... Sometimes it is Already Won.

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.

Before The Battle Begins...

Tonight I will be competing for my third New York City pinball league title out of the four seasons that I've been in. Steven Bowden defeated me in the season that i took second, he'll be competing against Max Pinball for third place this season.

My opponent will be Alberto Santana, and its fitting, because he and I have been battling for the title of New York City's best pinball player longer than anyone. We used top have epic battles at the Broadway Arcade over fifteen years ago, and we're both better players than we were back then.

Here's what goes on in my head before a match. I think about my opponent, and what the match might hold. I prepare myself to react to adversity, and build up my own confidence, without underestimating my opponent. If you don't balance that properly, you'll run into some unnecessary problems during the contest.

If I don't think about my strengths, I can actually psych myself out, and thats foolish. No matter who I face, I remind myself that the machine will play exactly the same, and if I play my game to the best of my abilities, I should be able to secure the win.

If I don't acknowledge my opponents strengths, there are other possible pitfalls. For one, I might not concentrate as much as I should and allow my opponent to win a game and then build up confidence. Another danger is that if things don't go my way initially, I might say to myself "This is garbage, and I know I'm better than this guy", instead of "What can I do to improve on the last game? What adjustments can I make to improve my advantage over this guy, so I can win like I know I should?"

The importance of your perspective and frame of mind makes all of the difference in the world when playing high-level competitive pinball. We all have skills, but we have to have the proper attitude to use them well enough to win.

In a four-man PAPA playoff match, very rarely do all four players perform well. Why? One reason is that players get cold while waiting 10+ minutes between balls. A more important reason, however, is that players get mental fatigue. They watch a hot player score a lot of points, start multi-balls and other valuable modes, and think "Man. Now I've got to do all of that too.", despite the fact that if they were playing on their own they probably would and they'd enjoy it.

Having the right frame of mind is absolutely key. When I'm playing in a match and racking up points, I tell myself to be calm and that with each successive shot, I'm putting more pressure on my opponents. And if my opponent does the same? I just say "Wow! This game must be playing easy!"

Win the mental game, and you're already way ahead. That's what I plan to do tonight. I'll let you know how it goes! - SJG