Craig Pullen, UK Pinball Champion, explains what the Tournament Play button does and how it is used by some commercial venues.
Written By: Andy Beresford
Video Transcription:
Craig: OK. So, we're going to talk a little bit about tournament play. On the newer models, since about 2007, pretty much all Stern come fit up with this second button. Here we have the start button and then we have the tournament start- that's your tournament button.
What that's built in for is for operators. If you're buying a pinball machine to go onsite, for going into an arcade or into a pub, you've got the option of having tournament play. In here, there are the options for setting up a weekly or monthly tournament to achieve a high score.
What they usually do is they charge a bit more money.
For example there's one in Bristol where I play where it's £2 a go, rather than £1 a go. For that £2, instead of pressing the start button, you press the tournament start button. What you're doing is competing against all the other people - all the local punters who go in there who want to see their name on their name on the scoreboard, and you can actually win money. Like a fruit machine, except for there's skill.
Then if you win the tournament, you get to put your name up. At the end of the week or the month, then you can go and collect your money. In England, specifically, hasn't taken off that much. A lot people aren't willing to pay £2 for a go, but as you can see here, Tournament Play £2 for the 1 go, rather than £2 pounds for 3 goes. A lot of people just want to have their play.
But if you are into competing, that's another option as well. I've won prize pots on a weekly tournament of about £30, if you get a really nice pub that's competitive and there are a few people who really want to play. So that's tournament play.
Andy: For more pinball videos from Craig Pullen please visit homeleisuredirect.com/pinball.
