Question 2 - Shoot After Serve, Shooting from 5-bar...

Is it legal to shoot the ball into the goal right after you serve it? (yes)
Amy.

2.  Me and my brother were playing a game and he was the only one that touched it and it went in his goal ( it went backwards ) does that score count? Please respond with the answer.  (yes)
Chris Perry.

3.  Hi there! I have a couple quick questions about foos rules...
Upon the initial serve (or any serve), is it legal for a team to shoot directly into the goal from the 5 man rod without any other player touching the ball. For example, if I'm on the blue team, and I serve the ball myself to my own 5 man & shoot the ball in without anyone else touching the ball, is it a goal? (yes)
Also, if only the 5 man rods touch the ball from the initial serve (basically giving the ball back & forth to each other), then one scores directly without anyone else touching the ball, is that a legal goal? (yes)
I used to always play that the ball had to be touched by another rod on the same team other than the 5 man rod before any goal counted, but now I'm not sure that's correct... (wrong)
Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)
Nate S.

4.  (Continued from Question 3-3)...One other question does the ball have to touch both teams to be considered a goal (No, just the serving team). Thanks for your time. 
Lance G.

5.  Regarding this Rule: Serve the ball through the hole any way you want, but you must touch the ball with a man before you score.  Does that mean that you can not score on the very first hit after a serve? (Yes!  The ball must hit the table FIRST, then the serving team (the defense does not need to) must touch it at least one time and then it would be a legal score.)
Josh

Answer

The ball must touch the table surface first, before either team can touch it.  Also, if you spin the ball when you serve it, you the offense, must touch the ball before it scores on the other team or else it is not legal.  So, the ball must touch the table play surface before anyone hits it and the serving team must touch the ball before they can score it on the defense.  Trick question: if the team serving the ball spins it so much it goes into their OWN goal, well that would count!

-stacey, foosball.com staff and certified official