Click HERE for the most up to date PAPA/IFPA unified tournament rules.
*last updated 8/10/25
CHANGE LOG:
2025.08.10
– Updated verbiage in Section I. Paragraph 9. Player Errors
A player who plays out of turn in a multiplayer game will receive a game score of zero. The affected player may choose to take over the ball in play, if possible, or they may choose to have the incident treated as a major malfunction. In the event the player takes over, they shall be deemed “in control” after declaring their intent, taking their position at the table, and making contact with the ball via the flippers. The affected player may not change their mind once they are “in control”. Any player who plays out of turn deliberately in order to employ this rule will be disqualified. Points scored when a ball is being played out of turn will count if the exact score for this player was unknown prior to the incident. Please note this rule should also be used for games accidentally advancing to the next player position without properly ending the previous ball in play.
– Updated verbiage in Section I. Paragraph 9. Player Errors
Coaching of any player while the player is at the machine is not allowed and may lead to sanctions, such as removing the coach from the area, voiding the player’s game in progress, or issuing a yellow or red card. Spectators and other players must refrain from commenting on play in a way that affects the current game.
2024.02.23
– Replaced any verbiage referencing “him or her” with “them”. Replaced any verbiage referencing “he or she” with “they”.
2023.09.21
– Updated verbiage in Section I. Paragraph 7. Stuck Balls
Any points scored by the Tournament Official in the process of freeing stuck balls will not be counted. These points should be subtracted from the final score of the player. It is recommended that Tournament Officials record the scores of all players prior to opening the machine to free the stuck ball.
2021.04.06
– Updated verbiage in Section I. Paragraph 9. Player Errors
Applying physical force to a machine, or using any other means, to manipulate staged and/or locked balls in an attempt (successful or not) to avoid having a drained ball(s) be recognized shall not be permitted.
Examples include:
● Shaking Bram Stoker’s Dracula as a ball is draining such that a staged mist ball falls out of that staging area when Mist Multiball was not properly started.
● Shaking Game of Thrones as a ball is draining while balls are locked in the sword lock assembly.
● Shaking Lord of the Rings as a ball is draining such that a locked ball falls out of the sword lock assembly.
2019.10.23
– Consolidation of PAPA and IFPA rules into a unified set of rules
