What are we doing?

The simple answer:

We are having a Fair Play Strikes 9-strike elimination tournament.

What's this "Crawl" business?

In an attempt to do something a little different, this tourney is going to span multiple locations. If you didn't know, there are 3 private pinball spots tucked into zip code 23225. These sites are all within a 2.2 mile stretch in the Forest Hill area. We did this in 2018 and 2019 and folks seemed to dig it. For obvious reasons 2020 wasn't viable, but we are back this year and ready to rock (as long as things stay in check between now and October 3). Hopefully you are also ready to crawl again!

Fair Play Strikes?

The 20-player field will play in groups of four, with first place receiving no strikes, 2nd and 3rd place receiving one strike, and 4th place receiving two strikes. In 3-player groups, first gets no strikes, 2nd gets one, and 3rd gets two. In 2-player groups, first gets no strikes and 2nd gets two. Initial groupings will be random, with Swiss-style grouping after round 1. The plan is to play rounds 1 & 2 at one location, rounds 3 & 4 at the next location, and all remaining rounds at the last location. We haven't run this format before, but the hope is that the timing works such that there is time for travel and a little bit of warmup at each site, while not having this take an eternity to complete.

Ok, speaking of timing...

Warmups will start at 12:15pm at the first location, with tournament play beginning at 1:00pm. Once rounds 1 & 2 are complete, we will start the clock before tournament play starts at the second location. The allotted time is for travel to and warmup at the second location. After completion of play at the second location, the clock will start before play starts at the third location. If we need to adjust timing on the fly for any reason, we will.

Sounds like a full day...what about dinner?

The entry fee includes a small amount to cover the cost of pizza. We will eat at an appropriate time at the third location. If things go quickly at locations one and two, we may play a round or two at location three before breaking for pizza.

What are the three locations?

Chez Fraley, Joe's Garage, and Rob's Arcade. See the Locations page for more info.

Are there WPPR points available?

Yes. The tournament will be submitted to IFPA.

How much, and how do I register?

Entry fee is $20. This covers IFPA fees, pizza, and prizes. Registration can be found here.

Why is the field limited to 20 players?

We don't want to overrun any of these locations, and we don't want to manage any fancy formats just yet. If things are successful again this year, we may expand the field for future events. In prior years we had a 24-player field; however, in an effort to allow for a bit of additional distancing we are reducing the field to 20 this year.

Speaking of distancing, what about COVID protocols?

Proof of vaccination is required for all attendees (see information on the Registration page). Masks are encouraged though not required at this time. These protocols are subject to change depending on CDC, Virginia, or other guidance that may be issued.

What happens when I get eliminated?

You are welcome to hang out, socialize, and play any machines not being used for tournament play. Video games are also available for play, so there is more than just pinball. The main goal here is to have some fun!!