Topic: How many of you mostly play foosball by yourself?

[foosin joe]

Just wanted to see, Ive found that its hard to get people to play with me, I don't claim to be a foosball god by any means, but I have yet to find my match in the York pa area... Its a college town and very few players... we have a table at the house, but my roomates dont like to play because im too good for them and its not fun for them to play me. I could let them win, but thats no fun for me. so the majority of the time i spend practicing sets and snakes. I probably mess around with practicing about an hour a day. anyone esle have the same problem, whats the solution, I try to teach my roommates to play but they want instant rewards and don't want to put in the time to learn. also, Im bartending at a bar called cobblestones in downtown york, they have two really nice tables, who knows. they could be jims im not sure. anyway, im thinking of trying to get a league or some tourneys, let me know if you baltimore guys are interested, its about a 45min drive from downtown baltimore....Joe

[bbtuna]

suffer in the short term and let them win so you can get them hooked and will have play buds in the future...appeal to their short term need for your long term benefit

[Syronis]

If you have some bars that have a decent foosball scene just take one of them there, and have them play as your partner. Let them witness some good players, and stick by their side and play with them in doubles. Even though I seemed to lose all the time when I started, I always had the fortune of having one of the better players in the area kind of helping me out. Maybe it was out of a fear of being a burden, maybe it was because I truly wanted to get better and win.... but I definitely improved my game, at the cost of my friends couple losses. I figure if you start with 3 friends getting together playing some doubles for fun, take it easy on them, and hopefully at least one of them will pick up the game in some seriousness.

[redterror]

I have the exact same problem.  I own all my friends & family but I don't think I am good enuff for the bar scene yet...  so I am left playing all by my lonesome.  if I entice them w/food they will come but I can't afford to feed them all the time....

at least the snakeshot is a great shot to practice alone...

[bmtran]

no such thing as "not good enough for the bar scene." go out and play! playing people better than you is the best (and most effective) way of improving. you can't learn how to pass effectively (one of the most crucial parts of the game) without playing someone who will actually give you a fight.

[thebodygroove]

If you don't want to let your roommates win by playing weaker than you could, let them win by playing on the edge of your capabilities. Let's say, your pull shot is underdeveloped, then make it the only offensive technique you use against your weak opponents. You won't score often, which was your primary goal - and by the way you will be improving your weak shot! If your pull shot gets to strong, switch to the Euro Pin. Since you're playing on a Dynamo, you won't be scoring for quite a while! ;-)

[MrBasso]

I have to agree with thebodygroove!! I have a table at home and it is slim pickings to find anyone willing to play only to get crushed.  However, I have one willing neighbor and when we play I will always practice my weakest shot(s) or latest five-bar passing series. I can get it by her at anytime but there is no benefit, i.e, she would get too discouraged and I never hone my other skills.

The other benefit is that she is getting pretty good!

cheers

[bbtuna]

good point body...lots of options that way - passing, how you shoot from back, spot them points, make it you have to score two for everyone they do, and/or give them drops

bascially, handicapping of some sort...take the weakest person on your side, always encourage your partner...if after handicapping you think they can beat you, every so often tell them you will buy them a beer if they can beat you but they don't have to buy you one if you win

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on "not good enough for bars" - GET OUT AND PLAY!!!! ...I don't care if you loose a thousand times in a row, you play hard, stay focused, learn, ask questions, find small wins for yourself in improvements on O or D and so on and so on

I am not dogging you but I do not understand so many people I meet who don't want to play if they are getting beat...when I started we met a pro very early on and we couldn't beat him on the best day best day but we put up quarter after quarter night after night to be the first one to beat him and in the mean time we learned and took our victories from scoring or blocking here and there

you can understand how your friends feel if they don't want to play you because you beat them when you don't want to play people because you are afraid they will beat you

GET UP AND GET GOING and make the game fun for your friends, it is your job

[foosin joe]

[ Since you're playing on a Dynamo, you won't be scoring for quite a while! ;-)
[/quote]

haha, whats that supposed to mean... I have 2 tables a tornado and the dynamo, i can shoot a mean pull on either one... there is a huge difference in the table play though, It feels like the dynamo foot is higher off the table than the tornado, and the edge of the foot is different as well, I feel like i have alot more ball controll on the tornado, but the dynamo is a hell of alot of fun too.

[foosin joe]

good point body...lots of options that way - passing, how you shoot from back, spot them points, make it you have to score two for everyone they do, and/or give them drops

bascially, handicapping of some sort...take the weakest person on your side, always encourage your partner...if after handicapping you think they can beat you, every so often tell them you will buy them a beer if they can beat you but they don't have to buy you one if you win

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on "not good enough for bars" - GET OUT AND PLAY!!!! ...I don't care if you loose a thousand times in a row, you play hard, stay focused, learn, ask questions, find small wins for yourself in improvements on O or D and so on and so on

I am not dogging you but I do not understand so many people I meet who don't want to play if they are getting beat...when I started we met a pro very early on and we couldn't beat him on the best day best day but we put up quarter after quarter night after night to be the first one to beat him and in the mean time we learned and took our victories from scoring or blocking here and there

you can understand how your friends feel if they don't want to play you because you beat them when you don't want to play people because you are afraid they will beat you

GET UP AND GET GOING and make the game fun for your friends, it is your job

haha, i do play at the bars all the time, just not much competition, thats all, i find myself doing more practicing than actual playing, i guess it will pay off in the long run when i actually play people who can play without spinning lol

[bbtuna]

i hear ya, finding a bar with players is a different discussion...that was aimed at Redterror who wrote,

"but I don't think I am good enuff for the bar scene yet"

however, being willing and then finding some place with players is a entirely different thing...if all I could find was an occasional spinner I would not continue in that environment either...unless of course I wanted to drink, make friends, and practice at the same time

[bbtuna]

while you look for others to play against, play/practice as much as possible whenever you can and prepare for the day

[Old Meister]

I'm in the same boat as I have to drive over 60 miles one way for competition EXCEPT my babe of a wife. While she makes it known that she has no aspirations of becoming a foos goddess she has all this natural ability. That description came from a veteran fooser from Portland. It seems she forgot very little from the 70's(not like me) and picked up right where she left off. So if I need a test I don't look any further than the next room. She tests me most on the 5 bar passing series and making sure I stay true on my blocking because she'll take advantage of any laziness or sloppyness. Yes, I love to play new people, good people but more than once she has caused me to practice more as what I was doing wasn't effective.

[redterror]

yeah u do bring a good point.  however, call me lazy, I just don't feel like driving out somewhere & paying money to play when I have a perfectly good (& expensive) table to play on.  but I did go out to the pool hall 1 day (let work early) & watched 2 guys play.  I played the winner & beat him pretty decisively ;-)

its funny when I do foosball @ home, I call up friends/family to see if they wanna do "target" practice because no matter who I play, they always end up defending and in the rare instance I move to the defense position, they never score.

i hear ya, finding a bar with players is a different discussion...that was aimed at Redterror who wrote,

"but I don't think I am good enuff for the bar scene yet"

however, being willing and then finding some place with players is a entirely different thing...if all I could find was an occasional spinner I would not continue in that environment either...unless of course I wanted to drink, make friends, and practice at the same time

[foozkillah]

yeah u do bring a good point.  however, call me lazy, I just don't feel like driving out somewhere & paying money to play when I have a perfectly good (& expensive) table to play on.  but I did go out to the pool hall 1 day (let work early) & watched 2 guys play.  I played the winner & beat him pretty decisively ;-)

If driving far is not an easy alternative, then you have to order some DVDs and watch the free videos of the best from around the world on YouTube or Yahoo! or AOL Videos.  You then have to observe how they pass, how they choose to pass, and how they select a shot when they shoot.  That and what they seem to be doing in defense on the 5bar or against the forward for the goalkeeper.

Keep in mind, you have to "trust implicitly" that these strategies and philosophies are the final result of thousands of games and hours of competition and practice.  The more you see, the more choices of style and gameplan you can choose from, which you can then practice the next time you get some pickups.  Won't ever be as good as playing stronger players, but at least you can get some tested and proven motions, series, shots and passes you can practice till you get a chance to try them out yourself.