DFW Pinball League
Providing low cost and family friendly competitive pinball for Dallas, Fort Worth, and all of North Texas!
The original DFW Pinball League!
Started and operating since 2015, The DFW Pinball League serves all of North Texas
Louis Marx has been buying, selling, trading, playing pinball and involved in the Texas Pinball Festival since 2001.
Louis has been attending and participating in the Texas Pinball Festival every year since 2001 (through all five cities that have hosted the TPF event over the years)!
What Eventually became the DFW League actually was started by Marcus Trevino in 2013 at an arcade called Nicelrama in Garland, Texas. Louis officially started the DFW League in 2015, remaining at Nickelrama and partnering with Marcus while planning for 2016. In 2016 we were still at Nickelrama part of the time BUT also started hosting events in unique and rare PRIVATE pinball collections, in private homes. In 2017 we moved to the current model of having ALL events take place in some of the best North Texas game rooms and private pinball collections.
.... AND NOW: thanks to our efforts, there are now multiple tournament organizers and leagues in North Texas, running at multiple venues. So EVERYONE can have access to pinball tournaments and leagues! We support them all - to grow the game for everyone!
We ALWAYS encourage family participation and even have events specifically for kids with amazing prizes!
This league, the original DFW Pinball League, travels to some of the best North Texas game rooms and private pinball collections. For many events, you might pay as little as $10 for adults, but kids 16 and under play free. We are proud of the fact that we have 10-15 events each year that cost $20 or less per adult to play in (kids are free in most of these cases).
These funds cover the IFPA sanctioning fees and actual event costs. The officials make NO MONEY on the league - WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS. Generally, Louis will not turn anyone away over money at the events hosted at people's homes (private pinball collections). In normal events, if you can't pay, he will pay for you!
Sometimes there's an interesting twist added:
For example, at the "Hotter Than Mother's Pinball" tournament that was held in Keller, Texas in March 2024, the cost was a little higher because the host offered a 'bounty' for the best score on 7 different EM machines. It was a unique twist that had people talking.
Even so, this event was still less than $20 per person to play in.
Occasionally, there will be a charity component (ask) as well. When this happens, you must be able to pay this. Usually the charity asks are small. For example, the Toad Suck Shootout is a charity event that opens out league every year and the ask there has been for an a minimum of $25-30 in past years (which goes towards Education and College Scholarships for kids).
Starting in 2024, we also added some LARGER events, special events, and/or national events. Previously, we did have ONE national event. The change in 2024 is expanding this to allow more opportunity for DFW players to have access to the NACS Texas State Championship race. These events generally cost anywhere from $40-90. I know that's a wide range, because they can vary greatly depending on what's special about that particular event. Many of them pay out prize money and/or special prizes, and have something UNIQUE about them.
These tournaments are for ALL SKILL LEVELS. We have had players as young as 3 years old and as old as 81 in our leagues. So everyone is welcome - Just come, hang out, eat, drink, & play pinball! Its about having fun!
Most events are sanctioned by the International Flipper Pinball Association: https://www.ifpapinball.com/ and, while Louis Marx is the Head Tournament Director and League Official, all events are brought to you by and are the property of DFW Pinball League, LLC.
Find more details on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/164360813769869/ or email marx.pinball@gmail.com for Louis Marx, DFW Pinball League Tournament Director.
2024 & 2025
Local and Regional Event Details:
For all events: see the event page for SPECIFIC cost/pricing details please!Local and Regional Event Details:
(For a Google Calendar page that you can link to, go to the Events Tab on this website) :
2024
EVENT 12: Sunday September 29, 2024
The 11th Alan Marx Memorial IFPA Pinball Fundraiser in Rowlett, Texas
THERE IS NO PLAYER LIMIT - Come and enjoy!
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/3819223288358786/
Matchplay Event Page: https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/156205
IFPA Site Event Page: https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=82656
Registration: DAY OF THE EVENT - NO HEAD COUNT LIMIT SO NO PRE-REGISTRATION
REGIONAL: Friday October 11 through Sunday October 13
Space City Open at the Houston Arcade Expo
Houston, Texas
EVENT 13: Sunday October 20, 2024 - hosted by Ken Kemp in Collinsville, Texas
Limited to 50 Players Total
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1165256197875107/
IFPA Site Event Page: https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=83579
Registration opens October 9, 2024 at 7:00 PM -- https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/156279/rsvp
EVENT 14: Saturday November 2 and Sunday November 3
The First Annual Big D Pinball Madness Tournament hosted by Free Play Dallas in Dallas, Texas
THERE IS NO PLAYER LIMIT - Come and enjoy!
Two Day 200% TGP Event
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1209425990207970/
IFPA Site Event Page: https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=84348
Registration: DAY OF THE EVENT - NO HEAD COUNT LIMIT SO NO PRE-REGISTRATION
EVENT 15: Saturday November 9, 2024 - hosted by Rickie Carson in Carrollton, Texas
Player Limit not yet determined
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1067823954897184/
IFPA Site Event Page: https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=84489
Registration opens November 1, 2024 at 7:00 PM -- https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/160043/rsvp
EVENT 16: Saturday December 7, 2024 - hosted by Scott Martin in Richardson, Texas
Limited to 20 Players Total
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/8796691977018487/
IFPA Site Event Page: Coming Soon
Registration opens November 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM -- https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/162485/rsvp
2025
EVENT 1: Saturday January 11, 2025 - THE 2024 DFW PINBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
This will probably will be hosted by Rickie Carson in Carrollton, Texas
--> the key is that we are requiring a neutral site (owner can't have a home field advantage).
--> so, if Rickie ends up playing in the event, then we will find another site.
THIS IS AN UNSANCTIONED, INVITATION ONLY EVENT - See the "Current League Standings" tab on THIS website for details.
16 - 32 Players depending on how many people accept the invitation.
Those eligible to play will be contacted so, please make sure Louis Marx has a way to contact you!
REGIONAL: Saturday January 18 and Sunday January 19
Texas State Championship Weekend
Should be in Austin, Texas (based on historical rotation) but not FORMALLY announced yet.
EVENT 2: Saturday February 1 and Sunday February 2
The SECOND Annual Polar Plunge at FUN! Billiards and Gameroom Superstore in Mesquite, Texas
2024 was --- Limited to 64 Players Total -- Two Day 200% TGP Event
2025 is TBD (will update when available)
Event Page: Coming Soon!
IFPA Site Event Page: Coming Soon!
Registration opens TBD -- Coming Soon
EVENT 3: Friday February 28 through Sunday March 2
3RD ANNUAL ABILENE SHOWDOWN Hosted by The Shahan's and Carpool Pinball - Abilene, Texas
2024 was --- Limited to 80 Players Total -- Two Day, 200% TGP, IFPA CERTIFIED Event
2025 is TBD (will update when available)
This event also has side tournaments -- more to come when available!
Event Page: Coming Soon!
2024: Pre-registration is ONLY required for the Main Event - Prepayment required.
2025 is TBD (will update when available)
Registration opens TBD -- Coming Soon
NATIONAL Friday March 21 through Sunday March 23
EVENT: Texas Pinball Festival Wizards Tournament
Frisco, Texas
Note: While I am a Tournament Director for this event:
-- this is NOT a DFW Pinball League event.
-- this event is not counted towards the league championship.
Registration opens November 2, 2024 at 12:00 PM (Noon) -- https://texaspinball.com/tpf/store
Change Log - Minimum last 5 changes will always be shown:
October 21, 2024
Add detail to the home page for the December 7 tournament including links
Added registration date and link for the Texas Pinball Festival Wizards Tournament.
Neither have been updated on the Google Calendar yet.
October 6-8, 2024
Updated the league standings page.
Added the start of the 2025 calendar list to the homepage and removed OLD events from the 2024 calendar list on the home page.
Added links to all events through November 2024 to the calendar list on the home page.
Added November 2 & 3 event, November 9 event, and November 9 event's pre-registration (on 11/1) to the Google calendar
September 28, 2024
Updated the league standings page and added a line to show when the standings were last updated.
September 8, 2024
Added the October 20 event in Collinsville, Texas to the Google event calendar and added links to the schedule on this page for that event.
Updated text on the page that explains the Google Calendar.
September 1, 2024
Updated the league description with more accurate information
Added the Alan Marx Memorial charity event to the Google event calendar and added links to the schedule on this page for that event.
August 10-11, 2024
Added event data/links for FB, IFPA, and Pre-Registration for the events through September 15,2024 to this page
Updated the League Standings Tab to include all events played to date.
Updated the League Standings tab to indicate that Nelson's Fireworks has increased their commitment and is now matching / doubling the prize pool!
Fixed the Google Calendar display issues
Fixed the Google Calendar functionality issues
Added events through September 15, 2024 AND pre-registration for the two events that require it to the Google Calendar