Quoted from JoeJet:I had the same issue and the screws did not help. Finally figured out works fine if you apply pressure just to the left of the ring button (push down) on the lockdown bar while you close the lever and it will snugly close every time.
I'm having the same issue, but on mine you have to reach into the game and push up on the sliding latch on the left hand side to get it to engage with the lockdown bar. Brass screws are backed all the way out. Last night I really struggled to get it to latch even when doing this, spent 15 minutes on it and had to lift and lower the playfield several times so that I could watch it engage.
When I unboxed the game, it looked like the lockdown bar reciever was forced into the locked position, it took alot of force to unlatch it. The sliding latch on the left hand side was bent away from the player and there was a deep scratch in the lockdown bar above the notch where it should engage.
Seems like the lockdown bar receiver is mounted too low relative to the lockdown bar. I did submit a ticket, hopefully there is an easy fix that isn't obvious to me.
Little issues are frustrating, but man what a great game Hobbit is and the build quality is amazing!