Foosball, Foosball Tables, and Accessories

The game of foosball is a table top game that is popular in bars and pubs. It is played on a table that is smaller both length and width wise than a pool table, and the clearance required around the table is much less as well. This makes a foosball table a great addition to a bar with space constraints.

In the game of foosball, a table is decorated to look like a soccer field. To the world outside US borders this is known as a football field. This is where the name foosball finds its origins. Around the edges of the table are walls that are several inches high. Mounted to holes in these walls are metal posts with grips on one end, these grips alternate sides on the table. On the posts are miniature figures of football players. They alternate teams with a goal keeper on each end. The figures also alternate teams, or sides, with each row.

Usually there is one goal keeper, two defenders, five midfielders, and three offensive figures arranged in a pattern like this: Goal keeper, defenders, opponent’s offense, midfield, opponent’s midfield, offense, opponent’s defense, opponent’s goal keeper. Behind each goalkeeper is an opening in the walled enclosure of the table, the goal. The game is similar to soccer, played with a tiny ball. The bars the foosball figures are attached to can slide back and forth to allow the figures to cover the width of the table, and they also spin freely.

In standard foosball rules it is illegal to kick the ball with a move that spins the figures 360 degrees around or more. This provides a limitation and adds a degree of skill to the game that would otherwise be absent. Play can involve one, two, or four man teams; and pub tournaments are common.  In recent times foosball has been an attraction for human-machine competition.  Programmers will create software and machine operated tables to compete against human participants, much like the chess computers.

The first foosball table patent belonged to an Englishman named Harold S Thornton; he acquired the patent in 1923. Thornton was an avid soccer fan, and he wanted to make a game that allowed participants to play football indoors. He claims to have found his inspiration in a match box. He emptied the box out, and lay matches across the top in rows. Thus the foosball table was born.

Foosball tables are easy to maintain, and the only part that can go missing is the ball itself. Everything else is bolted into place. The ball can be made of many different materials, including cork, plastic, wood, marble, or metal. What material the ball is made of changes the game a great deal. The force of the shots and the grip between the men and the ball changes greatly. Balls can be found in packs, and they’re the most commonly sold foosball accessory.

Combination foosball and pool tables can be found, because foosball is played on a smaller surface than pool, the table is usually set inside the borders of the pool table and attached to the edges. While the quality of the foosball and pool on such tables might be lowered, it is the least expensive way to have both games.

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