Tournament Ready

Advanced

Advanced player aiming to compete in tournaments. Strong fundamentals, looking to optimize strategy and consistency under pressure.

Mission

Achieve tournament-level consistency by mastering advanced techniques and competitive strategy.

15 drills

Start sprint

Skill: Basic Passing

Tap Pass

Fast, reliable tap passes keep the flow going in competitive play.

Speed Tap Pass

Medium

Practice the quickest possible tap pass — minimal time between receiving and passing the ball.

Goal: Tap pass within 1 second of receiving the ball, 5 times in a row

Skill: Catching Techniques

Drop Catch

Tournament play demands catching everything — no flailing.

Pressure Drop Catch

Medium

Practice drop catching while simulating pressure — count down from 5 before each ball drains if you miss.

Goal: Drop catch 6 out of 7 fast balls

Skill: Catching Techniques

Live Catch

Consistent live catches are essential for shatzing and ball control under pressure.

Live Catch Mastery

High

Raise the flipper to meet fast balls at the precise moment. This should feel automatic by now.

Goal: Live catch 5 out of 6 fast incoming balls

Skill: Catching Techniques

Post Catch & Rolling Post Pass

Post catches add another dimension to your ball control toolkit.

Reliable Post Catch

Medium

Catch balls bouncing off the slingshot post consistently. Anticipate the bounce angle.

Goal: Catch 4 out of 5 post bounces cleanly

Skill: Save Techniques

Slap Save

In tournaments, every ball saved can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Reflex Slap Save

Medium

Your slap save should be pure muscle memory. Practice until you don't even think about it.

Goal: Save 4 out of 5 center drains without hesitation

Skill: Nudging

Nudging

Tournament nudging requires precision — aggressive enough to save, subtle enough to avoid tilting.

Tournament Nudge

High

Practice nudging on different machines — each has different tilt sensitivity. Adapt your force quickly.

Goal: Successfully nudge-save on 3 different machines without tilting

Skill: Advanced Techniques

Shatzing

Shatzing is the ultimate ball control move — shoot and catch in one fluid motion.

Consistent Shatzing

High

Shoot with one flipper and live catch the return with the other. Aim for consistency, not speed.

Goal: Complete 3 out of 5 shatzing attempts

Shatzing Under Pressure

High

Practice shatzing when it matters — during multiball or when you need a specific shot from the other flipper.

Goal: Use shatzing strategically in 2 out of 3 games

Skill: Advanced Techniques

Loop Pass

Loop passes provide an alternative transfer when post passes are risky.

Reliable Loop Pass

Medium

Shoot the ball around an orbit to the other flipper. Trap on arrival for a clean setup.

Goal: 4 out of 5 loop passes ending in a clean cradle

Skill: Flipper Techniques

Extending the Flippers Reach

Hit every shot angle precisely — tournament scoring demands it.

All-Angle Shooting

Medium

Practice hitting every major shot on a machine from both flippers using varied flip timing.

Goal: Hit all major shots from both flippers in one game

Skill: Game Strategy

Multiball

Multiball is where tournaments are won — maximize your scoring.

Jackpot Focus

High

During multiball, trap one ball and shoot the other exclusively at jackpots. Don't waste shots on low-value targets.

Goal: Score 3+ jackpots per multiball consistently

Skill: Game Strategy

General Gameplay Tips

Strategic game management is what separates tournament players from recreational ones.

Game Plan

High

Before each ball, have a plan: what mode to start, which shots to prioritize, when to play safe.

Goal: Execute a pre-planned strategy for 3 consecutive balls

Risk Management

High

Know when to play safe (ahead in match play) vs. aggressive (behind). Adjust based on score gap.

Goal: Make correct risk decisions throughout a full game

Skill: Game Strategy

Tournaments

Tournament-specific skills: machine selection, handling pressure, format strategy.

Machine Scouting

High

Practice quickly assessing an unfamiliar machine: read the rules card, find the key shots, play a practice ball.

Goal: Identify top 3 scoring opportunities within 2 minutes on an unknown machine

Pressure Simulation

High

Play games where something is at stake — a bet with a friend, a personal best target. Get used to performing under pressure.

Goal: Maintain your technique quality when stakes are high