I updated the Finals portion of the Rules on the league website: https://lafayettepinball.wordpress.com/rules/
They are also listed below for convenience. They are the same from last semester with the only difference being that top seed now has option of machine or player order for game 1 and game 3 to better match what is typically done at tournaments. The standings after week 8 can be found here:
https://lafayettepinball.wordpress.com/standings/
8. Finals
The LPL Finals system consists of a combination of two-player matches in a double-elimination format. Finals seeding is based on total points during the regular season. The SLO may revise the rules for finals as necessary.
8.1. Finals Date and Time
Finals will start at 7:30 P.M. on Tuesday 4/8. Ideally we will finish by 11 P.M., but it is possible the finals may run a little bit over. The official league after-party is at DT Kirby’s.
8.2. Finals Requirements and Divisions
You need to have played in the league a minimum of 3 weeks in order to qualify for the finals. Your league ranking (after lowest 2 weeks removed) will be used for seeding at the finals. The top 8 players from the league ranking (after lowest 2 weeks removed) that show up for finals will qualify for the A division, everyone else (who played 3 weeks minimum) will qualify for B division. A bye will be given to the highest ranked B division player if there are an odd number of players in B division. We will play both A and B division at the same time on Tuesday. If there are ties in the league rankings, we will play a tiebreaker game on a random game before the finals start.
8.3. IFPA Points
Everyone who played in the league will receive IFPA points, starting with the finals A division results, followed by the finals B division results, and then the league rankings for members who did not participate in the finals. We will not be playing any tiebrieker games for ties due to the finals results.
8.4. Entry Fee, Plaques and Payouts
Entry fee for finals is $10 payable at the start of finals (no dough, no show). Please bring tens, fives, ones if you can (hard to make change for everyone). As always, coin drop is required and seperate from the entry fee. 100% of entry fees will be paid back minus the cost of plaques (roughly $60 total for the plaques). There will be a 1st place and 2nd place plaque for A division and a 1st place plaque for B division. % payouts (minus cost of plaques) will be as follows:
A division 1st place – 30%
A division 2nd place – 25%
B division 1st place – 25%
B division 2nd place – 20%
8.5. Brackets, Machines and Player Order
Both A and B division finals will be will be head-to-head brackets, best 2 out 3, double elimination. Top seed will get choice to either pick the machine or player order for 1st and 3rd games. Person who doesn’t pick the machine will pick the order. When choosing a machine, if there is already a group waiting to play a machine, another machine must be chosen. A specific machine may only be played once within a head-to-head match-up, regardless of who picked the machine. Your seeding at the start of the finals will continue all the way through the finals (even into the “losers” bracket).
8.6. Available Machines
Tentatively, all of the machines on the MSA floor will be available for the finals which people can choose from. There are some known exceptions which include (but are not limited to):
Bally Rocket (wood rail)
Morocco (wood rail)
Any machines not owned by MSA (for example, Genie and Fish Tales)
Again, this is tentative and subject to change as needed.
8.7. Extra Balls and Machine Specifics
We will drain extra balls on all machines (even classic machines) in order to keep the tournament short and simple. Player will plunge the extra ball but will not be allowed to flip. If the extra ball does not go into play after one plunge, then the other player will plunge the ball into play by pulling the plunger all the way back (e.g. hard plunge). We will disclose other machine specific rules before the start of the tournament, but you can pretty much count on the following:
Rolling Stones (posts will be turned off)
Avatar, Twilight Zone and other special ball games (the special balls will be left in / turned on)