British Foosball Association

Player Skills - Advanced Skills

The perfect Put-In

By Mike Fowler, mailing posted on the RSTS newsgroup

You don't say what table you are using, but, assuming it is a Tornado:

Putting a bit of backspin/left spin (I think you guys call it 'English') on the ball with your thumb as you serve it, is legal. You do have to watch out though, because not all the balls will behave exactly the same way and you will lose them to the opponent!

What is more efficient, is to not spin the ball but poke it in directly to the feet of your men. The way I do it is like this -

Start by pulling the 5-bar towards you all the way. Then tip the feet of the men backwards about 45 degrees. With their feet behind the rod, they will be less likely to impede the ball as it comes in and you will also find it easier to make the catch starting from this position. Place the ball into the serving hole (it will stay in there because there is a little notch in the bottom of the hole to keep it still). Keep your left hand on the 5-bar handle, ready to make the catch.

Bring your right hand down, level with the serving hole, pointing your index finger at the ball (as the ball is round, we can describe 'where' to point on it by referring to it as a clock face) at about 3 o'clock to 3:30.

From above, it will look like your index finger is now pointing across the table along the white line in the centre.

Now the cool bit - keeping your finger straight, with the tip touching the ball, move the back of your hand to the right so the finger ends up pointing slightly left to about the 3-man on your rod. *Gently* push in your finger and the ball will go in towards your rod within easy reach of your 2nd or 3rd man.

NB: If you point too far left, the ball will bounce off the left wall of the hole and go towards your opponent! Adjust the pointing position until you get it just right for your own hand shape and you will find this way of serving the ball way more consistent than spinning it in! :)

Hope this helps. Good luck

Mike F