Looking over at some people playing foosball, it may seem like a simple table game based on an easy concept. At first glance, all the game involves is the push and pull of eight foosball rods. Turning them makes the foosball men kick the ball around the table.
The aim is to get the ball into the opponent’s goal. Of course, that is at first glance. In reality there is a lot more to the game, especially for those highly skilled foosball table players that turn the game into a sport at competition level.
Before You Start the Game
Before you start playing, you need to make sure you have the right stance and grip. This will impact your overall performance.
- Stance: The main focus is to be comfortable and to position your body to allow free movement. Experts suggest that you slightly angle your body and feet diagonally, with the left side of your body closest to the foosball table and your right side further away.
- Grip: Having the right grip on the foosball table will affect your accuracy and shot speed. It is best to keep a loose grip on the handles to allow for increased speed and movement. There are two main grips that are used in foosball; the traditional shot grip and the open handed foosball grip.
Foosball Serve
Similar to that of a kick-off in soccer or football, serving in foosball will start every game. The serve in foosball is known as the “drop”. You can already gain the upper hand in your game just by serving correctly and by serving to yourself. There are no foosball rules that are against serving the ball to your own men. To ensure a fair game, the team that is scored against gets the chance to serve the next ball.
Foosball Passing
If you want to become an advanced foosball player, or at least become good at your game, then you need to learn to pass the ball. If you are playing doubles, it is not important to know how to pass to your teammate. However, it is important to know how to pass from the 5 bar to the offensive 3 bar, this will help you make the most of your serve and increase your opportunities on offence.
There are two popular passes that are used in tournament play and are generally the most effective in foosball play in passing from the 5 bar to the 3 bar.
– The Brush Pass
– The Tic-Tac Pass
The next important step to learn is being able to pass the ball back and forth laterally between your offensive 3 bar foosball men without losing the ball. This passing helps you set up your foosball shots properly, without losing the ball to your opponent, it also helps you to fake a pass and shoot the ball unexpectedly.
Foosball Catching
In foosball, a catch is when you are able to stop a pass or a loose ball in order to gain control of the ball. Foosball catching is important because it helps you maximize your offensive opportunities. It also assists you in limiting your opponent’s ball possession.
The golden rule of foosball catching is to tilt your bar at an angle so that you can cushion the ball and prevent it from bouncing off your man. The ideal angle to tilt your man is 35-40 degrees.
Spinning the Foosball Rods
Spinning the foosball rods is against the rules of foosball. Spinning the rods is not only cheating, but you will never advance your skills if you get into this bad habit.
Strategy
If you want to improve your game, here are some helpful strategies:
- Learn to serve the ball to yourself.
- Pass the ball from the 5 bar to the 3 bar.
- Always follow the foosball with your men.
- Focus on one shot strategy.
- Shoot with an open hand, or use the wrist flick strategy.
- Maintain ball control.
More important than your foosball shot speed, it is important to time your opponent. Foosball is a mental game as much as it is a game of skill. If you want to become an advanced and skilful player, then practice will make perfect.
