I've been busy training for the IFPA World Championship, which are now less than a week away, but I had to take a break and catch up with all the competitions that I've been in since my last post.
I won my third NYC Pinball League title in decisive fashion, sweeping Alberto Santana 4 - 0. He had trouble making it to the site (Amsterdam Billiards) on time, leaving him no time to warm up or practice. I was there over an hour early, and also had the opportunity to watch the other players begin their matches, so I was completely prepared and ready to go and it made the match a lot easier.
Steven Bowden defeated Max Pinball for 3rd, and JP McCarthy took 5th with his win over Koi Morris. It was a good season and I'm looking forward to the next one already, especially with some of the newcomers rising through the ranks, who I think will make it even more competitive next season.
The machines, Twilight Zone and Big Buck Hunter, were both favorable for me. Twilight Zone is one of my favorite machines, but it gave me a bit more trouble, because the slot machine kickout was tough to handle at times.
Overall, I didn't have much trouble. I went 12-1 in my last three matches, and 8-1 for the season. The most beneficial aspect for me is that the competition keeps me sharp. I always hope that the all of the players from the region come out and learn the machines, and give me their best shot, because it pushes me to become a better player. I try to be as self-motivated as possible, but its still always better to have rivals that put the fear of defeat into you, to force you to improve on any weaknesses that you might have.
I felt strongly enough about my game, and my desire to prepare for IFPA that I made a surprise trip to Allentown for another tune up. I'll cover that in my next post. Until then, keep on flippin' and be sure to send me any questions that you might have, and I'll answer them all in a Q/A post. - S.
