About Pinburgh

In 2024, Pittsburgh Pinball, in association with the Replay Foundation, relaunched the beloved match-play pinball tournament known as Pinburgh.

The first tournament under the Pinburgh moniker was operated by the Steel City Pinball Association in the summer of 1998. The original event was small but successful. In 1999, the event was held at the Beehive Coffeehouse in Oakland, and was larger and more rewarding (top prize in the A division was $1185). The 2000 tournament was moved to a larger location with new sponsors and a new scoring system as well as a guaranteed prize package to attract players, and this was a tremendously successful tournament. The next three years were held at the Best Western Parkway Center Inn, which offered free parking and inexpensive accommodations but limited space for growth.

Starting in 2004, the Pinburgh tournament was replaced by the PAPA 7 World Pinball Championships, and the Pinburgh name was temporarily retired. Starting in 2011, the name was revived and applied to a new match-play format, originally held at the PAPA Headquarters but later at the Replay FX event at the David L Lawrence Convention Center.

This format proved enormously popular and the event grew rapidly; for the summer of 2020, we expected to have as many as 1200 simultaneous players (a clear world record)! Unfortunately, the pandemic ended our pinball events for quite a while. We are pleased to say that the Replay Foundation, which owns the Pinburgh and PAPA trademarks, has given its blessing to Pittsburgh Pinball to once again operate the Pinburgh Match-Play Tournament.

Past Pinburghs

• Pinburgh 2024
• Pinburgh 2019
• Pinburgh 2018
• Pinburgh 2017
• Pinburgh 2016
• Pinburgh 2015
• Pinburgh 2014
• Pinburgh 2013
• Pinburgh 2012
• Pinburgh 2011
• Pinburgh 2003
• Pinburgh 2002
• Pinburgh 2001
• Pinburgh 2000