Paul Jones - Your New Australian Number 1 Pinball Player

A big congratulations goes to Paul Jones, newly crowned Australian number 1 pinball player according to the international player rankings website: https://www.ifpapinball.com/rankings/country.php?country=7.

Australia's new number 1 pinball player according to the international pinball player rankings.

Paul has long been dominating the Australian pinball competitive scene, usually winning or nearly winning in the last few years worth of tournaments. However, to climb to number 1 in the country rankings takes a very long time of consistent and exceptional play - the few that have reached this pinnacle previously have been there for a very long time indeed. To match and overtake those historical records is incredibly difficult and time consuming, especially because those up the top are still competing too! To say that this is a momentous occasion is no exaggeration, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a new face take the top spot.

This achievement was finally reached by Paul after the latest major event: The 2017 Brisbane Masters. The competition held from Friday 21st July to Sunday 23rd included a number of side tournaments as well as the main event itself, where Paul took a 1st place in the 3-Strikes competition, 2nd in the Flip Frenzy, and 5th in the Masters.

Previous people to have reached the title of Australian number 1 included Peter Watt, Richard Rhodes, and Steve Edwards. We now welcome Paul Jones to this very exclusive list of people.

The 5 Best Players to Watch in the IFPA Australian Championship Series in February

The IFPA Championship Series finals are taking place all over the world in February, and Australia's top 32 champions will fight it out in Melbourne to see who claims the title in 2017. Previously held in Sydney in 2015 and Brisbane in 2016, now it's Melbourne's turn to show the world Australia's best.

This picture was taken at the 2016 Batcave Masters - where many picked up a majority of World Ranking Points going toward their ACS seeding this year. Photo by Matthew Venables Photography http://mvenables.com

Here Game the System lays down the facts and figures - and boldy predicts the top 5 players most likely to stand above the rest and hold aloft the cup!

Jordan Tredaway - Here taking 1st place at the 2016 PAX Australia Pinball Championship.

1. Jordan Tredaway - Australian Rank: 5th out of 1673 players

Location: Melbourne VIC

IFPA ACS Seed: 1st

Jordan is the youngest competitor in this years ACS and one of the newest competitors on the scene. He hasn't let time get in the way of clawing to the top of Australian pinball however - he's seeded 1st out of the 32 players, and has had a habit of winning just about every tournament he enters. His first major tournament win being the 2016 Melbourne Matchplay Championship, he also won the Melbourne Matchplay Flip Frenzy and the 2016 PAX Australia Championship. You will be sure all players will be dreading being matched up with Jordan in the ACS - even those that have been playing for over 30 years!

Paul Jones - Last years ACS Champion.

2. Paul Jones - Australian Rank: 6th out of 1673 players

Location: Wollongong NSW

IFPA ACS Seed: 5th

Not much needs to be said about Paul that hasn't already been said very recently - including news that he is one of two players representing Australia this year in the IFPA World Pinball Championships in Denmark (check post below this one), and that he's the defending champion having won the previous Australian Championship Series in Brisbane last year. The only other thing to be said is to try and avoid playing against him, and be sure to watch him if you're not!

Brett Goodwin (right) - Powered by caffeine...

3. Brett Goodwin - Australian Rank: 4th out of 1673 players

Location: Lake Macquarie NSW

IFPA ACS Seed: 6th

Brett is the type of player that effortlessly steam rolls opponents and doesn't break a sweat doing it. He's represented Australia in the PAPA World Pinball Championships and IFPA World Pinball Championships last year in the USA. He also happens to be the Australian Championship Series champion of 2015 which was held in Sydney. A very friendly and approachable guy, but just watch out if you're playing him - he's got a serious streak that won't let you get away with any funny business!

Robert Macauley (right) - Pinball and video game champion.

4. Robert Macauley - Australian Rank: 3rd out of 1673 players

Location: Adelaide SA

IFPA ACS Seed: 13th

This is a guy you need to keep an eye on... His outward calm and quiet demeanor is an interesting contrast (or perhaps compliment) to the level of skill he posesses with not just pinball, but all of gaming - his many world record scores on Twin Galaxies will attest to that! He was also one of the two Australian representatives for last years PAPA World Pinball Championships and IFPA World Pinball Championships in the USA along with Brett Goodwin. There's always been an air of unmatched skill in the top 4 ranked Australian pinballers, and Rob is the only one of those 4 attending the ACS this year. Don't underestimate this guy just based on his ACS seed this year...

Matthew Venables (right) practicing his other art - photography.

5. Matthew Venables - Australian Rank: 15th out of 1673 players

Location: Sydney NSW

IFPA ACS Seed: 17th

You want a dark horse for this years ACS? Those who know Matthew will tell you he's certainly not a dark horse at all, but he has yet to take a major championship and therefore might fly under the rader of general recognition. He's always up there though, finishing in the top 5 of just about everything he enters. And he keeps getting better, and he keeps smashing every grand champion score that's around. At some point he's going to crack that 1st spot in a major - and it could be this time.

Interestingly, this years ACS may be remembered for the players who aren't competing rather than who is. All 3 of the players who have previously held the spot of Australian Rank number 1, and top 100 in the world, are unable to make it this time around for various reasons (even though each one did qualify). Peter Watt (Australian Rank 1st), Richard Rhodes (Australian Rank 2nd), and Steven Edwards (Australian Rank 8th). You can be sure many of players competing will be breathing a sigh of relief for that!

Peter Watt - Australia's current number 1, is unable to attend this year.

Here's the full list of 32 players and their seed for this years ACS. Any one of them can take the win on the day.

1. Jordan Tredaway - Aus Rank 5th - VIC
2. Greg Gee - Aus Rank 13th - NSW
3. Luke Marburg - Aus Rank 9th - VIC
4. Martin Robbins - Aus Rank 12th - VIC
5. Paul Jones - Aus Rank 6th - NSW
6. Brett Goodwin - Aus Rank 4th - NSW
7. Jason Lambert - Aus Rank 7th - QLD
8. Gavin Drogemuller - Aus Rank 31st - QLD
9. Stuart Thornton - Aus Rank 21st - VIC
10. Johnny Crabtree - Aus Rank 14th - VIC
11. Pat Nichols - Aus Rank 18th - NSW
12. Paul Reid - Aus Rank 23rd - NSW
13. Robert Macauley - Aus Rank 3rd - SA
14. John Hutchinson - Aus Rank 11th - QLD
15. Greg Siegele - Aus Rank 10th - SA
16. Rob Singh - Aus Rank 17th - QLD
17. Matthew Venables - Aus Rank 15th - NSW
18. Brian Schleibs - Aus Rank 25th - VIC
19. Michi Henning - Aus Rank 46th - QLD
20. Stacey Borg - Aus Rank 35th - VIC
21. Jasen Mouritsen - Aus Rank 29th - QLD
22. Andrew Ferguson - Aus Rank 19th - NSW
23. Wal Dickie - Aus Rank 39th - VIC
24. Geoff Wills - Aus Rank 49th - VIC
25. Grant Quinn - Aus Rank 33rd - QLD
26. Marcus Sezonov - Aus Rank 41st - VIC
27. Marc Bell - Aus Rank 20th - NSW
28. Nick Hamhougias - Aus Rank 32nd - VIC
29. Chris Wade - Aus Rank 61st - QLD
30. Alex Nunn - Aus Rank 43rd - VIC
31. John Ebejer - Aus Rank 37th - VIC
32. David Peck - NZ Rank 1st - Auckland NZ

The Australian Championship Series will kick off on the 10th February at the Thornbury Bowls Club, Melbourne Victoria.

Breaking! Meet the 2 Aussies that will Represent the Country in the World Pinball Championships

* Updated 18th Jan - Luke Marburg response added

News just to hand is that the two Australian players that will represent the country in the IFPA World Pinball Championships this June in Denmark has just been decided! Confirmed to attend - and now I'm sure quickly putting together travel plans - is Paul Jones from Wollongong NSW, and Luke Marburg from Melbourne Victoria!

Paul Jones. No stranger to readers of this site. He has a habit of winning - well - everything!

Paul Jones has amassed a tournament record in a few short years that veterans would be jealous of - finishing 1st in pinball majors such as the 2016 Brisbane Masters, 2016 ACT Pinball Championship, and the 2015 IFPA Australian Championship Series. Paul was also Game the System's first ever Player Feature and you can learn more just by heading over to the People section of the site!

We contacted Paul and asked his thoughts on being invited to what would be just a dream for most:

"Obviously honoured mate to represent your country at anything - especially something that I am so passionate about. Can't wait to get over there amongst the best in the world and hopefully do my fellow Aussie pinheads proud. Really looking forward to it as it will be a great experience."

A rare site indeed - usually Luke is running the tournament, not playing in it!

Luke Marburg has been a driving force in the resurgence of leagues and pinball tournaments in Victoria. This pro-active and motivated attitude toward the sport has been recognised by the IFPA world body as he was recently asked - and subsequently accepted - the role of Australian IFPA Country Director. He has also racked up an impressive record especially in the many Victorian pinball leagues, with no less than ten 1st place finishers.

We contacted Luke and this is what he had to say:

"I'm really excited. Getting an invite to the IFPA World Championships is a dream come true, and quite possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's a rare chance to meet and test my skills against the world's best. Glad to be heading over to Denmark with Paul; I'm sure we'll have a blast."

Congratulations goes to both players who are not only two of the very best players in Australia, but are also two of the nicest guys you could meet. I could not think of two better people to show the world how we drink beer - I mean play pinball and be ambassadors for the nation.