A table soccer may be just what you were thinking of when you were trying to find something to do to keep your family busy when you cannot go outside and there does not seem to be anything to do. Of course this is not simply a game that is limited to being played, but it can break up the doldrums that come with cabin fever.
How to play table soccer?
Table soccer, or foosball, as it is often called, is something that comes with its own set of rules, just like the real game! There’s more to it than spinning the handles, and if you want to play well and to play fairly there are a number of different things that you need to keep in mind.
First, let’s start with the kick off. If there is whole on the side of the board, a third person might push it through, but if you do not have one, the ball should be placed under the foot of any five figure. This is the player who is going to do the kick off, and it should not happen until both players have agreed that they are ready. One rule that is very popular is that you need to make a pass of the ball on the 5 bar before you start to do anything else with the ball. Otherwise, any goal that you score does not count and your opponent receives possession of the ball.
There are several rules of the table soccer game that you are going to need to learn if you are going to be a good player. For instance, if the ball ends up leaving table, it goes back to the player who served it for another 5 bar kick off. If the ball comes to stop between the 2 bar and the goal, you should have a kick off played from the 2 bar, though if the ball falls dead anywhere else, it is going to need to go back to the 5 bar.
When do you score when you are playing table soccer? Any player on the field can score a goal, and if the ball enters the goal but bounces out, that will still count as a goal. The question of whether you can score a goal against yourself (something that happens quite often when you are dealing with new players) is something that should be decided on before you start the game. Some people feel that you should not be able to score goals against yourself period, while other people feel that if you score a goal against yourself due to an infringement of the rules by the other player that it should count against them in a deduction of points!
Table soccer, like any game or sport, does have it’s problems with knobs, people who don’t know the game, and are unwilling to learn. Most generously, they will figure it out at some point and get better, but some people remain beginners for their entire lives. Some beginner behavior that you might recognize will include lifting the table while the ball is in play, banging or jarring it, or even kicking or bumping it. If the ball is in play, they might blow on it or even put their hands on the playing field, actions that are not allowed.
Think about the fact that the whole family can be hanging out around the table watching and cheering each other on as you go and face one another in a family tournament. It can be a great way to get the kids away from the television and in a somewhat active state as they will be moving their hands and in all likelihood be jumping around as the ball is knocked back and forth between the two teams. There are many different models and styles that one can choose from and there are different types and sizes of tables that one can buy to be able to enjoy and entertain oneself during the game.
Some options that are out there are tables that have electronic scoring or ones that will cover the entire kitchen table. However, because these are table versions you will be able to store them easily and will not need a dedicated part of the house to be able to store the game for use.
Being able to bring you and your family together for a night or afternoon of fun and excitement without spending a lot of money or leaving the house is one of the best things about this table game. It is about being able to have the fast paced excitement and fun as well as quality time all rolled into one.
Depending on how big of a table as well as the features that you are looking to get for the game will carry a large weight as far as pricing for the game is concerned. Features such as automatic scoring or how detailed the players in the game are will add or subtract from the price of the table game. Make sure to know how large and what you want before going and getting a game that will not fit and therefore not store easily in your home.