HOW TO PLAY
Table Soccer is an exciting game for 2 players combining intricate skill, tactics, and quick thinking.
It is the best and most realistic of all table soccer games. Nowadays, it is a welcome break from the PC or video game. It is the real thing.
The technique to propel the figures is by flicking them with either index or middle finger. Figures must be flicked cleanly with the fingernail without use of the thumb as either a spring or a rest. The bases of the figures can be cleaned and polished before a game to help them slide accurately along the field.
It was invented in 1929 by William Keeling of Liverpool, England, who named it New Footy. Peter Adolph invented a similar game called Subbuteo in 1947 and bought out New Footy in the early 1960s. The game was then popularized by Subbuteo from this era onwards, concentrated mainly in Europe.
After a very successful period in the 1970s, the sport has since suffered, especially in the last 10 years due to changing leisure pursuits, brought on by the computer and internet revolution. However, there has been a recent revival in its popularity with more and more clubs being set up worldwide.
Table Soccer can appeal to everyone, male or female, young or old, at local, national, or international level.
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INTRODUCTION TO THE RULES
The object of the game is to retain possession of the ball until a goal is scored. Like all sports, the player with the most goals wins the game! All games are two halves of fifteen minutes, with players changing ends at half time.
Figures must be flicked cleanly using only the fingernail of either middle or index finger. Leverage can be gained from the playing cloth but there must be no contact between the flicking finger and the thumb during a shot.
To score the ball must first be fully over the shooting line (the line that divides the halfway line and the goal-line).
Possession can be given away by:
a) Missing the ball
b) Hitting the ball onto an opponent\'s figure
c) Hitting the ball out of play
d) Conceding a free kick (by hitting any figure before the ball)
e) Touching any figure by accident (players can agree to ignore this rule)
For every attacking shot the defenders can have one blocking flick. This blocking flick must not touch any figure or the ball otherwise the attacker can opt to have it replaced to its original position. The attacker does not have to wait for the defender\'s blocking flick.
The attacker can only have a maximum three touches of the ball with one figure in succession. After the third flick the ball must touch or be touched by another figure before the attacker can use this figure again in the same possession.
For the complete rules covering throw-ins, free kicks, corners and offside please see the official rulebook - FISTF rules
HISTORY
- Invented in 1929 by William Keeling of Liverpool, England, who named it New Footy.
- Peter Adolph invented a similar game called Subbuteo in 1947, and bought out New Footy in the early 1960s.
- Subbuteo went through a very successful period in the 1970s in Europe, particularly in the UK, where editions such as cricket and rugby were introduced.
- There were two separate World Associations playing different rules for a period of around thirty years - FISA (Federation of International Subbuteo Associations) and the ETF (European Tablesoccer Federation).
- The two Associations merged in 1993 to become FISTF (Federation of International Sports Table Football), which exists to this day as the official World Federation.
- Click HERE to visit the FISTF website
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