Topic: Foosball (Whack a mole!)

[jjohnson]

So I'm just getting use to a Garlando Table (btw, I'm new to foosball) and I 'thought' I was improving.  Improving in the sense of the technique involved shooting a proper pull shot, push kick, pull kick, passing.   

We had a couple of friends come by for a freindly game and we got absolutely schooled!  The sad thing is, they didn't even do a SINGLE pass or a Pull/push shot/kick, snake, pin…NOT ONE named 'shot'.   
All they did was 'one time' the ball and hit the ball towards the direction of the goal as soon as the ball rolled their way (again, basically a one timer).  They weren't even aiming half the time and their was no really chance to grab a rebound because they were hitting the ball so hard (no, they weren't spinning).  As soon as the ball rolled back, they would again, 'one time' the ball and eventually it would go in!  They didn't even make ONE attempt to stop the ball and set up a shot.

They've only played on a FABI table which explains alot.  They were scoring (one timing the ball) from all over the place, specifically from the 5 man rod at the start of play.  I'm still learning how to perform the 'named' shots and they are improving but the frequency of connecting correctly needs to improve.  I'm wondering though, should I also start learning how to 'one time' my shots as well along with the 'proper' shots?

Also, any advice how to play against people with this 'WHACK A MOLE' style of play?

[redterror]

lol half the game is luck.  you're lucky they were not spinning.

[CanuckFoos]

They're fastball players by the sound of things, I hear they play it alot in Quebec.  My best advice is to play as strong positionally as you can and wait for your chances.  I'm not an expert Garlando player though.

[papafoos]

Practice your ball control.  After you get that down, you can control the pace of the game.

[Daniel]

Just give it time when you learn the fundamentals it might start out slow up soon you will be kicking there ass.  Also if you keep one hand on the goalie rod it will help keep some of the lucky shots from going in.

[PatRyan]

That is definitely the fastball style of play.  I don't know if Mario Ariganello read this forum, but he was/is a great Garlando/Fabi player.  He may have some tips for playing against this style of game.  Ask him about the fastball tournament he played in Italy a few years ago,  it is a good story.  I will try to find him and ask him to respond here.

[Mario Ariganello]

Whack a mole I have never heard that one before.

Fastball is one crazy game. If you are starting out I would recommend you join in on the fun. Fastball increases your hand Eye much faster than starting out playing passing. It will benefit you in the long run.

Learning how to stop angled shots and slop is a big bonus. If you want to get good fast in passing it’s always best to stick to one shot and continue doing it till you get good at it. The best 5 bar serious to use on that table is chip pass and ramp pass. You like how I say ramp pass because the ramp pass can’t be stopped when done right. Once you learn that you live with the ball on your 3. That will give you a lot of opportunity to practice your shot.

Fastball goalies have the best positioning. The goalies always block using a V defense. Goalie \ and 2 bars / it look like this \/ about inch to half inch away from each other. The only time you put the 2 bar forward is when the ball is on the middle of the table on the 3 bar because on garlando the nets are big and you can cut the ball on either side of the net so you must stick your 2 bar forward.

A great passing player will always school a great fastball player any day. It only takes 5 positions to win. It takes 50 positions to win in fastball sometimes way more.

If you want to better your chances against any fastball player slow the game down. They hate that. The name of the game is position. If you’re playing doubles the goalie can never give any rebounds. Always clear the ball. Banks are always your best bet. Don’t let the forward get into the game. 

If you’re playing singles you should learn how to play with one hand on the goalie rod and 2 bars. This is the best technique once mastered no one will ever score on you when throwing the ball in and shooting 5 bar hacks. I learned that from Frederico Colignon. It’s really smart because it’s all about zone defense. The only time your left hand is not in the back is when you have the ball and you’re on offence.

If there is any other questions please feel free to ask. Italy was definitly a fun time for me I will tell the story of how i qualified for ITSF in Italy. That was one funny story.

[PatRyan]

Thanks for the insight Mario!!

You still play any Fabi?


See you at Tornado Worlds (if not sooner).

Pat Ryan

[Mario Ariganello]

Yeah I still play a little. I go play about once or twice a month. I love playing on fabi tables they help out my game like crazy. Ball control is so difficult on those tables. I have to adjust quite a bit which helps me when i go to tournaments on different table. No excuses if i can play on a fabi I can play on anything.

I will most likely be going to Kentucky for the Warrior tournament. So if I dont see you there than I will see you at worlds.

[gitablok]

Hopefully, by the time you get to Kentucky you will have learned how to use those timeouts.........lol.

What's up my man? Hope to see you there.


ICEMAN.

[Mario Ariganello]

Iceman you should know i dont believe in time outs. Your right tho i do need to learn how to use my time outs. Thanks for the reminder.

Kane and I have been practicing a little we should be ready for Warrior cant wait.

I will definitly see you there. This tournament cant be missed.

[chex]

A great passing player will always school a great fastball player any day.

Lol, that is very true.  There was this group of Italians at my previous workplace who only played no-passage.  The first time I played against them, my friend and I who play passage kicked their asses badly.  And they would get more and more aggravated as each game followed.  Everytime I would set up for a pull shot or a push-kick, they would say stuff like "I'm falling asleep".  I won't even go into their snickering and side-comments when I used the occasional snake.  So I learned a couple of no-passage shots like off-the-walls just to shut them up and I still beat them. 

As a beginner, it's tempting to just hit the ball at every chance you get, and as you improve, it will be tough to break that habbit.  You should definitely learn a true 1-timer (pass from 5-bar and shoot from 3-bar right away) but learning to catch the ball and overall control is definitely the way to go.