DejiOne of the most addictive table games out there is foosball. This is because involves fierce competition, which is mentally and physically tasking.
To win a foosball game, every single player has their own foosball strategy they adopt. With a foosball strategy, you can exhaust your opponent and put yourself in a winning position.
If you’re new in the game, you first need to learn the basics. After that, you’ll now take the next step by looking for new strategies to beat top opponents.
Along with having a quality foosball table, here are 10 foosball strategies to improve your game whether you’re a beginner or a pro:
10 Foosball Strategies to Improve Your Game
1. Avoid Spinning
This isn’t really a foosball tip but a rule in foosball that every player needs to follow, even if you’re playing the game for the first time.
According to Rule 13 of USTSA Rules of Play, spinning your rods in foosball is illegal. Spinning the rods can also cause damage to the table and warp the rods itself.
Apart from these, it’s an ineffective shooting technique because you’ll have a much less accurate and less powerful shot.
2. Let Your Grip Stay Relaxed
As pressure and competition becomes heated up, several foosballers hold the handle tightly. It’d be best if you avoided this. Instead, ensure you maintain a relaxed grip.
This is a crucial technique in foosball that helps you maintain space between fingers, palm as well as the handle. A relaxed grip makes it easy for you to adapt to varied shots type, to block the maneuver, too.
3. Defense Is Crucial to Making a Pass
Since opponent’s shots are blocked with the defense rod, this makes several players utilize it and shoot the ball. But if you don’t know this, take note of it now: Using defense, a ball can be passed easily.
For this reason, as part of essential foosball strategies to improve your game, this tip is given so you can avoid allowing the ball to pass blindly. Consider making a calculated move, whether it’s a lane, wall, or the bounce pass. That way, you can move ahead by maintaining full control over the ball.
4. Be Unpredictable
If you intend learning how to play foosball like a pro, you need to apply some creativity to your game. A little creativity that the opposing player won’t see coming is a crucial trick shot in foosball.
This can allow you to score easily and freely. Don’t act surprised, but be creative.
5. Ensure the Rod Stays Lubricated
You can use oil as a lubricant to make the rods smooth and faster. Also, along the rod and its ends, ensure the rubber bumpers have a slide because this allows for better residue clean-up.
6. Put up Your Best Performance When Playing with the Best
If you’re playing with ace foosballers, you would want to put in your best, and you will not like losing. Even if you’ve such an intention, as part of foosball tips, you’ll still learn and improve your game even if you end up losing the game.
7. Serving Cup Technique
As soon as a goal is scored, ensure you make use of the serving Cup method. Also, it’ll be easy if you choose a foosball table you choose to play on contains a serving cup.
The Serving Cup left edge top is where you’ll put the ball, after which it’ll be allowed to release slowly to have it spiraled on the right end, just down the cup. One side drop, the ball rolls right, towards the 5-man rod.
8. Consider Taking a Wall Pass
Passing is essential to carry out a well-executed offense in this game. The technique will keep your opponent guessing, allowing you to move the ball forward methodically to achieve better scoring positions.
The wall pass is among the easiest and most effective techniques for passing the ball forward. It’s a great method for passing the ball forward to your 3-man rod.
To do the wall pass, start by controlling the ball on the inside edge of your number 2 five-man. Then, position a 3-man forward against the wall, after which you’ll slide the ball to the wall using your 5-man.
Lastly, slip it through quickly to your forward.
#9) Make Use of the Lane
A lane pass is just like the wall pass. However, there’s a key difference: The lane pass prevents the opposing player from just planting his 5-man rod against the wall to block it.
You will slide the ball here from the inside edge of your player, but get a slot before the wall. To receive the pass, ensure your forward is placed about 2 ball widths from the wall.
#10) Do a Wall Bounce Pass
When your game is getting too predictable with the wall pass, you can re-direct the ball with a bounce.
Trick the opposing player into thinking you’re going to pass it up the wall again, but rather than doing that, bounce it back in the opposite direction back to your number 2 five-man, and pass the ball through quickly to your forward.
Just like with the lane pass above, the forward needs to be placed about 2 ball widths from the wall.
Wrapping up: More Practice Yields More Perfection
This is true of every game or sport. The more you practice your foosball shooting techniques, the more perfection you can achieve in your game. Practice certain techniques regularly to play foosball like a pro.
While you can improve your passing and shooting skills all by yourself, you will need an opponent to enhance certain skills, such as defensive techniques.
If you’re opportune to train and also play, consider setting up certain scenarios like playing foosball goalie wars with friends. Working with the 10 foosball strategies to improve your game, which are outlined above, it becomes achievable to take your game to the next level and defeat your opponents consistently.