About This Format
Best Game Qualifying is a format where players play individual games on machines and their best score(s) count toward their qualifying standing. Unlike card-based formats, each game is played and scored independently — there is no grouping of games into cards.
How It Works
Players play single-player games on designated machines. Their top N scores (for example, best 5 scores) across all their attempts are used to determine their qualifying position. This gives players the freedom to focus on specific machines where they feel they can post strong scores.
HERB-Style
Named after Herb Silverman, the HERB variant is a common implementation of Best Game Qualifying. In a HERB-style event, players typically submit their best scores on a set of machines, with rankings determined by comparing each player's best performances.
Hybrid Mode
In Hybrid mode, the number of qualifying attempts is determined by the number of unique machine titles played — specifically, the attempt count equals four times the number of unique games played. This encourages players to try a wider variety of machines rather than grinding a single game for a high score. Hybrid mode earns a higher TGP multiplier (3x instead of 1x per game) because of this built-in variety requirement.
Finals Requirement
Best Game Qualifying requires a separate finals stage involving direct player-vs-player competition (such as bracket or group elimination play) to be eligible for IFPA endorsement, with at least 10% of participants advancing to finals.