The Foos about Foosball

Foosball... I never took interest on this game when I first saw it. I never thought that I would get addicted on this game and would get serious in playing it.

The first time I saw a foosball was on a TV series (I’ve forgotten on what TV series I saw it) with the main character and his friends playing with it on a bar. Foosball is not a popular game here in the Philippines. It is usually seen in bars and some companies usually BPO and call centers.

A foosball is usually a table with eight rods and a ball. There is a goal at each end and a place to serve on each side in the middle.  The objective of the game is to shoot the ball on your opponent’s goal while preventing the ball from going into your own goal. You serve it; you pass and try to score. Just remember that you have to shoot on the right side.

Foosball can be played by two or four players or it depends on how large and how many are the rods of the table. The most common table is the one with eight rods and can be played by a maximum of four players. A player will choose if he will be a goalie (more on defense) or the attacker (the scorer). The role of the goalie is to prevent the opponent from scoring and passing the ball to the attacker. The attacker is the player responsible for scoring.

The basic rule of foosball is one, if a ball goes into the goal legally it is considered as a point no matter who hit it and second, no spinning of the rods. Some rules include 1) serving the ball through the hole, 2) ball off the table is given to the team last scored upon, 3) you cannot reach into the table for the ball while it is in play. There are other rules used in foosball but these are the basic rules.

Popular shot on foosball is the pull shot and Rollover or Monkey. Below is the detailed description of each shot:

Pull shot - You set the ball up next to the middle man far away from you and slightly behind the rod. You pull the ball towards you and snap it into the goal.

Rollover or Monkey - The ball starts under the front toe, you place your WRIST on the handle and you move the ball to one side or another then pull up on your wrist, this causes the ball to shoot into the goal.

Tic Tack Shot: Bounce the ball back and forth between your men on the 3-bar at random then "slap" the ball into the goal.

Aside from shooting, an important skill to learn in playing foosball is passing the ball to your teammate. Focus is important in passing the ball. Once you have the ball, the idea is to pass it to the 3-bar so that it improves your chances of hitting a goal. Passing helps to prevent your opponent from placing the ball on his favourable position to hit a goal. It also gives you a more control and has a better possession of the ball.

Well, these are some of the basic ideas of Foosball. You’ll understand the game better once you’ve actually tried it.

Why do I play foosball? First, it’s a good pastime game. It does not use much of a time. There is excitement and adrenaline rush even if it does not require you to run or jump. Second, it’s with foosball that I’ve met new friends and discover new skills. These friends help me realize my potentials and how fun it is to move out from your comfort zone.