Foosball

A Little Bit Of History

Foosball  is a fast-action table game and is great for kids (from about 6 years old) and big kids (i.e. adults). The game is modeled on soccer and dates back to at least 1920s-1930s Europe (most likely Germany, though France also had a version of the game also known as Table Soccer). The name "foosball" actually comes from the German pronunciation (which sounds more like "fussball") of "football," which of course we know the rest of the world, besides the U.S., calls soccer. Foosball debuted in America around 1955 and enjoyed some limited success as a coin-operated game, but never really flourished the way it did in Europe. Now, however, foosball is huge international sport with professional status, big money tournaments and millions of fans.

How to Choose a Table

So what do you look for when shopping for a recreational foosball table?  Here's some things to look for in a quality table, taken from foosmanchu.com, one of many good foosball sites.

• Front and back-pinning capabilities (man pinning ball against table surface)
• The ball should be able to remain still on any area of the playing surface
• Rugged cabinet construction and durability to last for years to come
• Competition grade rods and bearings
• Approximately 200 lbs. or more in weight
• Counter-balanced men (rotate your men horizontally...they'll stay that way)
• 3-man goalies (offers more control and speed of play vs. 1-man goalie)
• Wood handles
• Leg levellers

It's important to go for a solid, well-built table if it's in your price range. Cheap tables tend to be just that, and you may find yourself getting flustered with the low-quality components rather than having fun. Cheap tables can be uneven, shift during play (see the above recommendation of a table weight of 200 lbs. or more) and players can get stuck or be difficult to control. Any mechanical failures can make the difference when the game takes on a dimension of settling disputes—or to decide who does the chores. You either got good at the game or you became a dishwasher.

Why Buy Online?

Foosmanchu.com also recommends trying to buy your table online, as costs can be signficantly less than in-store retail. Make sure you ask about shipping charges, however, and factor that into the cost. The site also mentions buying from an out-of-state distributor might be a good idea as well to avoid sales tax (unless you live in a state like Delaware, where there is no sales tax).

Some recommended brands as a starting off point:

• Tornado : Tornado 2000, Cyclone II, Storm II, Twister II, Whirlwind
• Dynamo : Gold Medal
• Shelti : Tournament, Pro Foos, Pro Foos II, Pro Foos III

Additional Links

• Foosball Source: a large resource with information on rules, gameplay, tournaments, history and even movies
• Foosbars: a running list of pub foosball tables
• ITSF World Cup: a resource with details for the upcoming International Table Soccer Federation's tournament in Germany
• Table Football: an English site with tons of links and helpful tips on selecting the right foosball table
• Build Your Own!: really cool site, this guy Michael Jay Sherman built his own foosball table and he tells you step by step how he did it