classics charity championship

OVERVIEW

Qualification Information and Hours | Prize Pools | Past Winners

The Classics Charity Championship is a three‑day tournament dedicated exclusively to classic pinball machines, run in a hybrid best‑game format. As one of the largest classics events in the world, it attracts players of all skill levels while raising funds for worthy charities across North America.

Players can compete in three divisions (A, B, and Novice) with a maximum of 96 qualifying attempts to chase their best scores and battle for the championship.

Players who purchase a YEGPIN Tournament Bundle are automatically registered for this event. If in‑show registration is available for $75, which includes 16 tournament tickets. The event has no participant cap and consistently ranks as one of the biggest classics championships globally.

Powered by Drains Tournament Manager
YEGPIN - IFPA

Entry Fees

  • Classics Charity Championship Tournament Ticket – $75 (in show drop in registrations)
  • $50 from every ticket goes into the prize pool for Classics Charity Championship
  • (16) entries are provided when you purchase your ticket for the event.
  • A maximum of 96 entries can be used for this event.
  • If you purchase a Hardcore or Combo Tournament Bundle you are automatically registered and receive entries for this event.
  • Additional tournament entries can be purchased on event days at the YEGPIN Tournament Desk all purchases go directly to the overall prize pool.
Type1 Ticket10 tickets20 tickets50 Tickets80 Tickets
(Best Value)
Classics Charity Championship$5$30$50$100$140

Qualification Information

  • The tournament will be using a HERB style (best score format) with up to 96 qualifying attempts using PAPA position/rank scoring (1st 200, 2nd 190, 3rd 189, 188, 187 …), using Drains Tournament Software.
  • Those that purchased a YEGPIN Tournament Bundle are automatically registered for the event and receive 16 entries in this tournament.
  • Registrants can participate on a drop-in basis (or up to the maximum 280 participants), the registration fee will be $75 for drop in participants and that will give you 16 entries.
  • Ticket sales end 4:00 PM sharp on Saturday.
  • Qualifying can be attempted anytime during tournament hours on Thursday – Saturday, but you must be available to show up for Sunday if you qualify for the playoff round.
  • NEW**This tournament will have it’s own dedicated (24) machines for the weekend. The best score from ten (10) different machines will count towards your total points to determine your standings.
  • All division restrictions are the same as the YEGPIN: Match Play Championships.
  • Tiebreaker(s) will be played only for significant ties all other ties will be broken with the highest score on qualified machines (1st 200, 2nd 190, 3rd 189, 188, 187 …).
  • Finals start at 5:30PM on Saturday, please check the standings in each division if you qualified and be prepared to play on Saturday night and Sunday morning. No substitutes will be allowed in the playoff rounds, no shows will forfeit any winnings.
  • If there is a malfunction, the tournament director reserves the right to include a machine from the proper era from the YEGPIN Match Play or Free Play Area to fill in the banks for playoffs.
  • All rules are based off of the IFPA sanctioned full competition ruleset found on the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association website.
  • Detailed rules of the event can be found here
  • TGP = 200%, expected to be a certified plus event to provide 150% Event booster.

Qualifying Hours:

DaySession Times
ThursdayQualifying11:00AM – 10:00PM, 10:00PM – 11:00PM (Volunteers , Women’s Tournament Participants)
FridayQualifying11:00AM – 10:00PM, 10:00PM – 11:00PM (Volunteers , Women’s Tournament Participants)
SaturdayQualifying10:00AM – 5:00PM
SaturdayTiebreaker (If necessary)5:00PM – 5:15PM (Only for A Division)

Playoff Information

  • The top 40 players in the A division, top 8 in B and top 8 in Novice will qualify will make the playoffs, there will be no substitutions
  • In A division, places 1-4 will receive a double bye (play in round of 16), and 5-16 will receive one bye (play in round of 28)
  • The playoff rounds will be in a 3 game match play style, 4,2,1,0 PAPA scoring.
  • There will be 6-8 banks of machines (1 Solid State, 1 EM, 1 Solid State in that order), the order of picking the bank of play with be A, B, Novice. Substitution(s) may be chosen from YEGPIN Match Play Championship if needed.
  • Highest seeded players get the choice of machine (can pick to start on any machine) or position. Once a group chooses a machine, no other group can pick it, only two groups can play on a bank of machines. Once the player chooses a machine their group will play the next two after the pick, if there is a tiebreaker they play the first machine in the next bank after the last one they played. (ie# Player picks Bank 1, they play all three games on bank 1 and tiebreaker gets played on the first machine in Bank 2).
  • Positions are locked in after positions are chosen for the machine selected. In other words if you selected 4th, you play 4th on all machines. If necessary, the positions are also locked for tiebreaker game.
  • A player cannot pick the same bank twice in a row, in playoff rounds, but you can go back to it in a future round after that. In other words if you choose the bank you will not be able to pick any of the machines that were in the group you selected in a previous round. Please note the tiebreaker game if necessary can still be picked in the next future round.
  • If you are in the finals for the Match Play Championships or Qualifying for the Women’s Match Play Championship, the playoffs for this event may conflict, you will be able to play in all but will have to go back and forth after your ball to each tournament.

Playoff Schedule

DaySessionMachinesTimes
SaturdayPlayoffs: A Division (Round of 40)CC1 – CC245:30PM – 7:00PM
SaturdayPlayoffs: A Division (Round of 28)CC1 – CC24*7:00PM – 8:30PM
SaturdayPlayoffs: A Division (Quarter Finals)CC1 – CC24*8:30PM – 10:00PM
SundayPlayoffs: A, B, Novice Division (Semi Finals)CC1 – CC249:00AM – 10:30PM
SundayPlayoffs: A, B, Novice Division (Finals)CC1 – CC24*10:30PM – 12:00PM
* Times are tentative the round will start as soon as the previous round is completed.

Prize Pools

  • $50 from your tournament package will be added to the prize pool. All monies collected during event will be added to overall prize pool.
  • 50% (to a max $7,500) of the cash funds raised from this tournament will be donated to charities on behalf of the Die Hard Pinball League.
  • 2025 was another huge turnout of 239 players and over $30,000 in cash pools collected overall in this tournament. $5,000.00 of the cash pool was directed to the Children’s Stollery to put a new pinball machine in their location. 
  • 1st place in each division will receive a YEGPIN custom trophy, 2nd, 3rd, 4th places will also receive a customized plaques.
Division1st2nd3rd4th5th – 8th9th-16th17th-28th29th-40th
Main (40):
Up to 40 qualified players		14%11%8%6.5%2.5%1.25%0.75%0.25%
B Division (8):
The next 8 qualified B division players		5%4%2.5%1.5%.75%
Novice Division (8):
The next 8 qualified Novice players 		1.5%1.251%.75%.50%
*50% of the prize pool or up to $7,500 is donated to local charities.

Past Winners

YearName
2025Derek Thomson
2024Luke Nahorniak
2023Luke Nahorniak
2022Bob Matthews
2019Ken Fyten
2018Mike Wieschorster

SEE YOU AT THE SHOW!

LEARN MORE ABOUT YEGPIN