Matchplay at The Game Preserve North

The Space City Pinball League organizes quarterly matchplay tournaments held at The Game Preserve in Spring, TX. The tournaments are set up to be fun for all ages and skill levels! Each event will be announced about one month in advance and posted on this website’s calendar. Former champions are listed here. The tournament rules are below.

General Overview

The tournament will follow a seven round, group matchplay format. Each round, competitors will be placed in groups and play a single four-player game. Players will earn points determined by their finishing position in their group (7-5-3-1). Players will accrue points across the rounds.

After up to seven rounds of match-play, the top 8 (if there are 16+ players) will be placed in the A-division playoff. During each round of the playoff, each group will play three games. Players will score points on each game based on finishing position (4-2-1-0).  After three games, the two players from each group with the most points will advance to the next round. On the final round, the points will determine the final finishing position.  

This tournament is run using Match Play Events software.  Players are encouraged to log onto next.matchplay.events in order to determine their position and next game as the tournament progresses.

Tournament Director

The tournament director will be responsible for managing and organizing the tournament. The tournament director will also be responsible for making any rulings in the event of malfunctions and errors. 

Late Arrivals

Players that arrive after the tournament has started can still play. However, the player cannot be entered until the start of the next round. Thus, arriving late puts the player at a significant disadvantage because they will not receive points for the rounds they missed.

Tie Breakers

Ties will be broken automatically by the tournament software. If the software cannot resolve the tie, the tie will be broken by playing a single game on a random machine, to be determined by the tournament director. Only critical ties will be broken, such as those that determine advancing to playoffs, or the top four finishers of the A-Division finals.

Game Selection

All games on location at the Game Preserve the day of the event are eligible to be entered into the tournament. At the beginning of the tournament, the tournament director will select a set of games to be used that day. Selection will be determined based on condition of the game. Games that have key scoring features that are broken, or are producing odd behaviors will not be used in the tournament.

World Pinball Player Ranking (WPPR) Points

These tournaments are sanctioned by the IFPA. The value of the tournament will be determined by the number of rated players in the tournament, and the ratings of those players. 

Etiquette

The Game Preserve has graciously volunteered to host the tournament, and on their busiest night of the week! Please respect the establishment so we can continue having tournaments here! Do not abuse the games by forcefully hitting the games (skillful nudging is acceptable).

Please respect the customers–they are priority one! Refrain from yelling or cursing if you lose a ball or game. If someone is playing on a machine that you are scheduled to play, please politely ask for the next game and wait for them to finish.

During match play, do not distract your opponent by talking to them (unless they talk to you or tell you it’s okay). Do not hover over their shoulders. Do not coach them or give them advice while they play. It is perfectly fine to talk/exchange high-fives between balls.

Please avoid “rage-tilting” a ball (i.e., intentionally tilting out of frustration). In addition to making you look silly, it is disrespectful to your opponent as they must wait for the tilt bob to settle before starting their ball. This also increases the total duration of the tournament.

All players are expected to conduct themselves in a polite and sensitive manner.  SCPL is first and foremost an inclusive organization.  Outbursts and offensive language are not acceptable.  Derogatory speech towards any age/race/gender/person is not acceptable.  Any overtly aggressive behavior that any TD determines to be inappropriate is not acceptable.  Expressed or implied threats or actions of violence are not acceptable.

Extra Balls

When you are awarded an extra ball, you must plunge it. You cannot touch the flipper buttons during or after plunging. You cannot nudge the machine. Hands off! You may try ONCE for a soft skill shot. If the ball does not make it out of the shooter lane on your first attempt, you must plunge the second time at full strength.

  • It is the player’s responsibility to ensure they do not play extra balls by accident. Always check the scores to see who is up.
  • If a player plays their own or an an opponent’s extra ball by accident, they must take a 0 for the game.
  • The victim will keep the points earned and may choose one of two options: continue playing the erroneously plunged ball or drain the plunged ball and play an additional ball through a new game. Note that if the player takes over the game or touches the flippers, they will not receive a comp ball.

Game Malfunctions

Pinball machines are mechanical in nature, and thus often produce unintended behaviors. Moreover, many of these machines are very old! If a game malfunctions in any way (e.g., flipper breaks, debris on field, game reset, etc.), please ask the tournament director for a ruling. The director will attempt to repair the machine without sacrificing the game. If this cannot be done, a new machine will be drawn and all progress in the original game will be scrapped. 

Stuck Balls

If a ball becomes stuck during single-ball play, notify the tournament director for help. The ball will be placed on the right or left flipper, determined by the side of the game the ball became stuck on.

Game Specific Rules

There are some games that are not suitable for match play because of flaws in the rules. The following machines have special rules.

  1. Back to the Future. BTTF has a skill shot feature that allows a player to “catch up” to their opponent. For this reason, it is recommended that this game be played one player at a time . The game may be played as a multi-player match, only if ALL players agree to it ahead of time.

Rulings

The tournament director has the final say on all rulings. If a game requires a ruling that the tournament director is directly involved, the ruling will be deferred to an assistant tournament director to be named at the beginning of the tournament.

Former Champions

Matchplay at The Game Preserve

YearMonthChampion
2025JulyLee Balusek
2025JuneEric Anderson
2025MayCameron Warren
2025AprilBen Whittington
2025MarchBen Whittington
2025FebruaryDaniel Koba
2024DecemberGrayson Turner
2024NovemberNicholas Gustafson
2024OctoberJonathan Henson
2024SeptemberBen Whittington
2024AugustJack Revnew
2024JulyJack Revnew
2024JuneGrayson Turner
2024MayBen Whittington
2024AprilCraig Squires
2024MarchCraig Squires
2024FebruaryJack Revnew
2024JanuaryNicholas Gustafson
2023DecemberNicholas Gustafson
2023NovemberCraig Squires
2023OctoberNicholas Gustafson
2023SeptemberBen Whittington
2023AugustHunter Reed
2023JulyNicholas Gustafson
2023JuneHunter Reed
2023MayLee Balusek
2023AprilJack Revnew
2023MarchHunter Reed
2023FebruaryBen Whittington
2023JanuaryNicholas Gustafson
2022DecemberJack Revnew
2022NovemberLee Balusek
2022OctoberEric Heskett
2022SeptemberMarc Gammons
2022AugustLee Balusek
2022JulyCraig Squires
2022JuneLee Balusek
2022MayFred Revnew
2022AprilJack Revnew
2022MarchJack Revnew
2022FebruaryBen Whittington
2021DecemberWesley Johnson
2021NovemberBen Whittington
2021OctoberHunter Reed
2021SeptemberHunter Reed
2021AugustCraig Squires
2020FebruaryBryce Revnew
2020JanuaryFred Revnew
2019DecemberFred Revnew
2019OctoberJack Revnew
2019SeptemberBen Whittington
2019AugustBen Whittington
2019JulyPhil Grimaldi
2019JuneJack Revnew
2019MayJack Revnew
2019AprilPreston Moncla
2019MarchBryce Revnew
2019FebruaryCraig Squires
2019JanuaryCraig Squires
2018DecemberCraig Squires
2018NovemberDavid Pollock
2018SeptemberMichael Cook
2018AugustCraig Squires
2018JulyDavid Pollock
2018JuneCraig Squires
2018MayDavid Pollock
2018AprilBryce Revnew
2018MarchJeff Cook
2018FebruaryDavid Pollock
2018JanuaryCraig Squires
2017DecemberFred Revnew
2017NovemberCraig Squires
2017SeptemberFrankie Griffin
2017JulyRobert Byers
2017JuneFred Revnew
2017MayPhil Grimaldi
2017AprilJoshua Henderson
2017MarchCraig Squires
2017FebruaryPhil Grimaldi
2017JanuaryPhil Grimaldi
2016NovemberPhil Grimaldi
2016OctoberMicah Key
2016SeptemberPhil Grimaldi
2016AugustPhil Grimaldi
2016JulyErich Stinson
2016JuneCory Westfahl
2016MayZach Fishman
2016AprilPhil Grimaldi
2016FebruaryPhil Grimaldi