What were the payouts / costs to enter at tpf? 250 people should generate a healthy pool.

I hear you. Not stoking a fire, just curious is all. We gave two free tickets to everyone through the door at louisville as well. Paid out about $10,900 after all was said and done, which was 100% payout. Louisville guys generously donated the plaques, so that expense was on their side of things. If I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, feel free to tell me so.

Best of luck.

What is easiest to manage for the tournament organizer isn't always what is best for the player, but successful tournaments overall, as opposed to mayhem, are always what is best for pinball. Both the queue system with cards or chips and line systems with chairs that are being discussed have been used many times. The chip / card system is fine when everyone knows everyone else and the tournament is small. On the other hand, when you have hundreds of people coming into the tournament area, most of which are total strangers and many of whom have never played in a competitive event, the chip / card queue system fails. A line of chairs is always easily understandable and efficient to pros and novices alike, even if it's not the most "fun".