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Episode 138: Alek Kaczmarczyk, Steel City wiz kid

Pinball Profile·podcast_episode·8m 20s·held·Jun 27, 2018
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.023

TL;DR

IFPA 15: Rising Pittsburgh star Alexander Kuzmarchuk on becoming elite young player, tournament success, and collecting vintage games.

Summary

Jeff Teels interviews Alexander Kuzmarchuk, a young elite pinball player from Pittsburgh, at IFPA 15. Alex discusses his entry into pinball (via Lost World Jurassic Park at age 13), his success in tournaments like Buffalo Pinball Summer Open and Pittsburgh Pinball Open, his learning from watching gameplay videos and local legends like Steven Bowden and Keith Elwin, his participation in Papa TV events, and his preference for pin golf format and classic/Sega machines. The interview highlights him as part of a new generation of exceptionally skilled young players reshaping competitive pinball.

Key Claims

  • Alexander Kuzmarchuk won the Buffalo Pinball Summer Open and Pittsburgh Pinball Open (defeating Steven Bowden in a rematch)

    high confidence · Jeff Teels introducing Alexander, citing personal attendance at these events

  • Alexander started playing pinball seriously at age 13 after initially playing Lost World Jurassic Park at age 6

    high confidence · Alexander directly stating his pinball origin story in interview

  • Papa has regular tournaments on Sunday and Thursday with fight clubs and three or four strike knockouts

    high confidence · Alexander confirming Papa tournament schedule

  • Alexander participates in Papa Monday Night TV events including Iron Maiden, Catacomb, and Lord of the Rings

    high confidence · Alexander confirming his participation in Papa TV broadcasts

  • Alexander prefers pin golf format over other tournament styles

    high confidence · Alexander directly stating preference for pin golf

  • Alexander recently acquired Iron Man and has Iron Maiden on the way to his personal collection

    high confidence · Jeff Teels asking and Alexander confirming his collecting activity

  • Young players like Alexander, Escher Lefkow (PAPA 20 winner at 15), and Colin Urban (PAPA circuit finals runner-up) represent the future of competitive pinball

    high confidence · Jeff Teels commentary on generational shift in pinball talent

Notable Quotes

  • “I watched a lot of gameplay videos on YouTube of Bowen and Keith Elwin. I just watch hours because I was like during my homeschool on my break, I'll start watching them videos.”

    Alexander Kuzmarchuk @ ~15:30 — Reveals how young elite players are self-teaching through digital media rather than purely in-person apprenticeship

  • “I really like going to the tournament in north Carolina the obx one. I just like going out there because in beach I like that event. I just like the setup, the lineup, just like everything about it and the location.”

    Alexander Kuzmarchuk @ ~24:00 — Identifies OBX (Outer Banks) tournament as a favorite, highlighting venue quality and setup mattering to elite players

  • “I like pin golf. Yeah, I like it. I do too. Can't seem to ever make the playoffs in it because I don't play for trying to get everything in one ball.”

    [name withheld pending review] @ ~27:00 — Establishes pin golf as a preferred format; shows generational divide in how young vs. older players approach this variant

  • “Josh Sharpe calls the new hotness, meaning a new young player to watch out for, in Johannes Ostermeyer from Germany. Have you seen him yet?”

    Jeff Teels @ ~33:00 — Identifies emerging German young talent Johannes Ostermeyer as player to watch at IFPA 15

  • “You're great but not too many young guys I've noticed like the older games you love them do you prefer them? I guess I do yeah I prefer like the segas and segas I like my segas.”

    Jeff Teels / Alexander Kuzmarchuk @ ~44:00 — Reveals Alexander's preference for classic Sega machines; Jeff jokes about potential 'Sega rebirth' CEO role

  • “We might see a sega rebirth alexander karsmarczyk the future ceo of sega pinball.”

    Jeff Teels @ ~46:00 — Playful speculation about Alexander's future involvement with Sega pinball, reflecting his passion for classic machines

Entities

Alexander KuzmarchukpersonJeff TeelspersonSteven BowdenpersonKeith ElwinpersonChris StevenspersonJohn RapoglepersonFred CochranpersonEscher LefkowpersonColin UrbanpersonJosh Sharpe

Signals

  • ?

    competitive_signal: Multiple sources confirm a wave of exceptionally skilled young pinball players (Alexander Kuzmarchuk, Escher Lefkow, Colin Urban, Johannes Ostermeyer) dominating elite tournaments, suggesting generational shift in competitive pinball skill distribution

    high · Escher Lefkow PAPA 20 winner at 15, Colin Urban PAPA circuit finals runner-up, Johannes Ostermeyer at IFPA 15 at age 16, Alexander Kuzmarchuk winning major tournaments while young

  • ?

    content_signal: Young elite players are self-teaching through YouTube gameplay videos rather than purely in-person mentorship, changing how pinball skill development happens

    high · Alexander stated he watched 'hours' of Keith Elwin and Steven Bowden gameplay videos during homeschool breaks to improve

  • ?

    competitive_signal: Pin golf format appears to be gaining traction among young elite players as preferred tournament variant, though older players struggle with its strategic demands

    medium · Alexander stated preference for pin golf, Jeff Teels acknowledged difficulty with format, suggesting generational divide in tournament format appeal

  • ?

    venue_signal: Elite players are discriminating about tournament venues based on setup quality, game lineup, and location amenities—OBX tournament highlighted as preferred destination

    medium · Alexander praised OBX for 'setup, lineup, everything about it, and the location,' suggesting quality factors beyond just game selection matter

  • ?

    community_signal: Host Jeff Teels notes young players have cognitive advantages (less distractions, no back aches, fewer work obligations) that may contribute to their dominance

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.025

0:00
It's time for another Pinball Profile. I'm your host, Jeff Teels. You can find our group on Facebook. We're also on Twitter at Pinball Profile. Email us, pinballprofile at gmail.com. And please subscribe on either iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Now, I've talked to this guy several times. I've even shared a few meals with him as well. He is one of those young up-and-comers who's actually, he's already made it because he's won so much. In fact, the first time I met him and talked to him was when he kicked butt at the Buffalo Pinball Summer Open last year. He did it again at Pittsburgh Pinball Open when he defeated Steve Bowden in a rematch. He's Alexander Kuzmarchuk and he joins us right now. Hey Alex, how are you? Doing good today, Jeff. We're here outside at IFPA 15, just in Keswick at Adam Becker's rooster farm, apparently, and Press Start Arcade. Alex is one of those young guys that people have been watching for a few years. How did it start for you? Do you even remember the first pinball game you played? Yes, it was a NASCAR. NASCAR? Yeah. And you loved it? Yeah, I was very young. I was probably six. I barely remember what the heck I was doing on it. But you do remember that game, and you wanted to play it over and over again, or was it just like, eh? No, because my parents didn't know really what to buy me on Christmas, so they asked. It was a friend of my dad. He had a bunch of games. He asked him, do you got any dinosaur-themed pinballs? He said he had a Lost World Jurassic Park. We got it, and I played it a few times, got bored of it, never played it again for a few years. Then for some reason, I went downstairs to the basement one night and just started playing and really liked it. I think I was 13 when I started playing again. You were playing at your home. Was that the only game you had? At the time, yes, that was the only game I had. In Pittsburgh, there's so many places to play where you're from, and of course Papa and Pinberg. When were you first involved in Papa?
1:58
Probably I going to have to say probably a few months probably four months after that I started playing that game again I started finding out there was these tournaments and stuff It took me a while to find out about all the tournaments I've always wondered, because there are certain places in North America, you think of Seattle, you think of Chicago, so many great players in New York, and definitely Pittsburgh. And you're one of the best players in the world, but when you're playing against other amazing players in Pittsburgh, and we can name so many of them. Chris Stevens, there's John Rapogle, Fred Cochran. There's just so many great players there. And you're hanging with them. Do you realize at that point how good you really are? Yeah, I'm happy I get to hang out with them. Do they teach you a lot too, or just do you kind of learn from osmosis when you're watching those guys? Yeah, I guess you kind of learn, you take it in as you watch. I know like one thing I did when I first started, I watched a lot of gameplay videos on YouTube of Bowen and Keith Allen. I just watch hours because I was like during my homeschool on my break, I'll start watching them videos.
person
Johannes Ostermeyerperson
Deb Tellmanperson
Adam Beckerperson
Andy Rosaperson
Heaven Binghamperson
Pinball Profileorganization
Papaorganization
Press Start Arcadevenue
IFPAevent
Buffalo Pinball Summer Openevent
Pittsburgh Pinball Openevent
OBX Tournamentevent
Freeplay Floridaevent
PAPA 20event

medium · Jeff's commentary on young players having 'less things to think of, got less work, less back aches' suggesting structural life advantages in competitive play

  • ?

    collector_signal: Young elite players like Alexander are actively collecting and purchasing games, including newer releases (Iron Man) and desiring upcoming releases (Iron Maiden), suggesting younger demographic is entering collector market

    high · Alexander confirmed recent Iron Man acquisition and Iron Maiden on the way; also noted preference for classic Sega machines

  • ?

    player_preference_signal: Young elite player Alexander shows strong preference for classic/Sega-era games over modern titles, countering potential assumption that new players only want newer machines

    medium · Alexander stated preference for Segas and older games like X Files and Doodlebug, Jeff joked about 'Sega rebirth' CEO potential

  • ?

    venue_signal: Papa facility's future ownership is uncertain and community members hope for sale to restore public access to game library

    high · Jeff expressed hope that 'Papa facility gets sold so that we can see all those games once again,' indicating facility access concerns

  • ?

    event_signal: IFPA 15 is being held at Press Start Arcade in Keswick with Adam Becker's property involvement; Johannes Ostermeyer identified as emerging talent to watch

    high · Episode recorded at IFPA 15 location, Johannes Ostermeyer presence and Josh Sharpe endorsement as 'new hotness'

  • ?

    competitive_signal: Some tournaments use limited entry caps that affect player participation strategy (e.g., Freeplay Florida classics tournament limited to 40 entrants, requiring early arrival)

    medium · Jeff noted Freeplay Florida classics required early arrival and limited to ~40 people, affecting whether he attended OBX instead

  • ?

    content_signal: Papa is actively producing and broadcasting televised pinball gameplay (Papa Monday Night TV) featuring elite players on games like Iron Maiden, Catacomb, and Lord of the Rings

    high · Alexander confirmed participation in Papa Monday Night TV broadcasts on multiple games; Jeff referenced watching these broadcasts

    • 3:02
    Did you pick games that you knew you were going to play or just any game and then seek to find that game?
    3:08
    Yeah, I guess so. Yeah, I'll go look and probably when I went to Papa, I'll go Papa play it. Well, you get to actually go to the Papa facility quite a bit. I know us regular folks, we certainly hope that facility gets sold so that we can see all those games once again. But you have some regular tournaments there, don't you? Yeah, they have them each Sunday and Thursday. They have fight clubs or three or sometimes four strike knockouts. And you've been also doing a lot of the Monday Night Papa TV stuff. I saw you on Iron Maiden and I think Catacomb even. Yeah, I did those two now. Lord of the Rings. Again, watching that, you're playing with John, you're playing with Chris. And I know the night I watched, you kicked butt. And I think even Iron Maiden too. Yeah. Do you get any pressure from people watching you either live or knowing that you're on television? And possibly lots of people are going to be watching this. I mean, you really gotta perform. Yeah, I don't know, I never really thought of it. Just never really bothered me because I never really think of it. How do I give you that pressure? How do I put that on your shoulders for crying out loud? Well you remember that time in Louisville when you were filming me on playing that blackjack Didn affect me Yeah that might have been a dollar game that you destroyed Oh that right i was like right in your face i think i i think i tommied the machine threw some dollars over your flippers yep you did didn matter you beat andy rosa myself and heaven bingham yeah that's true of course fake dollars right we don't gamble although i think it's legal now in the states yeah yeah would you like to see gambling and pinball would you like to come to something like ifpa 15 and see your odds alex kuzmarchuk 10 to 1 odds to win you'd money on that wouldn't you or put money against it and just tank you yeah you'd never do that
    4:40
    so you've been to a bunch of different tournaments is there one you love is there a format you prefer i really like going to the tournament in north carolina the obx one i just like going out there because in beach i like that event i just like the setup the lineup just like everything about it and the location that flippers yep i like i don't know i just like you just go up put your quarters in the game? I just missed out going to that. I decided to go to Freeplay Florida instead at the time because I wanted to play, I like classics tournaments and there was no guarantee that I was going to get in the classics tournament. So I knew I could get in the main, but I think you had to arrive early and then be, say, one of 40 people. And if we recall, and I know she was on this program, Deb Tellman, she won that tournament, the classics, but it was limited entry, or not entry, but limited number of players. It was unfortunate. That was the deterrent for me not to go to OBX, but maybe something I'll check out in the future. It was really good. Yep, I like OBX. So what about match play, pin golf, papa format? Is there a style head-to-head? What do you like? I like pin golf. Pin golf? Yeah, I like it. I do too. Can't seem to ever make the playoffs in it because I don't play for trying to get everything in one ball, and it's such a different strategy, and you're so focused in on the score, at least I am, that it probably takes away from your game. I don't know. To me, I find it kind of easy because to me it's simple. You got this one goal, that's all you're doing. You make me sick. Anyway.
    6:04
    You make it sound so easy. And it's not just you, it's so many great young players. Escher Lefkow the PAPA 20 winner the world champ He did that when he was 15 Colin Urban almost won the PAPA circuit finals coming second to Josh Sharp That sounds weird
    6:21
    And now we're seeing here at IFPA 15, somebody that Josh Sharp calls the new hotness, meaning a new young player to watch out for, in Johannes Ostermeyer from Germany. Have you seen him yet?
    6:33
    Not really. I haven't seen him. I've seen him, I think, a few times playing right now. 16 calm cool collected and just a beast on machines what is it about you young guys is do you absorb rules better than old farts like me probably got less things to think of got less work less back aches thanks very much um the young players i've been so impressed with and what i like about that yourself alexander that's the future of pinball and you're now collecting games too i think the most recent one you got was iron man and iron maiden's on its way yep you like some of the older games too i remember we were playing what game was it was it x files or some oh i love x files and doodlebug you like that too don't you yeah like it's very weird well so are you in the sense that one you're great but not too many young guys i've noticed like the older games you love them do you prefer them i guess i do yeah i prefer like the segas and segas i like my segas we might see a sega rebirth alexander karsmarczyk the future ceo of sega pinball. Well, best of luck at IFPA 15. This will come out. You've probably won it already by now. But anyway, all the best, Alexander, and it's always great seeing you. Thank you, Jeff. This has been your Pinball Profile. You can find our group on Facebook. We're also on Twitter at Pinball Profile. Email us pinballprofile at gmail.com and please subscribe on either iTunes, Stitcher or Google Play. I'm Jeff Teel.
    8:04
    Yeah Yeah, John the Rooster Yeah