our designated charity is the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society.
At any time when qualifications are open, players may choose to enter any of the special mini-tournaments offered. Each entry costs $5 per player or team, and registration is not required. Each player may enter as many times as he or she likes. In each competition, play on the designated machine is under a specific set of rules, and the highest total score in each category (Expert and Novice) wins the assigned prize.
For each mini-tournament, entries are separated into Expert and Novice categories. This is done automatically, according to which player(s) have participated on an entry. If an A or B Division player has participated, the mini-tournament entry automatically becomes an Expert entry. If no A or B Division player has participated, the entry automatically becomes a Novice entry. Any player who is not registered, or who has not played in any skill division, will have his or her entries treated as Novice. In the event such a player later enters the A or B Division, his or her mini-tournament entries will automatically be reassigned to the Expert category.
We are planning to offer some or all of the following mini-tournaments:
- Single-Handed - $5 Entry Fee
Player must play with only one hand and may not switch hands. Player should hold the unused hand behind his or her back. - Tense Two-Minute Drill - $5 Entry Fee
Player may play normally but after exactly two minutes, must step away from the machine and allow the ball to drain if it is in play. The scorekeeper will record the score at this point. Timing is provided by the scorekeeper. - Doubles Split-Flipper - $5 Entry Fee, per team (2 players)
Two players will share a normal game, with each player controlling one flipper button (specifically, all buttons on one side of the cabinet). Players may not switch positions during the game. If either player is entered in A or B Division, the entry will count as Expert. - Tommy Mode - $5 Entry Fee
Player may play normally but the machine has the lower flipper area obscured from view. Player may view from any angle but may not employ a spotter (ie, a person helping) or a device such as a mirror. - Bulls-Eye Blind - $5 Entry Fee
Player plays normally, but the display is covered. When the player finishes or chooses to stop playing (allowing the ball to drain or remain in the plunger lane), the score is revealed and recorded. The player closest to the target score, whether above or below, wins. - Mystery - $5 Entry Fee
Player may play normally but the machine has unspecified modifications which may increase the challenge. Some details may be provided during the event. There may be more than one Mystery mini-tournament.
To participate in a mini-tournament, players should pay the entry fee at the registration desk, where they will be assigned a score sheet and scorekeeper. The scorekeeper will submit the completed entry for scoring. In the event no scorekeeper is available, players may be required to wait.
Cash prizes are not offered for mini-tournaments; instead, we will be offering pinball-related items, many of which have been generously donated.
Please see section VI.1 of the official rules for complete details of mini-tournament play, final rounds, and the awarding of prize.
In the event of major malfunctions or other problems, tournament officials may elect to discontinue any mini-tournament at any time.