About This Format
PAPA-Style Qualifying is one of the most widely used qualifying formats in competitive pinball, named after the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association which popularised it at the PAPA World Championships in Pittsburgh.
Players purchase entries, each consisting of a set number of games (a "card") played on designated machines. Each game on the card is scored individually, and the player's best individual scores across all of their cards count toward their qualifying position. For example, in a 5-game card format, a player's top 5 individual game scores across all their entries determine their standing.
Limited vs Unlimited Entries
Tournaments can be configured with limited entries, where each player can only play a fixed number of cards, or unlimited entries, where players can purchase as many cards as they wish during the qualifying window. Unlimited entry tournaments tend to favour players who can invest more time (and money) to improve their scores, while limited entry formats place more emphasis on performing well under pressure with fewer chances.
How It Differs From Card-Based Best Game
Unlike Card-Based Best Game qualifying, where the entire card is evaluated as a unit, PAPA-Style Qualifying treats each game on the card independently. This means a player could have their best 5 scores come from 5 different cards.