FORMAT

• Players need to pay a $10 registration fee for playing in 1 full season (about 12 weeks) or pay $1 for each week that they show up if they only want to play periodically.  This small fee guarantees a spot throughout the entire season, and it covers such things as memorabilia, prizes, food, etc.  EBPL is becoming a larger league as time goes on, so space fills up fast; people who show up on a casual basis will be allowed to play if there is enough room.
• Four different machines are played, with typically four players per team.  In the event that teams cannot all consist of four players each, the first few teams will have four players and the remaining teams will have three players. (i.e.:  If 22 people are present, the first 4 teams each consist of four players and the last 2 teams each consist of three players.)
• Games for the week are randomly selected.  If there are five or fewer teams then all teams each play the same games.  If there are six or more teams then teams get divided, with the first half of the teams (group A) playing 1 set of four machines while the last half of the teams (group B) play a different set of four machines; this is to reduce the amount of time waiting to play a game.
• Every player’s scores are recorded for every game, and points are awarded within each individual team based on the final score for each of the four games.  For every game that an individual team plays, the highest scoring player earns 4 points, the second place player earns 3 points, the third place player earns 2 points, and the fourth place player earns 1 point.  With teams that consist of only three players, the highest scoring player earns 4 points, the second place player earns 3 points, and the third place player earns 2 points.  Each player can earn a total of 4 through 16 points for the week depending on how well they played in comparison to the rest of their team.  Each player’s earned points are added up across all four games to give a final, individual player score for the week.
• Half of 1 point (0.5 bonus point) is awarded to the one player who gets the highest score for the week on one particular game amongst every player’s score for that same machine.  i.e.:  If one player’s scores are higher than every other players’ scores on the two different machines played, they would earn an additional 1 bonus point (0.5 times 2) which get added to their final score for the week.
• Team order is based on player performance.  This is determined by calculating a player’s combined total points earned during the last two times they have attended.  (This does not necessarily mean the previous two weeks, but rather the last two times one has played; this value is designated by an asterisk on the current rankings page.)  The first player on the first team has the highest combined point total during their last 2 weeks, the next player has the next highest point total during the last 2 weeks, etc.  Once a team has the maximum number of players, the next team is created in the same manner until everyone has been assigned to a team.  This allows for teams to be more balanced with players of similar skill levels playing together and to prevent consistently top-scoring players from unfairly earning additional points.

GENERAL RULES

• If an extra ball is awarded, that player gets to flip one flipper of their choice one time only after the ball has been put into play.  Violating this “one flip” rule and hitting any flipper button additional times may result in that player being disqualified on that particular game.  Using the flippers to select skill shot lanes before the ball has been launched is acceptable, as long as the ball has not yet already been put into play.
• Slam-tilts may result in a disqualification.  The judges (Stephen, Chris H., or Jim) may need to be consulted on whether a slam-tilt was intentional or not.  If it has been determined that the slam-tilt was intentional, the player who was responsible for doing it is automatically disqualified from that particular game (thus 0 points on that game) and the other players continue playing.  Regardless of the outcome, the person responsible for the slam-tilt must pay for the credits of the other players on the team when that game has been restarted.
• If a game malfunctions and needs to be reset mid-game, then the team may opt to restart the entire game or resume the game by playing however many balls would have been remaining and adding that score to the score that they originally earned.  The judges need to be consulted before a game is reset.  If a game has to be reset, the entire team needs to come to agreement with how the remainder of the game is handled.  If in doubt on whether something is in violation, ask one of the judges for their vote.
• Be respectful and courteous towards the pinball machines and the players.  Using excessive force on a machine or showing destructive or unreasonably rude behavior may get one banned from the League.
• The back room at Phoenix Games is only available to League members.  A lot of players like to stop on by during the week to get some practice or just to hang out for a little bit in their spare time.  The games in the front are always available during store hours, but if anybody wants access to the games in the back room, they must have paid the $10 registration fee as well as show up to play with the League at least 5 times.  Exceptions may be made.
• Don’t take games too seriously.  The EBPL is a fun and relaxed environment.  Not everyone knows all the objectives of certain machines so they might play for the social aspect; there’s no need to feel intimidated by playing with other teams.  Be prepared for such things as conversation, “small talk”, or joking.  However, do not go out of your way to ruin another person’s turn.
• The employees of Phoenix Games are also members of the League, but their main priority is helping customers with sales or trade-ins, so have patience when it is their turn and they are not nearby.  If the store was not conducting business in a successful manner, there would be no store and thus no location for any pinball machines at all.  So please do not yell for them nor demand that they play at that immediate instant; check to see if they are busy first and be respectful about it.