IFPA Swiss Championship Series – Official Rules
Rules:
1. Summary
The IFPA Swiss Championship Series (IFPA SUICS ) is an annual pinball competition where the qualification is done over a whole year (from 1st Jan till 31st Dec). All results of the IFPA recognized tournaments held in Switzerland and Fürstentum Liechtenstein are considered for the qualification of the IFPA Swiss Championship Series Final. At the beginning of the next calendar year the Final will be played by the 64 best players from the qualification and the champion is appointed. By special circumstances like limitation of space, the field can be decreased by the IFPA Country Director of Switzerland.
2. Competition Details
2.1. Qualification
Unlike most tournaments where the qualification process takes place over a couple of days at the tournament site, qualifying for the IFPA SUICS Finals is based on results from all of the IFPA endorsed tournaments held in Switzerland and Fürstentum Liechtenstein.
Qualifying for the IFPA SUICS Finals is based on results from the whole calendar year, but players must have played at least one event before December.
In the event that any players are tied with the same amount of IFPA SUICS ranking points, we will look at their best event(s) until the tie can be resolved.
If any of the top 64 players are unable to participate, vacant places will be made available for the next best players who qualified in places 64+.
Everyone who is qualified for the tournament and has a registered IFPA profile can participate (no limitation based on nationality). It is the player’s responsibility to make sure they have an email address on file with the IFPA, or they run the risk of not being contacted for participation in the IFPA SUICS Finals. Please fill out an IFPA profile to ensure we have a way to contact you. If you see a green check within your profile information on your IFPA profile page, it means we do have a registered email address on file for you.
2.2. Scoring
For each player, the total sum of WPPR scores received for the tournaments count toward the IFPA SUICS.
2.3. Fees
The entry fee for each event is determined by the organizers. The entry fee for the IFPA SUICS Finals is 20 CHF per participant (plus an additional location fee).
2.4. Finals Format
Example with 64 players:
Head to head, Round Robin in 4 groups à 16 players. The higher seeded player chooses position. Top 6 per group advances.
Players will be placed in a single elimination bracket. Top 2 qualifiers from each group will receive 1 bye.
First round pairings are as follows:
A3 vs. D6, A4 vs. D5, A5 vs. D4, A6 vs. D3
B3 vs. C6, B4 vs. C5, B5 vs. C4, B6 vs. C3
Second round pairings are as follows:
A3/D6 winner vs. C2
A4/D5 winner vs. C1
A5/D4 winner vs. B1
A6/D3 winner vs. B2
B3/C6 winner vs. D2
B4/C5 winner vs. D1
B5/C4 winner vs. A1
B6/C3 winner vs. A2
Third round pairings are as follows:
A1/C4/B5 winner vs. B2/D3/A6 winner,
B1/D4/A5 winner vs. A2/C3/B6 winner,
C1/A4/D5 winner vs. D2/B3/C6 winner,
D1/B4/C5 winner vs. C2/A3/D6 winner,
Fourth round pairings are as follows:
A1/B2/D3/C4/B5/A6 winner vs. D1/C2/A3/B4/C5/D6 winner
B1/A2/C3/D4/A5/B6 winner vs. C1/D2/B3/A4/D5/C6 winner
Two winners of round 4 play for the IFPA SUICS Pinball Championship
Two losers of round 4 play in the Consolation Final for 3rd/4th place.
Each match will be a best-of-five. The higher seeded player will have choice of machine or position for the 1st game. The match will alternate between machines chosen by each player, until someone has won 3 games. A machine may not be played more than once in the same match. Once a player verbally announces their game choice, or chooses position, that decision will be locked in and cannot be changed.
The winner of the match advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated.
The 3rd/4th place Consolation Final will be played as a best-of-three instead of a best-of-five like all other rounds, using the same rules.
3. Prizes
3.1
First Place will receive the title “IFPA Swiss Pinball Champion”. This title remains in effect until the next annual IFPA SUICS, or will expire after two years if the IFPA SUICS is discontinued.
3.2 IFPA EPC
One IFPA EPC spot will be made available. This spot will go to the highest finisher at that IFPA SUICS Finals who did not already qualify for the IFPA EPC through the regular qualifying process (no limitation based on nationality). We will move down the list as needed to fill the spot should players decline.
3.3 IFPA World Pinball Championship
One IFPA World Pinball Championship spot will be made available. The Country Exemption Spot #2 will go the the highest finisher at the IFPA SUICS Finals, that isn’t already qualified through the Country Exemption Spot #1 or the At-Large field process. Any player that received an invitation to register for the IFPA World Pinball Championships and declined that invitation will still be eligible for this Country Exemption spot.
4. Malfunctions and Rulings
Anything not covered here will be ruled according to the official IFPA rules:
https://www.ifpapinball.com/rules
5. Registration
Players need to register until the end of November here:
https://www.pinballevents.de/ifpa-ch/
The IFPA Swiss Championship Series was devised by IFPA Switzerland/swisspinball.
E-mail address for inquiries: info@swisspinball.ch
