Topic: Front-pin (euro-pin) direct shot.

[Malamir]

I'm a newbie keen on front-pin shot. I love to watch Collignon in action. There are quite a few thing that I don't know how to execute with the front-pin. One of them is the direct (straight) shot. I found a tutorial on youtube but the guy is not in contact with the handle at all the time while executing the shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0HVr3dz49A&feature=relmfu

Is it a valid shot on this tutorial or is there another way to shoot straight in front-pin?

Many thanks,
Malamir

[SilentSam]

Yes it's valid. Yes, there are other ways of shooting the straight. The other way is to simply move around the ball, backswing, come back to it and shoot it straight in (without spinning). Best of luck with your shot, you picked one of the hardest shots to master.

[Malamir]

Thank you SilentSam. I tried without spinning but I cannot shoot it straight I always get to some sort of diagonal and ends up blocked by the defense.
I think in the first shot (starts at 15 sec) in this video grand-master Collegnon is doing the spinning straight shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQNcPdzeg1w&t=15s

Once again thank you very much!

[garabdorje]

You just need to practice the shot. At first the same thing happened to me, my preferred shot is the euro pin. So to get the ball to shot straight you need to pull your hand up in a perfectly straight motion. It is an open hand shot as you can see from Collignon videos. The trick is to not pull sideways because that will affect the area of the ball you hit and it will en up having a diagonal effect. Hitting the ball right in the middle is what you want to do.

And don't forget to stop the rod before in spins more than 360 degrees!

[Malamir]

Thank you Garabdorje.
You are absolutely right. I tried it and I'll need to practice it for some time . Although it's relatively simple movement even slightest lateral movement causes the ball to get some kind of diagonals.

[garabdorje]

Glad I could be of help!

You should practice your five man bar, that is essential to keep control of the ball and making shot from your 3 man bar. I made the mistake of focusing to much on my 3 man bar and now I need to get a good passing series from my 5 man bar to my 3 man bar.

There´s some good tutorials on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGiTpAgTqYk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF39Zpeuac4&feature=relmfu

Those to are really good, any tutorial from Ezequiel Cervantez is great to start learning you foos

[Malamir]

Thank you once again! I'm kind of in the same position. I practice a lot on the 3-bar and none on the 5-bar.

[thebodygroove]

Malamir, where do you live? Do you have the chance to talk to some experienced Euro-Pin shooters in person? If not, I wouldn't recommend learning this shot. It's very difficult to master, especially on a Tornado-style table. In addition to the complex course of motion you have to learn about fakes, which are an essential part of the Euro pin, and lots of other options - otherwise it wouldn't make any sense at all, because it's all those options that make the shot effective. If you just want to hit the three basic holes, a Snake Shot is far more efficient.

Given the fact that you even had to ask about the flip-over, I doubt that you will be able to develop a successful Euro-Pin without some one qualified monitoring your progress.

[Malamir]

Malamir, where do you live? Do you have the chance to talk to some experienced Euro-Pin shooters in person? If not, I wouldn't recommend learning this shot. It's very difficult to master, especially on a Tornado-style table. In addition to the complex course of motion you have to learn about fakes, which are an essential part of the Euro pin, and lots of other options - otherwise it wouldn't make any sense at all, because it's all those options that make the shot effective. If you just want to hit the three basic holes, a Snake Shot is far more efficient.

Given the fact that you even had to ask about the flip-over, I doubt that you will be able to develop a successful Euro-Pin without some one qualified monitoring your progress.

@thebodygroove: Yeap, there are some qualified masters of the euro-pin around me (international top 100). The problem there is that they are even too qualified for me. They show some crazy moves that are far beyond my level and even on the same shot whoever you ask gives you his own way... which is very different from others.
For the direct shot I've been told 2 options. One is quickly get behind the ball and shoot straight. The other is this flip-flop but without letting go of the handle. On the first option I don't shoot the ball straight and on the second - my hand is small and I cannot make a full spin with this technique.

You are right that this is a tough shot to master. I play on Roberto table. I know that I would be better off with the pullshot. Pullshot is very effective. It can be shot on every type of table. But it looks so boring. With the euro-pin you have to outsmart the opponent to score - the kind of game I'm looking for.

[garabdorje]

Hey @Malamir!

Don't give up on the euro shot. I learned the shoot by my self. I watched 90% of the Foosball videos on YouTube and I studied them all. If you'r persistent enough you can figure out the details just from the videos on YouTube. I downloaded them to my computer and watch them on slow motion using VLC video player. I learned Colignon hand style, he does not waist any movements on his shoots. Very fast very efficient, you can barely see his hand move.

You are right that this is a tough shot to master. I play on Roberto table. I know that I would be better off with the pullshot. Pullshot is very effective. It can be shot on every type of table. But it looks so boring. With the euro-pin you have to outsmart the opponent to score - the kind of game I'm looking for.

I totally agree with you, euro style is more fun to me also. I have nothing against the American style I like it also but I cannot relate to it, I have tried pull shots and push shots and the snake also. I just feel more comfortable with the euro style. Maybe I don't have the patience and the explosiveness you need for a successful pull shot.

I even owned a Tornado Cyclone table but I sold it because I was getting frustrated. It was not what I was looking for. I want it a table to play German style Foosball, so I ended up researching for several months, It was between the Ullrich Home model and the Kicker Klause Vector III both from Germany. Then my good friend @FOOZUL offered me his TECBALL Tournament table and I knew I could not let that opportunity pass by.

What Roberto Sport model do you own?

If you have Facebook you can look for my by this name Thai Beamonte.

[Malamir]

Hey garabdorje,

I recently contacted baktv.be to ask him for more slowmos on the foosball vids. He promised to create a vid with lots of slowmos for foosball junkies .
Just like you I downloaded Collegnon vids from youtube and run them on slowmo on VLC. I must say that it was an eye opener. I realized that it's not just 1 single shot - it's at least 5 or 6 shots starting from a front-pin settup. I think watching slowmos helps a ton!

I don't own any table. At my work we have a Roberto training table - http://www.armandosports.com.au/roberto-sport-college-foosball-table-p-813.html. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's light table and it seems to me the surface is getting damaged and the ball curves strangely before full stop. The goals from the shots the nails are coming out and damaging the balls. I much more prefer Roberto Adrenaline table - it's more heavy and professional. I play foosball in the foos-bar. They have Roberto Adrenaline, Bonzini, 2 Garlandos and a Tornado table... and tons of strong players.

[garabdorje]

Great news Malamir! Is he uploading the videos to YouTube? If thats so let me know

Did you add me to Facebook? a Russian guy (I think) just added me on facebook.

An eye opener indeed, and theres lots of combinations you can do with a front pin. There's lots of Garlando videos whit great tricks

That Roberto sport table is not good indeed. But you have excellent options in that bar! Where I live I havent found any bars with foosball table

If you can get another table at your work place there's several cheap and great quality options, Ullrich Home or Ullrich Sport models are very good. The home version is manufacture in china under german quality standards it costs 399 euros. The Sport model is 100% made in Germany a little more expensive but better looking and both have great upgrades you can add. You can check them at www.ullrich-sport.de The other table is the Vector III from www.kicker-klaus.de the table price is 620 euros but it comes with great component already

Let me know if you are the one that added me recently on facebook!

[jkhFoos]

I love the front pin. I've seen proficient forwards on all kinds of German Style tables. Rico is amazing on Tornado. On Bonzini, Bruce Nardoci is amazing. He shoots straights & all kinds of angles from a pin which is heel on the full diameter of the ball OR any part of the ball's edges-still or rocking the ball & walking it some. It's a clinic which gives lots of ideas to try to practice.

[jerrydiday]

The front pin is a hard skill set.  In a game situation shooting front pin is like cherry picking, trying to find an easy opening.  I have found that the key to shooting the front pin is in the delivery.  With a good quick shot motion into the goal you can shoot the front pin from almost anywhere in front of the goal.   

A few things have helped me develop my front pin delivery.  One practice technique is to set the ball up in front pin position at the middle of the goal.  Once the ball is set up circle the ball with your plastic player.  Keep going round and round the ball, exercising your wrist.  Keep your wrist stretched with stretching exercises.  Soon you will be able to hit the ball straight or angled as you choose.

To practice delivery itself, I usually set the ball up in the middle.  I then split the defenders, either reverse defense or regular defense.  Then I practice shooting between the two defenders.  Shoot versus regular defense then reverse the defenders to shoot against the opposite arrangement.  You can rock or tap the ball but just practice delivery.  Moving the ball around is not as important as delivery and is a lot easier once you have excellent delivery.