silverballmania

Learn.Play.Compete

silverballmania on YouTube

Tutorials that explain a machine from layout to rules to gameplay, shootouts against community players, and interviews — in German and English.

Watch my videos

Mastering Pinball by Abe Flips

My recommendation

Not made by me — I just love it. Abe Flips' film is, for me, the best pinball video ever made: 21 chapters of skill-based coaching, from the basics to competitive play. On Blu-ray and as a stream.

Watch at abeflips.com

Rulesheet Finder

Type a machine, get every rulesheet I know of — Bob's Guide, the Pinball Archive, Pinball Cards, Pinball Primer and Pinball Rulesheets — in one place.

Find a rulesheet

Player History

Any IFPA player's full record with rank, points and rating charts, and a head-to-head against anyone you pick.

Look up a player

Tournaments in the DACH region

Every upcoming IFPA event in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with dates, places and a direct link to each.

See the calendar

Plus the current standings of the championship series:

German Championship SeriesSwiss Championship SeriesFellbach Series

Rules assistants

Ask a rules question during a match, or get help running an IFPA event. Answers come with the rulebook passage behind them.

RefereeTournament director

Newest videos

All playlists

Next tournaments in the DACH region

All tournaments
Hosted by silverballmania

Bob's Guide

The Bob Matthews Guide to Classic Pinball Machines: rules for over 400 machines from the 60s to the mid 80s, each with a quickie version for the first game and the full rules for the deep dive. The one source I maintain myself, based on Bob's original document.

Open Bob's Guide

Everything on silverballmania

Every tool on the site, grouped by what you came for.

Watch & learn

YouTubeThe channel's playlists and videos, in one place.More PinballHand-picked links: tutorials, rules, videos, locations, organisations.

Rules & rulesheets

Rulesheet FinderSearch a machine, get every rulesheet link I know.IFPA Tournament RulesThe official rules in English and German.Referee AssistantAsk a rules question, get an answer grounded in the rulebook.

Compete

IFPA overview
Tournaments in the DACH regionUpcoming and recent IFPA events in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.Player HistoryAny player's record, rank and rating charts, head-to-head comparison.German Championship SeriesStandings and tournaments of the German series.Swiss Championship SeriesStandings and tournaments of the Swiss series.Fellbach SeriesThe Fellbach tournament series, its standings and cups.

Run a tournament

Tournament Director AssistantHelp with running an IFPA tournament: formats, points, submission.Excel2IFPAIDMatch a spreadsheet of players to their IFPA ids.