Cleveland Pinball Show Main HYBRID Tournament - IFPA Certified!
Advertisement
MAIN CHANGES THIS YEAR - The tournament has changed from CARD format to HYBRID format. Our Hybrid format tournament has a flat entry fee of $60 and gets you 40 tournament tickets. You play those tickets like standard Best Game qualifying, not like Card qualifying. Your best score on 6 out of the 10 games is what makes your qualifying standing. You can not buy additional tournament tickets, 40 is the maximum that you can play.
Additionally the tournament money will now be collected at the tournament area instead of at the front desk. $10 out of every entry will used for administrative fees, which entails the $1 IFPA fee and paying the tech for both supplying all the games and keeping them in great repair all weekend long. The other $50 all goes to the prize pool. The prize pool should be publicly tracked on the Match Play page throughout the tournament.
Find the Main tournament on Matchplay here - http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
And all the weekend's tournaments here, as well as a link to prepay for entry online if you desire (if you do please send payment as Friends and Family not Goods and Services) - http://matchplay.live/clepintournaments
Here is the full main tournament rules in easier to read formatting - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nrunyhlvZKYUplKy0Ll66qHGtV3ZtttshuOOQbH6PEM/edit?usp=sharing
Hybrid Style Tournament. IFPA approved and CERTIFIED
Tournament is open to the public with paid admission.
QUALIFYING
Pricing -
Main entry is $60 and gives you 40 qualifying tickets.
Tickets are sold at the tournament area and will be represented digitally through Matchplay, not in paper.
No refunds
Ranking -
Best 6 out of 10 games will be used for main division qualifying.
Each game score is translated to a qualifying score based on rank (1st 100, 2nd 90, 3rd 85, 84, 83, 82…), with the top 6 qualifying scores being totaled up to determine a player’s positioning.
Top 24 players qualify for main division playoffs, with the top 8 qualifiers getting a bye through the first round of playoffs. If less than 48 players play in the tournament then top 16 will be taken.
Players can check qualifying status at http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Schedule -
Qualifying will take place all day Thursday From 5 pm to 11 PM, Friday 10 am to 11 PM and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm.
Cut off for starting games in main division is 7 PM on Saturday night.
Any significant ties for main division (to make it into finals or to get a bye) will be played off immediately after the last qualifying game completes.
Round 1 of Finals for main division will begin at 8 PM. Round 2 will start Sunday morning at 10 AM.
Round 1 of Finals for B division will begin at 7:30 PM. Round 2 will begin immediately after round 1 completes.
Catastrophic malfunction cut off is Friday at 4 PM. If a game must be replaced after this cutoff then scores from the previous game still stand in the rankings.
Queuing -
The Cleveland Pinball Show will use a virtual queuing system available at http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Players may add themselves to queues through either their own device, or the designated queuing computer in the tournament area.
There will be a chair behind each game. If a player is next on a game then they are encouraged to sit in the game’s respective chair. When a game opens up the next player will be called, if they are not present then the individual is removed from the queue and the next player is called.
The tournament must keep moving, and score keepers will not wait for a player who is in the queue but isn’t present.
Ties -
Significant ties (either to make it into finals or to receive a bye) will be played off on a randomly selected game, with the winner of that game being the winner of the tie breaker. Whoever has the highest ranking in a qualifying score will get choice of play order (if highest rankings are tied, 2nd highest will be used, etc, if all are tied then a coin flip will decide)
Ties above the cut for other positions in main division will be determined by whichever player has the higher ranking on their highest qualifying game. (ex. One player in the tie’s best game rank was the second highest score on a game, and the other player’s best game was a 6th place score. The first player wins the tiebreaker).
If both players in the tie breaker have the same highest game rank, then it will defer down to their second highest game rank. If that is tied it will defer down again, etc.
In the extremely rare case that both players have the exact same rankings across all their qualifying games, the tie will be broken by a coin flip.
FINALS
General information -
Round 1 of the Main Division check-in begins at 7:00 PM on Saturday.
Round 1 of the Main Division finals begins at 8 PM on Saturday. Players must check in before 7:45 PM.
Round 2 of the Main Division finals begins at 10 AM on Sunday. Players must check in before 9:45 AM
If a player does not show up to check-in before finals begin then that player will be replaced with the next highest seeded qualifier. (The first alternate)
If a player does not show up for later finals round they will receive last place on each game in their group until they show up.
Finals are played in 4-player “PAPA Style groups”.
Four player games are scored with 1st earning 4 points, 2nd earning 2 points, 3rd earning 1 point, and 4th receiving 0 points.
Three-player games will be scored as if a nonexistent fourth player received the 4th place finish (i.e., 1st earns 4 points, 2nd earns 2, and last earns 1).
There are 3 games in each round (plus a tiebreaker if necessary).
Finals brackets can be found online at - http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Game Selection -
The highest seeded player in each group has choice of game or position.
If the highest seeded player of the group chooses game then the next seed in their group gets choice of position, all the way down.
If a player defers picking the game and chooses position instead, the next player down has selection of game or position.
Groups select starting with the group containing the highest seeded player, continuing down until all groups have chosen.
If a higher seeded group has already selected a game then other groups are locked out from picking it until their next selection.
One group can not play the same game multiple times in one match.
The same player can’t pick the same game two rounds in a row.
This rule does not apply to B division finals as players choices will already be more limited.
Ties -
Ties will be played off on a player selected game with some restrictions.
You can not pick a game you already played in the round
Each player in the tiebreaker gets to choose one game to “ban”, those games can not be selected. This ban selection happens from lowest seed to highest seed.
From there selection proceeds the same as normal finals with highest seed getting choice of game or position and selection moving on in seed order from there.
Final Standings -
IFPA standings for people who were eliminated in the same round as each other will be determined by the players match points in the respective round.
Ties outside the finals cut will remain as ties in the final rankings.
Prize Pool -
Of the $60 collected from each entry $10 of that will be used for administration fees (paying for the supplied games and the tech as well as IFPA fee), and the other $50 will all go to the prize pool. The prize pool will be public on the Match Play page.
A division awards cash prizes to the top 16 finishers with 1st receiving 23%, 2nd at 15%, 3rd at 10%, 4th at 8%, 5th through 8th each at 5%, and 9th - 16th each at 3%.
B division awards cash prizes to the top 4 finishers. With 1st receiving 40%, 2nd receiving 25%, 3rd receiving, 20%, and 4th receiving 15%.
Actual values will be determined on-site after tournament expenses have been deducted and are subject to rounding to the next higher or lower $5 increment.
All other rules and procedures for anything gameplay related are based on PAPA rules (ex. malfunctions, interference, stuck balls, etc.)
Full rule documentation available here - https://www.ifpapinball.com/rules/
Miscellaneous
Abuse of games
Any attempt to death save or bangback will result in a red card and ejection from the tournament.
Other significant abuse of games will also result in a red card and ejection from the tournament.
We also reserve the right to issue yellow card warnings that can escalate to red cards for rage tilts and other similar unsportsmanlike conduct.
Supplying Machines
Any game that is provided to the tournament must be committed to being available for the full duration of the tournament.
Tournament directors must have access to the keys to your machine.
All other rules related to bringing a machine to the Cleveland Pinball Show itself still apply (damage liability, etc.)
Scorekeeping
Attendees can sign up to scorekeep for the main tournament with 1 hour shifts. Let us know what scorekeeping you intend to do and we will compensate your entry fee accordingly.
Scorekeepers are able to sign up for multiple shifts, however the amount of scorekeepers per shift is limited, and can be seen on the scorekeeper schedule - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T3pWYNWT-ogmxj0nvpTFaPmEiT72oHNJv50ndxU1erA/edit?usp=drive_link
Contact a tournament director via email or Facebook to register for open scorekeeping spots (Jeffrey Dickson at https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.dickson.79 or [email protected])
Tournament timing
The tournament is set up so that it will end in proper time, however if unusual circumstances cause the tournament to get set on a time trajectory that will not conclude before the show ends then the tournament directors reserve the right to employ mercy rules or remove long playing games.
Other
Some games allow players to select alternate game modes such as Super Game, Impossible Mode, or Co-op Mode. Any games started on an alternate mode will be considered void and be restarted.
All or Any Rules, Procedures, Regulations can be changed before Tournament Start Time on Thursday August 27th at 4PM. The final version of the rules will be available printed on site.
For other questions and information please contact Jeffrey at [email protected]
Additionally the tournament money will now be collected at the tournament area instead of at the front desk. $10 out of every entry will used for administrative fees, which entails the $1 IFPA fee and paying the tech for both supplying all the games and keeping them in great repair all weekend long. The other $50 all goes to the prize pool. The prize pool should be publicly tracked on the Match Play page throughout the tournament.
Find the Main tournament on Matchplay here - http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
And all the weekend's tournaments here, as well as a link to prepay for entry online if you desire (if you do please send payment as Friends and Family not Goods and Services) - http://matchplay.live/clepintournaments
Here is the full main tournament rules in easier to read formatting - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nrunyhlvZKYUplKy0Ll66qHGtV3ZtttshuOOQbH6PEM/edit?usp=sharing
Hybrid Style Tournament. IFPA approved and CERTIFIED
Tournament is open to the public with paid admission.
QUALIFYING
Pricing -
Main entry is $60 and gives you 40 qualifying tickets.
Tickets are sold at the tournament area and will be represented digitally through Matchplay, not in paper.
No refunds
Ranking -
Best 6 out of 10 games will be used for main division qualifying.
Each game score is translated to a qualifying score based on rank (1st 100, 2nd 90, 3rd 85, 84, 83, 82…), with the top 6 qualifying scores being totaled up to determine a player’s positioning.
Top 24 players qualify for main division playoffs, with the top 8 qualifiers getting a bye through the first round of playoffs. If less than 48 players play in the tournament then top 16 will be taken.
Players can check qualifying status at http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Schedule -
Qualifying will take place all day Thursday From 5 pm to 11 PM, Friday 10 am to 11 PM and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm.
Cut off for starting games in main division is 7 PM on Saturday night.
Any significant ties for main division (to make it into finals or to get a bye) will be played off immediately after the last qualifying game completes.
Round 1 of Finals for main division will begin at 8 PM. Round 2 will start Sunday morning at 10 AM.
Round 1 of Finals for B division will begin at 7:30 PM. Round 2 will begin immediately after round 1 completes.
Catastrophic malfunction cut off is Friday at 4 PM. If a game must be replaced after this cutoff then scores from the previous game still stand in the rankings.
Queuing -
The Cleveland Pinball Show will use a virtual queuing system available at http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Players may add themselves to queues through either their own device, or the designated queuing computer in the tournament area.
There will be a chair behind each game. If a player is next on a game then they are encouraged to sit in the game’s respective chair. When a game opens up the next player will be called, if they are not present then the individual is removed from the queue and the next player is called.
The tournament must keep moving, and score keepers will not wait for a player who is in the queue but isn’t present.
Ties -
Significant ties (either to make it into finals or to receive a bye) will be played off on a randomly selected game, with the winner of that game being the winner of the tie breaker. Whoever has the highest ranking in a qualifying score will get choice of play order (if highest rankings are tied, 2nd highest will be used, etc, if all are tied then a coin flip will decide)
Ties above the cut for other positions in main division will be determined by whichever player has the higher ranking on their highest qualifying game. (ex. One player in the tie’s best game rank was the second highest score on a game, and the other player’s best game was a 6th place score. The first player wins the tiebreaker).
If both players in the tie breaker have the same highest game rank, then it will defer down to their second highest game rank. If that is tied it will defer down again, etc.
In the extremely rare case that both players have the exact same rankings across all their qualifying games, the tie will be broken by a coin flip.
FINALS
General information -
Round 1 of the Main Division check-in begins at 7:00 PM on Saturday.
Round 1 of the Main Division finals begins at 8 PM on Saturday. Players must check in before 7:45 PM.
Round 2 of the Main Division finals begins at 10 AM on Sunday. Players must check in before 9:45 AM
If a player does not show up to check-in before finals begin then that player will be replaced with the next highest seeded qualifier. (The first alternate)
If a player does not show up for later finals round they will receive last place on each game in their group until they show up.
Finals are played in 4-player “PAPA Style groups”.
Four player games are scored with 1st earning 4 points, 2nd earning 2 points, 3rd earning 1 point, and 4th receiving 0 points.
Three-player games will be scored as if a nonexistent fourth player received the 4th place finish (i.e., 1st earns 4 points, 2nd earns 2, and last earns 1).
There are 3 games in each round (plus a tiebreaker if necessary).
Finals brackets can be found online at - http://matchplay.live/clepinmain2026
Game Selection -
The highest seeded player in each group has choice of game or position.
If the highest seeded player of the group chooses game then the next seed in their group gets choice of position, all the way down.
If a player defers picking the game and chooses position instead, the next player down has selection of game or position.
Groups select starting with the group containing the highest seeded player, continuing down until all groups have chosen.
If a higher seeded group has already selected a game then other groups are locked out from picking it until their next selection.
One group can not play the same game multiple times in one match.
The same player can’t pick the same game two rounds in a row.
This rule does not apply to B division finals as players choices will already be more limited.
Ties -
Ties will be played off on a player selected game with some restrictions.
You can not pick a game you already played in the round
Each player in the tiebreaker gets to choose one game to “ban”, those games can not be selected. This ban selection happens from lowest seed to highest seed.
From there selection proceeds the same as normal finals with highest seed getting choice of game or position and selection moving on in seed order from there.
Final Standings -
IFPA standings for people who were eliminated in the same round as each other will be determined by the players match points in the respective round.
Ties outside the finals cut will remain as ties in the final rankings.
Prize Pool -
Of the $60 collected from each entry $10 of that will be used for administration fees (paying for the supplied games and the tech as well as IFPA fee), and the other $50 will all go to the prize pool. The prize pool will be public on the Match Play page.
A division awards cash prizes to the top 16 finishers with 1st receiving 23%, 2nd at 15%, 3rd at 10%, 4th at 8%, 5th through 8th each at 5%, and 9th - 16th each at 3%.
B division awards cash prizes to the top 4 finishers. With 1st receiving 40%, 2nd receiving 25%, 3rd receiving, 20%, and 4th receiving 15%.
Actual values will be determined on-site after tournament expenses have been deducted and are subject to rounding to the next higher or lower $5 increment.
All other rules and procedures for anything gameplay related are based on PAPA rules (ex. malfunctions, interference, stuck balls, etc.)
Full rule documentation available here - https://www.ifpapinball.com/rules/
Miscellaneous
Abuse of games
Any attempt to death save or bangback will result in a red card and ejection from the tournament.
Other significant abuse of games will also result in a red card and ejection from the tournament.
We also reserve the right to issue yellow card warnings that can escalate to red cards for rage tilts and other similar unsportsmanlike conduct.
Supplying Machines
Any game that is provided to the tournament must be committed to being available for the full duration of the tournament.
Tournament directors must have access to the keys to your machine.
All other rules related to bringing a machine to the Cleveland Pinball Show itself still apply (damage liability, etc.)
Scorekeeping
Attendees can sign up to scorekeep for the main tournament with 1 hour shifts. Let us know what scorekeeping you intend to do and we will compensate your entry fee accordingly.
Scorekeepers are able to sign up for multiple shifts, however the amount of scorekeepers per shift is limited, and can be seen on the scorekeeper schedule - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T3pWYNWT-ogmxj0nvpTFaPmEiT72oHNJv50ndxU1erA/edit?usp=drive_link
Contact a tournament director via email or Facebook to register for open scorekeeping spots (Jeffrey Dickson at https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.dickson.79 or [email protected])
Tournament timing
The tournament is set up so that it will end in proper time, however if unusual circumstances cause the tournament to get set on a time trajectory that will not conclude before the show ends then the tournament directors reserve the right to employ mercy rules or remove long playing games.
Other
Some games allow players to select alternate game modes such as Super Game, Impossible Mode, or Co-op Mode. Any games started on an alternate mode will be considered void and be restarted.
All or Any Rules, Procedures, Regulations can be changed before Tournament Start Time on Thursday August 27th at 4PM. The final version of the rules will be available printed on site.
For other questions and information please contact Jeffrey at [email protected]
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
6001 Rockside Rd., Independence, OH, United States, Ohio 44131
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherCleveland Pinball and Arcade Show
