We've got a foosball table at work and we're getting pretty good. One question though..what are the best handles to keep your hands on during the match. I always keep a left hand on the defenders handle and use my right to use the other handles wheres some people here keep thier right hand on the strikers handle and move the left hand around. What is best in your opinion? What do the BEST players do?
Pretty much the only time top players have a hand on their 3-rod is if they have the ball on their 5- or 3-rod, or the opponent has the ball in the goalie area.
I assume you're talking about singles.
There are basically 2 strategies when the opponent has the ball on their 5-rod:
1. Learn to use the left hand to control both the goalie and the 2-rod. Usually you grip the goalie _rod_ (not handle) with the pinkie and the 2-man rod with the thumb. Right hand on your 5-rod.
2. Use the goalie rod w/ the left hand and the 5-rod with the right hand.
Occasionally if your opponent doesn't have a shot from the 5-rod and your right-handed pass defense is ineffective you may try left on 5-rod, right on 3-rod. But that is usually a bad idea against good players.
Other than when the ball is on the 5-man, strategies are similar.
If the opponent has the ball
a) on their 3-man: Use left hand on the goalie and right on the 2-rod
b) In their goal area: Use left on the 5-man and right on the 3-man. Make sure you set your defensive zone first. Sometimes if you're getting shelled, putting a hand in goal (especially if you can do strategy 1 above) is required, but it really opens up the passes. Other tactics (e.g. set the zone up front and use hands on goalie and 2-rod) are desperation maneuvers.
If you have the ball:
a) in goalie area: Left on goalie, right on the 2-rod unless you do 2-rod to 5-rod or goalie-rod to 5-rod passing, in which case left on the passing rod and right on the 5-rod. Some lefties and rookies will do left on 2-rod, right on 3-rod, but that is one of those things that's only generally effective against poor/mid-level players (2-rod to 3-rod passing is generally a bad idea in singles except as an occasional surprise--though if they're not keeping a hand on the 5-rod it becomes much higher percentage).
b) on the 5-rod: Left on 5-rod, right on 3-rod
c) on the 3-rod: Left on 5-rod, right on 3-rod
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