Topic: Backpin with banks

[the spray]

Whether you know me or not I've been shooting a pull the last year and a half on the Warrior tour and that's what I shot from 1979 - 1993. In Texas went to my 2ndary shot the BP banks which really worked well. I mean really worked well!!! So figured I would see what you guys thought about switching my main shot to BP series keeping the pull as 2ndary. My answer is here come the banks. Oyeh!!!




                                                                                               THE SPRAY AKA BANKSHOT

[foosdragon]

But you have to be able to go either side with the same motion...maybe a hover from the pin ? You saw how it baffled Tom Goff, and he is a decent goalie. Practice it on the Tornado too. It can be done .

[papafoos]

Yes, but probably not as a primary shot.  I know they're fun, but a pull is more consistent.  I've basically lost my pull from lack of playing.  Now, I rely on a feast or famine pull kick.  When it's on, it's on!  But it varies too much from table to table (and I don't mean table brand).  Once I find the sweet spot on a table, I can pretty well smoke it.  But, one table it requires a long stroke and the other a short one.  Or the placement has to be move forward or back.  Sometimes, by the time I get it figured out, I'm in such a hole it makes it difficult to come back.

If I ever get serious again, I'm going to have to re-establish the pull and use the pull kick sparingly.

I've seen you hit some good banks, but can you keep it up all tournament long?  But if you can't enjoy yourself, it's not fun.  And that's what it's really all about.

[Old Meister]

When ever you can throw a curve into the mix when you already have them working to stop you you will get good things to happen. The key always is to effectively shoot the shot. If you got it going and you have confidence in it then why not? I think some players are scared to death that Warrior play might allow the re-emergence of the 70's style play which is what you are doing. I love backpin options and think it's great you made a noise like you did.

[Anderson]

YES, YES, YES!!!

In 1997-1998 I made about semifinals on Rene-Pierre NC State two years in a row. My primary shot was the bank. Usually pulling the ball from the wall and then banking it forward with the middle, sometimes with my close man(the long bank). This was before I had a reverse bank(toward me). This was also before I even had anything close to a passing game. I one one game in the semis 5-0 with 5 straight banks. Unfortunately I had lost the previous 2 and lost the next. I'm only semi pro and I get a little too worked up in a match. I did back then anyways.

Once everyone learned my style, they started guarding me crossover, where they keep their two man on the far wall(from me) guarding the forward bank. I learned to shoot around the man, how to hit both sides of the goal as well, with steep versus shallow banks, but the two man ultimately made things difficult, so I got away from using the bank as my primary.

Of course the ultimate answer to the crossover defense, is the reverse bank. It took me a while to develop one, but I find all of my banks work far better from the back pin. I had a lot of success until certain defenders started baiting me and anticipating my bank, by quickly switching the 2-man which got in my head. What was missing in my game was the back pin push/pulls. I now have them.

Which leads me to a game I played tonight. After hitting my first shot with a back pin walk back and forth and then shooting a pull, I hit three straight reverse banks(long banks), back pin from middle pushed up to far man and banked toward me HARD AS HELL to my near wall into the goal. The defender than switched out of the crossover for my next possession where I immediately banked forward(long bank), to end the game 5-1.

Now this on Bonzini. I can't bank on Tornado and I just understand how it ever will be possible, but I do believe that it really can work. The push/pulls will keep the two-man parked, which gives you a one-on-one shot with the goalie. The stronger your straights are, the harder it is to anticipate the bank. I even had a shot tonight where I back pin from middle quickly to far, then on the way back to bank forward from the middle. I love the back-pin-bank set and will ultimately quit foosball if I can't be successful with it. It's not about winning to me. If I can't win shooting the shots I love, well I just don't want to play. Well, I do have a good front-pin-pull, but it's so BORING.