Wizards and Warriors

Wizards & Warriors Presents "MasterClass" - The Gottlieb Gauntlet ft. Colin MacAlpine

In the world of competitive pinball, the Gottlieb bank is the ultimate equalizer. It’s the territory that separates the lucky from the legendary, demanding a level of technical precision and a "tactician's mind" that modern machines rarely require. Join your hosts FriscoPinball and JL4ND as they sit down with special guest expert Colin McAlpine—the 2025 Texas State Champion and Multimorphic rule designer—to pull back the curtain on the "dark arts" of the INDISC High Stakes bank. Episode Highlights: * Pro Origins: Colin shares his journey from "fishing for quarters" to winning Pinburgh and designing rules for The Princess Bride on the P3 platform. * Machine Deep Dives: Expert strategies for taming the "beasts" of the Gottlieb era: - Bad Girls: Treat it like a "multi-ball version of 8-Ball Deluxe" and master the 3-million-point re-rack. - Deadly Weapon: Dial in the hidden saucer plunge to turn a standard two-ball affair into a "three-ball party". - Diamond Lady: Surviving the most drain-heavy geometry in the bank and timing the 5-million-point diamond hurry-up. - Excalibur: Why discipline and avoiding "out of control" play is the only way to high scores. - Surf ’N Safari: Mastering the "Million Round" and chasing the massive 30-million-point Super Jackpot. - Vegas: The "S-tier" glory strategy—spamming the left orbit for consecutive 10-million-point shots. Whether you’re heading to Southern California for INDISC or just want to level up your tournament game, this is your roadmap to victory. This is Wizards and Warriors MasterClass: Gottlieb Gauntlet! 🙏 Thank You! * A special thanks to Colin MacAlpine for sharing his extensive knowledge and skill! 📺 Watch More Wizards & Warriors: Wizards and Warriors Playlist [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPJ1aC6t4Whe9YwJzMkeAOR_nQP72ACNh] 🔔 LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE 🎧 Streaming Platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg3agYTTOXU Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/74b82ef8-e6a3-4a1a-988c-3c526a968245/wizards-and-warriors Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wizards-and-warriors/id1813359366 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/10471e788/podcast/rss #WizardsAndWarriors #sternpinball #strategy #IFPA #Rush #CompetitivePinball #FriscoPinball #guide #pinball #pinballtournament #masterclass

Wizards & Warriors Episode Presents "MasterClass" - Batman '66 (Stern) ft. Roland Nadeau

🎓 MasterClass: Batman 66 (Stern) — High-Level Competitive Pinball Strategy Welcome to Wizards and Warriors: MasterClass, hosted by Frisco Pinball and JL4ND, where elite competitive pinball strategy is broken down for tournament play. In this episode, we dive deep into Stern’s Batman 66 — one of the most complex, multiplier-driven machines ever coded. This is not casual advice. Joining us is Roland Nadeau, world-class competitive player and Top 100 IFPA-ranked competitor, who walks us through high-level tournament strategies, villain prioritization, and how elite players build billion-point games on Batman ’66. 🦇 What You’ll Learn: • The optimal Ball 1 path that sets up billion-point games • How to stack shot, playfield, main channel, and King Tut multipliers • Why Bookworm, Mr. Freeze, and King Tut are critical in competition • When to stack multiball — and when it actively hurts you • Smart Ball 3 comeback strategies when you’re behind • Hidden value in Egghead modes, gadgets, combos, and mystery awards If Batman ’66 feels overwhelming or chaotic in tournaments, this episode provides a clear competitive roadmap. TIMESTAMPS 0:13 – MasterClass intro & Batman ’66 overview 2:04 – Roland Nadeau introduction & competitive pinball journey 6:45 – Batman 66 basic game info & core structure 13:33 – Multipliers explained (Commissioner Gordon, major villain combos) 18:03 – Joker mode & massive scoring potential 19:37 – Villain multiball qualification & stacking 25:46 – Minor villains explained & strategy 28:18 – Freezing timers & why Mr. Freeze is overpowered 29:43 – Main Channel strategy & TV switching 32:36 – Ball save discussion 33:24 – Skill shots, mystery awards & bonus X value 39:54 – Bat-Turn mode & playfield multiplier setup 42:00 – Ball 1 tournament strategy (step-by-step) 51:21 – Minor villain wizard modes 53:10 – Gadget usage & common mistakes 57:12 – Tournament adjustments & machine variance 1:00:58 – Ball 3 comeback strategies 1:03:58 – Egghead strategy 1:07:12 – Shame multiball & safety plays 1:10:33 – When NOT to stack multiball 1:12:03 – Elite stacking concepts & final thoughts 1:19:39 – Thank you & outro 🙏 Thank You! • A special thanks to Roland Nadeau for sharing his deep knowledge and passion for the game. • Huge thanks to Colin McAlpine and TiltForums for the Batman ’66 rules guide: https://tiltforums.com/t/batman-66-rulesheet/2463 [https://tiltforums.com/t/batman-66-rulesheet/2463] 👍 Like, subscribe, and share with your tournament crew. 💬 Questions in the comments may be answered in future MasterClass episodes. 🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more! Spotify (Audio & Video): https://open.spotify.com/episode/5777nZ8bvMDP9HOl7o05ao?si=URCOfFt7QRCAQWDkqTDxlA [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6r3b0bE9fcm7er3NtdZiB0?si=6vszP3puRaW6gr4DMrFsEg] Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/74b82ef8-e6a3-4a1a-988c-3c526a968245/wizards-and-warriors [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/74b82ef8-e6a3-4a1a-988c-3c526a968245/wizards-and-warriors] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wizards-and-warriors/id1813359366 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wizards-and-warriors/id1813359366] RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/10471e788/podcast/rss [https://anchor.fm/s/10471e788/podcast/rss]

Wizards & Warriors Presents "MasterClass" - Rush (Stern) ft. Gregory Kennedy & Preston Currie

MASTER CLASS RUSH: DOMINATING COMPETITIVE PINBALL (STERN RUSH STRATEGY GUIDE) W/ PRESTON CURRIE & GREGORY KENNEDY | WIZARDS & WARRIORS Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Wizards and Warriors Master Class series! We’re kicking off this new series by diving deep into the competitive meta of Stern’s Rush pinball machine. We're not just playing it—we're dominating it! Hosts Frisco Pinball (Hadi) and JL4ND (Joe) are joined by two of the world's most electrifying competitive players and top-ranked wizards: Preston Currie (IFPA Open Ranking #15) and Gregory Kennedy (IFPA Open Ranking #11). The masters break down the rules, the shots, the mode stacks, and the secrets to consistently winning matches on this high-octane machine in tournament play. Get ready for an episode that will turn your good game into a Grand Champion performance! TIMESTAMPS * 0:00:15 - Introduction to MasterClass * 0:01:15 - Meet the Masters: Preston Currie and Gregory Kennedy * 0:05:50 - Diving into Stern's Rush * 0:06:51 - First Impressions of Rush * 0:11:21 - Basics of Rush (Modes, Multiballs, etc.) * 0:14:43 - Strategizing for High Scores * 0:19:17 - Ball One Strategies (Record Colors, Modes, etc.) * 0:26:04 - Right Ramp Flipper Shot Placement * 0:27:06 - Miscellaneous Shots and Mode/Multiplier Discussion * 0:30:51 - Ideal Path/Playthrough with Mode Stacking and Combo Utilization * 0:47:12 - Home vs. Competitive Play Adjustments * 0:52:07 - Ball 3 Comeback Strategies * 0:57:36 - Pro vs. Premium Strategies * 1:01:43 - Mastering the Lower Playfield Techniques * 01:06:10 - Additional Advanced Strategies (Headlong Flight Multiball) * 01:13:08 - Thank You & Outro RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY * A special thanks to Preston Currie and Gregory Kennedy for sharing their deep knowledge! * A huge thank you to Noah Crable for compiling the comprehensive Rush rules guide on TiltForums. Read Noah's guide here: Rush Rulesheet [https://tiltforums.com/t/stern-rush-rulesheet/7409] * For a great beginner guide, check out Rayday's "Baby's First Rush" tutorial: Rayday's Tutorial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_-dZ9otMOk] * Watch the video version for shot markups and tele-strating! * Follow Wizards and Warriors on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other platforms. * Get involved with your local pinball scene and help grow the community!

Wizards & Warriors Episode 11 - A History of the IFPA With President Josh Sharpe

Wizards & Warriors - Episode 11 | Lessons in History: IFPA President Josh Sharpe on WPPR v6.2, Growth, and the Future of Competitive Pinball! Dive into Episode 11 of the competitive pinball podcast, Wizards & Warriors! This week, hosts Hadi and Joe sit down for an in-depth "Lessons in History" interview with Josh Sharpe, the President of the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA). Josh gives us an exclusive look at the proposed WPPR v6.2 changes for 2026, specifically focusing on updates to the TGP rules for Flip Frenzy and Amazing Race formats, which are critical for the competitive future of the sport. He also covers the origins of the IFPA, the evolution of the WPPR ranking system, and his vision for growth and inclusion. Before the main interview, we cover the latest tournament results from PAPA 22, CLEPIN, UK OPEN 2025, PINBALL EXPO FLIP OUT, and preview a list of major upcoming events. ⏱️ Full Episode Timestamps: * 00:00:00 - Welcome & Introduction (Hadi & Joe) * 00:02:37 - Recent Tourneys Recap: Winners (PAPA 22 CLEPIN, UK OPEN 2025, PINBALL EXPO FLIP OUT) * 00:10:24 - Upcoming Tournaments: Free Play Florida, Pincinnati, Winter Bash * 00:12:58 - Interview Start: Lessons in History with Josh Sharpe, IFPA President * 00:19:29 - Josh's Personal History & Origins of the IFPA * 00:37:53 - The WPPR Ranking System: How it Began * 00:51:42 - Deep Dive: Proposed WPPR v6.2 Changes (Flip Frenzy & Amazing Race TGP) * 00:59:00 - Storytime with Josh: Favorite Tourneys & Warm Memories * 01:15:49 - The Future of Pinball & Growing Inclusion * 01:28:26 - Rapid Fire Round! * 01:36:54 - Closing Thoughts & Thank Yous 📺 Watch More Wizards & Warriors: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPJ1aC6t4Whe9YwJzMkeAOR_nQP72ACNh&si=5rXtTqGAP-4XiKLP [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPJ1aC6t4Whe9YwJzMkeAOR_nQP72ACNh&si=5rXtTqGAP-4XiKLP] 🔔 LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE 🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more! * SPOTIFY (audio & video): https://open.spotify.com/episode/0uDH3iTENzBdlIvSUe0f27?si=FUxMOvDaRA6Hi14PsSMybA [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0uDH3iTENzBdlIvSUe0f27?si=FUxMOvDaRA6Hi14PsSMybA] * AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/74b82ef8-e6a3-4a1a-988c-3c526a968245/wizards-and-warriors [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/74b82ef8-e6a3-4a1a-988c-3c526a968245/wizards-and-warriors] * APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wizards-and-warriors/id1813359366 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wizards-and-warriors/id1813359366] * RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/10471e788/podcast/rss [https://anchor.fm/s/10471e788/podcast/rss] #WizardsAndWarriors #Pinburgh2025 #PinballTierList #IFPA #JoshSharpe #CompetitivePinball #FriscoPinball

Wizards & Warriors Episode 10 - Pinburgh Hype w/Preston!

🎙️ Wizards & Warriors - Episode 10: 2025 Pinburgh Bank Tier List & Analysis with Top 30 Pro Preston Currie In Episode 10 of Wizards & Warriors, we’re breaking down the full 2025 Pinburgh game bank with one of the top-ranked players in the world — Preston Currie (IFPA Top 30). From modern beasts to brutal classics, Preston shares his thoughts, strategies, and hot takes on every title in the lineup. Whether you're prepping for battle at Pinburgh or just love hearing high-level pinball breakdowns, this episode is packed with expert insight and tiered rankings you won't want to miss. 📌 Follow Preston Currie on IFPA: https://www.ifpapinball.com/players/view.php?p=86367 [https://www.ifpapinball.com/players/view.php?p=86367] 📺 Watch More Wizards & Warriors: YouTube Playlist [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPJ1aC6t4Whe9YwJzMkeAOR_nQP72ACNh&si=5rXtTqGAP-4XiKLP] 🔔 LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE 🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more! #WizardsAndWarriors #Pinburgh2025 #PinballTierList #PrestonCurrie #CompetitivePinball #FriscoPinball