The July 29th Matchplay at Tik Tok’s Workshop in Bremerton, WA, wasn’t your average weeknight pinball gathering. It was a compact, high-tension contest of five seasoned competitors, all of them familiar with each other’s tendencies, strengths, and weak spots. By the time the last ball drained, the scoreboard showed the venue’s own organizer, Richard Godwin, standing alone at the top — a victory that was equal parts skill, strategy, and psychological edge.
Building a near-perfect night
Richard’s round record tells part of the story: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1. Six straight wins to start the evening set a tone that was hard to break. In the small-field format, there was no easy pairing — every match was against a threat. The single non-win of the night, a second-place finish in Round 7, didn’t derail momentum; instead, it sharpened focus for a final-round victory that sealed the title.
The run was as much about controlling situations as it was about raw shot-making. In early rounds, quick reads on dangerous feeds and smart risk-reward calls built consistent scores. Later, Richard leaned on adaptability, making subtle strategy changes based on the machine in front of them and the particular opponents across the flippers.
Rivalries with history
One of the things that makes a small, competitive field electric is the personal history between players — and this group had plenty.
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Richard vs. Jared Doss – Years of competition have built a rivalry where each win feels personal. Across their careers, Richard holds a narrow lifetime edge at 75–66. This night added another chapter, with two key wins over Jared, including one on Centaur, a machine that punishes even the smallest execution errors.
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Richard vs. Bruce Cherry – Bruce has been climbing the competitive ladder, jumping +1113 in IFPA rank in recent months. The two met multiple times in the tournament, with Richard taking wins on both modern and classic titles.
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Richard vs. Colleen Godwin – This is a long-standing “family feud” in the most literal sense. While Colleen fought hard in every matchup, Richard’s experience and control meant this one stayed one-sided on the night.
These rivalries didn’t just color the scores — they influenced strategy. A risk Richard might take against one opponent might be avoided against another, knowing who would capitalize on a mistake and who might give a free pass.
Machine mastery
The July 29th Matchplay wasn’t just a test of skill — it was a stroll (or sprint) through nearly five decades of pinball history. Each round brought a new machine with its own quirks, stories, and legacy in the hobby.
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Star Wars (Premium) (Stern 2017) – Stern’s Star Wars arrived in Round 4, one of Steve Ritchie’s late-career speed demons. It’s known for blisteringly fast orbits, dangerous center shots, and a scoring system that can turn modest play into huge payoffs if you juggle the shot multiplier correctly. Released during Stern’s push to capture major licensed themes, the game split the community — some love the high-risk, high-reward design, while others find its brutality frustrating. In competition, though, it’s a pure execution test, and on this night it was no exception.
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Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye (Premium) (Stern 2025) – Making an appearance in Round 3, this was the wild card of the night. With code still evolving and strategies not yet fully mapped, Tyrant’s Eye is Stern’s latest attempt at blending deep rules with approachable shot geometry. Released during a run of strong licenses for Stern, it stands out for its heavy emphasis on multiball play and role-playing game–style mode progression. Competitive players are still figuring out the optimal paths, which made it a true “adapt or fall behind” moment in the tournament.
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Lightning (Stern Electronics, 1981) – Round 5 brought Lightning, a wide-body from Stern’s early solid-state era. With unusually large flipper gaps and a rule set that leans heavily on building and cashing bonus multipliers, it was designed at a time when Stern Electronics was fighting to stand out against Bally and Williams dominance. Collectors appreciate it as a bit of a hidden gem, but in tournament play, it’s more often feared — those outlanes don’t forgive sloppy nudging.
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Eight Ball (Bally, 1977) – Showing up in Round 2, this is one of Bally’s all-time commercial hits, riding the late-’70s pool hall aesthetic that was a perfect cultural match at the time. The straightforward drop target objectives make it approachable, but under the pressure of competition, the game’s simple layout becomes a mental trap — miss one crucial shot and the ball is gone. Produced during Bally’s golden age when the company was cranking out theme-driven, accessible designs, Eight Ball remains a fixture in both private and public collections.
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Centaur (Bally, 1981) – Also appearing in Round 2, Centaur is the moody, black-and-white antihero of early ’80s pinball. The robotic voice, monochrome art with splashes of red, and aggressive “ORB” drop target rules make it an unforgettable experience. Bally was experimenting heavily with sound and art packages at the time, and Centaur is now considered one of designer Jim Patla’s finest works. In modern competition, its quick multiball starts can swing a match in minutes — assuming you survive long enough to cash in.
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Monster Bash (Remake) (Chicago Gaming 2018) – Kicking off the night in Round 1, this is Chicago Gaming’s remake of the beloved 1998 Williams classic. The theme — assembling a monster rock band — is pure camp, and the original was a late hit for Williams before they left the pinball business. The remake faithfully reproduces the original’s humor and smooth flow, with the added benefit of modern display and sound upgrades. Among competitive players, it’s seen as a balanced game: approachable for novices, yet rewarding for skilled players who can stack modes effectively.
The spread of eras — from 1977’s Eight Ball to 2025’s Tyrant’s Eye — meant that adaptability was as important as shot accuracy. The variety kept players shifting mental gears all night, never able to settle into one era’s rhythm before the next round pulled them somewhere else entirely.
Spotlight match – Harlem Globetrotters showdown
Before the finals, Round 8 delivered one of the night’s most entertaining battles on Harlem Globetrotters On Tour (Bally, 1978). Bruce Cherry, Anna Francolini, and Jared Doss squared off on the basketball-themed classic, its colorful backglass and smooth spinner shots a throwback to Bally’s late ’70s charm offensive.
Bruce came out swinging, hitting the inline drops to boost spinner value and milking it for consistent scoring. Anna stayed in the hunt with smart bonus collection, capitalizing on the game’s carryover bonus feature. Jared, typically a favorite in fast-paced play, couldn’t quite find the same rhythm and settled into third.
For Bruce, already enjoying that huge IFPA rank surge, the win wasn’t just a point in the standings — it was a statement against two strong opponents and a boost in confidence heading into the final rankings.
Spotlight on Tik Tok’s Workshop
Located in Bremerton, WA, Tik Tok’s Workshop is a blend of arcade nostalgia and local bar culture. The lineup mixes rare gems with crowd favorites, all maintained to tournament-ready standards. Guests often talk about the approachable pricing, friendly staff, and the sense that you’ve stepped into a space built by people who genuinely love pinball. Events range from competitive weeklies to themed nights, making it a cornerstone of the local scene. On this night, it provided not just the games but the atmosphere that makes great competitive pinball possible.
A win in their own house
In the end, Richard Godwin’s performance wasn’t just about topping the standings — it was about doing so in a field of players who knew their game inside and out, on machines that tested every part of a competitor’s skill set. The victory was a mix of streak-building momentum, shrewd play against familiar rivals, and the ability to adapt across eras of design.
For those watching, it was a masterclass in what it looks like when home-field advantage is backed by the chops to make it count.