If you’re looking for some indoor activity this weekend, the New York City Pinball Championships might be just the event to hit.
Starting Friday, hundreds of competitors will pack an abandoned gym in Chelsea to compete on dozens of pinball machines, some of which are decades old.
“We do it not for profit, but for love of the community and furthering competitive pinball,” said Levi Nayman, one of the tournament’s organizers. “We make enough to pay the rent and not lose any cash.”
Pinball was invented during the Great Depression and has evolved in the decades since. Across the country there are leagues and tournaments dedicated to pinball. There are speed dating events centering the game. There’s even a movie about overturning the ban on the machines in New York City in the mid-1970s.
And for the city’s highest-ranking, most competitive players, there’s the New York City Pinball Championships, in which they compete for a cash prize. Last year’s grand prize winner took home $2,000.
Men and women compete against each other in the main division, while only women will compete in the Dahlia Rowan Memorial tournament. Players range in age from 10 to 60.
Competitor Lindsey Rhoades said she initially just wanted to learn certain pinball games’ complicated rules, but kept playing because she enjoyed meeting new people.
“They’re not just pieces of furniture in a bar or adding to a location’s ambience,” she said. “They’re there to be played and enjoyed and it’s kind of a fun icebreaker if you’re out on a date.”
“I wish that people throughout the world realized what a great sport it was, and that they treated it seriously as a sport,” said Sean “the Storm” Grant, a pinball player who has been New York’s state champion. “I’m hoping one day it’ll get more television coverage. I try to promote pinball as a sport as much as I can. I hope one day it’ll be in the Olympics.”
Gothamist’s Precious Fondren caught up with the organizer of New York City Pinball Championships, Levi Nayman, who is also a pinball competitor. Their conversation has been edited.
What are the biggest misconceptions about pinball?
People that don’t know anything about the game are sometimes surprised to learn it’s more than just luck. People who think “Oh, you just go up there and hit the buttons and whatever happens, happens.” And that couldn’t be further from the truth. Pinball is a game of skill just as much as baseball or tennis. You’re trying to use your hand eye coordination to line up the shots and you need to learn the rules. Every game has its own specific rule set and it’s important to learn those rules so you can play the game as best you can.
What makes someone great at pinball?
Somebody who has the physical skills to be accurate with their shots. Someone who has the mental acuity and the patience to play a long game and remain focused. Also learn the rules and learn the best way to get points while putting themselves in the least amount of danger. The safest play with the most skill generally is going to win, along with the most rule knowledge can give a player a great advantage in a game.
What’s the hardest part of the game?
It’s really hard for me sometimes to play a long game without thoughts creeping into my head. You really need to maintain a focus. Clear your mind of these worldly concerns. And focus on the game itself and just become one with the game and score the most points in the most efficient way possible.
What’s the most complicated game?
The way that the newer games distinguish themselves is just gigs and gigs of code and super deep rules. I have a new game, James Bond, based on the old Sean Connery movies, and I’m gonna have to play that thing for years before I see everything.
How do you train?
Getting to know the machines. There’s hundreds of different machines, but generally you’ll know the games you’re going to be playing. We announced our game list late last week. So the players and all the different divisions know what games they’re gonna be playing. And if they have access to those machines, then just actually practicing on those games or maybe watching some videos on YouTube or reading tutorials if you can’t get to the games. I tend to just show up and attack the games and get to know them that way. Preparation, like in most things in life, can give you an edge.
What’s your advice to someone who wants to get started?
Just get out there and start playing and make some friends in the pinball community. Pinball players tend to be very social at the games, especially in New York City, especially in the bars. And people will welcome you into their games, and they’ll give you advice if you want it. You can just kind of dive in and before you know it, you will be an aspiring pinball wizard.
Where are the best places in NYC to play?
Barcade is really a fantastic chain of bars in the New York City area. They’re actually sponsoring our tournament by bringing us 20 fine pinball machines.
What’s your favorite part of pinball culture and the community you’ve built?
You’re competing against other people for a score, but you’re also competing against the machine. And sometimes a player will have a fresh approach that you hadn’t really thought of. And it’s really cool to kind of compare strategies.
The New York City Pinball Championships are Friday, Oct. 13 through Sunday, Oct. 15. Advance tickets start at $25 for spectators.
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