Beginner’s Guide to Playing Foosball - Part 2

More Tips for Honing Your Foosball Game

Mastering foosball can be a long process, but the more you know about winning strategies and basic mechanics, the faster you’ll be able to sharpen your skills and claim victory over your opponents!

Learning how to control the ball, pass the ball, and score takes a bit of luck but a lot of practice. Keep playing and you’ll be winning in no time.

These tips will help you get handle on the essential elements of the foosball game.

Feel free to check out Part 1 for tips on grip and defense. As always, practice makes perfect!

Passing

Moving the ball strategically across the table will allow you to prepare your goal shots more carefully. Of course, you can pass the ball up and down the field in straight lines by simply kicking it forward or backward, but you can also pass the ball back and forth between players on the same rod, as well as diagonally.

For the “tic-tac” pass, you use the sides of your players’ feet to pass the ball along the same rod. By rotating a player out of position, then back into place to “catch” the pass, you can use your three-player rods to nimbly pass the ball without allowing your opponent a chance to gain control.

For diagonal passing, kick the ball like you would to shoot forward or back, but use the side of the player’s feet. This is sometimes known as “brush passing” because you’re “brushing” against the ball from the side. Similar to angles in billiards, this brush (with forward or backward momentum) will send the ball in a diagonal direction.

Basic Shooting

There are many ways to shoot in foosball, and in the heat of a game, you’ll find scenarios for a wide range of techniques. First, it’s important to note that power shots are not always appropriate. Novice players tend to shoot too hard, losing control of the ball and giving their opponent an opportunity to capitalize. Sometimes high speed shots are necessary, but more often than not, touch is more important.

For more strategic shots, explore “push shots” and “pull shots,” where you use one player to move the ball along one rod (pushing or pulling the rod, like a tic-tac pass), and quickly shooting when the ball reaches a new player.

You can also work on shooting diagonally in the same way you’d perform a brush bass, banking your shots off the walls, and combining techniques for more advanced (and more difficult to defend) shots.

With these foundational foosball strategies, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the methods of the game. Remember that you can practice your shooting and passing techniques on your own, or even run drills with friends and family to learn the game together.

Contact Emerald Spas and Billiards any time to check out our selection of accessories, replacement players, and brand new foosball tables!