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Pinball Tournament
Volunteer Signups
Add your name to this scorekeeping volunteer sheet and get two entries per 2 hour shift!
Schedule (all times PDT)
Main
Friday, August 7 – Qualifying – 5PM to midnight
Saturday, August 8 – Qualifying – 10AM to midnight
Sunday, August 9 – Finals – check in by 9:30AM
Women’s
Friday, August 7 – Qualifying – 5PM to midnight
Saturday, August 8 – Qualifying – 10AM to 2:30PM
Saturday, August 8 – Finals – 3:00 PM
Classics
Friday, August 7 – Qualifying – 5 PM to midnight
Saturday, August 8 – Qualifying – 10AM to 5:30 PM
Saturday, August 8 – Finals – 6:00 PM
Location
Main will be located in the Cypress room at the top of the escalator. Women’s and Classics room in the Napa room past the escalator.
Stream
Finals for all tournaments will be streamed at https://www.twitch.tv/dri374
Pre-registration
PRE REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON
Not required but will make check-in/buying entries easier.
Standings
Matchplay event listing: LINK COMING SOON
DTM: LINK COMING SOON
Format
Qualifying
Main
Main division will be card based. Cards are a collection of scores containing a total of 5 scores from unique machines. At any point during play or immediately after play has been completed, the player may elect to abandon their card by notifying the scorekeeper that they wish to void. This will void all of the scores recorded on the card, and the card will not be entered into the scoring system No money will be refunded, but the player has no further obligation to complete the previously in-progress card and is free to purchase/play additional cards if they wish. Only one card may be opened at any time.
Each player’s best score on a machine will receive a point value based on its rank compared to all other recorded scores. The top score earns 200 points, second place earns 197 points, third place earns 195 points and fourth and beyond earn one less point per position, i.e. 194 points down through 1 point. Any exact ties will receive the higher point total. A player’s overall score for a card is the sum of their five ranked machine scores.
After totaling scores, the top 24 will be in the playoffs. The top 8 players will receive a bye. The next 16 players ranked outside of the IFPA top 1000 will go to B playoffs. Players with byes do not have to check in at the start of playoffs. They just need to be there when their round starts. In the event that they are not there when their round starts they will lose any game or order selection and absence rules will be applied if they are not there in time for their game.
Youth
The top youth (ages 12 and under) in the main qualifying round will receive a trophy. There will be prizes for the top 3 in qualifying for this division. No playoffs for this division. Please make sure to tell the TD/desk staff if you are eligible for the youth division.
Women’s
Women’s qualifying will be unlimited best game format. Players can play as many entries as they want in an effort to put up the best scores on a bank of games. The top score earns 200 points, second place earns 197 points, third place earns 195 points and fourth and beyond earn one less point per position. Each player’s top 4 (subject to change) scores will count out of a bank of ~5 games. Top 8 to playoffs.
Classics
Classics qualifying will be unlimited, best game format. Players can play as many entries as they want in an effort to put up the best scores on a bank of games. The top score earns 200 points, second place earns 197 points, third place earns 195 points and fourth and beyond earn one less point per position. Each player’s top 4 (subject to change) scores will count out of a bank of ~5 games. Top 16 to playoffs.
Cost
Cash only. Exact change appreciated. Unplayed entries will not be refunded. Please plan accordingly.
Main
One card for $15. Five cards for $60.
Women’s/Classics
$5 for 2 entries. $10 for 5 entries. 1 entry = 1 game. Entries can be used in either division.
Scorekeeping/Volunteers
TBD
Divisions
Players ranked outside of the IFPA top 1000 are eligible for the B Division in the main tournament.
Games (coming soon)
All subject to change
Main (expected to be ~12 games)
Women’s (expected to be ~6 games)
Classics (expected to be ~6 games)
To Be Decided/Spare Division
Note: in the event that game(s) from main go down and are unavailable for finals, they may be replaced with games from the women’s or classics banks. Players will be given the option of 30 seconds of practice on any games that were not in the qualifying bank (as well as any games that have significant modifications after qualifying).
Tie-breaking
Ties which are not deemed “significant” will not be broken. Significant ties are those that determine whether a player makes playoffs or whether a player receives a bye. These ties will be broken by a 1-game playoff on a random game from the bank with order chosen randomly before playoffs begin on Sunday morning. In the event that this tiebreaking game is for multiple spots, it will only be used to determine who gets the spots and the insignificant tiebreaking rules will be used to determine seeding. Insignificant ties will be broken by first looking at each player’s best score in qualifying. If each player has the same best score, then the second best score will be used, and so forth as necessary. If each player has the same scores in qualifying then the tie will be randomly broken.
Playoffs
Finals will be PAPA style groups of four. Players will play three games. Any tie scores on a game will be broken by playing one additional ball on the same game for the tied players. The two players with the highest scores after these games will move on to the next round (if it’s not the final round).
The highest seed will get the first choice of game or position. Selection will then proceed by seedings in the group.
We will be using matchplay software for finals and all selections will be made at the start of a round (except the final round) to avoid blocking groups for one long playing game.
Games may not be chosen more than once by the same group in a round. In the event that a tie occurs that affects who advances (or occurs in the final round) a tie-breaking game shall occur. The highest seed gets first choice of game or position. Following selections are by seed. The tie-breaking game cannot be one that has already been played by the group in the round.
Main
For (at least) one out of the four games, the highest seed must not select game choice. The second highest seed is guaranteed at least one opportunity for game choice. Which game number this occurs on is at the discretion of the highest seed of the group. On games one, two, or three, they may defer game selection to the second seed. If they have not deferred game choice by the fourth game, then they must do so.
Classics
The top seed will get game choice and position choice. For tiebreakers, a player is allowed to pick a game that was already played that round.
Prize Structure
All entry fees minus IFPA and trophy costs will be given out in prizes.
Main
3% to top qualifier
A Division
- 1st: 21%
- 2nd: 13%
- 3rd: 8%
- 4th: 6%
- 5th – 8th: 3%
- 9th – 16th: 1.5%
- 17th – 24th: 1%
B Division
- 1st: 4%
- 2nd: 3%
- 3rd: 2%
- 4th: 1%
- 5th – 8th: 0.75%
- 9th – 16th: 0.5%
Women’s
5% to top qualifier
- 1st: 33%
- 2nd: 21%
- 3rd: 12%
- 4th: 9%
- 5th – 8th: 5%
Classics
3% to top qualifier
- 1st: 30%
- 2nd: 20%
- 3rd: 10%
- 4th: 7%
- 5th – 8th: 3.5%
- 9th – 16th: 2%
Rules
The IFPA/PAPA ruleset will be used.
A couple of additional notes:
- Any tie scores on a game will be broken by playing one additional ball on the same game for the tied players.
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting Tournament
Check-in Saturday 8/8 at 12 PM PDT | Start at 1 PM PDT | End at 2PM Sunday
Located in the Mission room.
Rules
- Will be played H2H candy cabinets, no USB converters
- All matches 2/3. Grand Finals 3/5
- Winner must keep character, loser can switch
- Failure to report for match may result in DQ
Live stream: https://www.twitch.tv/riz0ne
Bracket page: https://challonge.com/cax2026
Alan-1 Recharged Tournament
CAX 2026 Game Grid Tournament – Located in the Grand Ballroom
The tournament will be run using the Alan-1 Major League eSports platform.
How to Participate
- Download the free Major League eSports app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
- Create a free account. There is no cost to participate.
- At each game, scan the QR code to log in.
- On the Wave Selection screen, choose CAX 2026 Game Grid Tournament.
Tournament Format
Players may play every tournament game as many times as they would like throughout the event, as long as they wait their turn before playing again.
Each score will be saved to the Alan-1 servers and can be viewed in the Major League eSports app.
Scoring
At the conclusion of the tournament, players will be awarded League Points based on their final standing in each game. The player with the most total League Points across all tournament games will win the tournament.
Prizes
- 1st Place: Choice of an Alan-1 Recharged arcade cabinet or $500
- 2nd Place: $200
- 3rd Place: $100