Outside EinStein’s Katy on a sweltering Tuesday evening, the Texas heatwave pushed local outdoor temperatures to ninety-one degrees with a suffocating heat index feeling like one hundred and three. Inside the beloved long-standing watering hole, however, the competitive atmosphere was kept cool by budget-friendly drink specials, hearty pub grub, live entertainment vibes, and the unmistakable, intoxicating hum of solid-state flippers. Twenty-three dedicated pinballers gathered for the PhysXXX Summer Q1 showdown, bringing a dynamic blend of seasoned circuit grinders and hungry unranked walk-ups ready to battle across thirty-six grueling group matches.
Yet, from the exact moment the coin doors slammed shut at seven o’clock, the entire evening’s narrative belonged to Houston’s own Jim Mueller. The IFPA number 555 competitor strode onto the carpet riding a magnificent podium streak that began back in March at the Super Saturday Showdown. Broadcasting live from the GobbleHole booth, you could immediately sense that the rest of the draw knew they weren’t just flipping against the silver ball tonight; they were trying to slay an absolute local juggernaut.
Qualifying Sparks Fly on Jurassic Park
The opening qualifying round set a blistering competitive pace as the twenty-three contenders divided into four-player pods to test their reflexes on the silverball grid. While Mueller immediately went to work dismantling Stranger Things and JAWS, the rest of the draw locked into a grueling test of pure physical endurance. Nowhere was that competitive grit more evident than on Stern’s 2019 Jurassic Park (LE), which hosted the single longest match of the entire tournament. For seventy-three agonizing minutes, Craig Squires battled Kevin Sturhan, Kevin Hemann, and Cindi Brennan in a prehistoric war of physical attrition.
Squires ultimately survived the dinosaur-infested jungle to capture the pod’s maximum seven group points. He navigated the playfield like a veteran archivist, maximizing his T-Rex multiball scoring by methodically hunting down sequential red arrows to lock in massive double jackpots. Sturhan claimed five points for second place in the marathon contest, leaving Hemann and Brennan to absorb early statistical blows to their tournament championship hopes. Across the room, Mueller quietly notched his first pod victory of the night, signaling to the fifteen ranked national competitors in attendance that his flippers were perfectly dialed in.
Mid-Tournament Grinds and Gofers
As the draw tightened in round two, familiar circuit rivalries began to bubble directly to the surface of the tournament standings. Over on Williams’ brilliant 1997 No Good Gofers, Texas NACS number eleven Joshua Mitchell found himself in a heavy four-player pod against Squires, Matt Katsarelis, and rising contender Caleb Wilson. Mitchell put on a twenty-one minute masterclass to seize first place and seven crucial group points. The state top-twenty contender likely capitalized on the table’s classic full-plunge mechanic up the side ramp, securing instant hole-in-one millions before settling into his dominant rhythm.
Meanwhile, sharp mechanical precision proved to be the ultimate deciding factor on Stern’s action-packed Foo Fighters (Pro). Lee Andring outdueled Kevin Hemann over twenty-four intense minutes in a tightly contested three-player pod. Andring kept the silver ball strictly under control by exploiting the machine’s generous left-ramp backhand window, repeatedly feeding his flippers to edge out Hemann’s four points.
None of these jockeying contenders, however, could find an answer for Mueller’s relentless championship pace. He cruised through his second round matchups on Rick and Morty and Game of Thrones, brushing aside fellow competitors with surgical efficiency. Along the way, Mueller bested Mitchell in their shared pod, stretching his career statistical advantage over his longtime rival across twenty-nine shared circuit appearances.
Mueller’s Surgical Final Gauntlet
By the time the third and final round commenced, the tournament had effectively transformed into a desperate circuit race for second place. Mueller stepped up to classic arenas like Stars and The Beatles (Gold) looking to achieve absolute perfection. He delivered a performance that will be celebrated in Houston pinball lore for years, sweeping all six of his tournament matches without suffering a single loss. Even more staggering than his undefeated run was his sheer scoring domination: Mueller put up the highest individual score on all six machines he touched on his way to the crown.
Behind Mueller’s runaway championship victory, the scramble for the remaining podium spots turned into a chaotic Texas shootout. Kevin Hemann rebounded brilliantly from his earlier stumbling blocks, sweeping his final pod on Guardians of the Galaxy and Game of Thrones to rocket up the leaderboard. Veteran Craig Squires relied on his deep mechanical endurance on titles like Alien and Attack From Mars to keep pace with the surging pack. When the final tabulations cleared the air, Squires and Hemann found themselves deadlocked in group points, earning hard-fought ties for second place overall.
The Last Ball Drops in Katy
When the silverball dust finally settled inside EinStein’s pub, Jim Mueller stood alone at the top of the competitive mountain. Securing his eighth consecutive top-three finish—and his second outright victory across his last five circuit appearances—Mueller proved that true pinball greatness requires both mechanical artistry and unyielding mental stamina. It was an unforgettable night of incredible personal milestones, grueling seventy-minute marathons, and community camaraderie that reminds us exactly why we pump quarters into these legendary arcade arenas.
Podium Tied for 2nd:
- 1st Place: Jim Mueller
- 2nd Place (Tied): Craig Squires
- 2nd Place (Tied): Kevin Hemann
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