A couple of friends playing the game.

WHAT IS TABLE FOOTBALL?

It's a game that's based on soccer that was very popular in Europe in the 70's. It's been called the Beautiful Game in Miniature. Tiny playing figures are flicked around the playing field trying to score goals. The game attempts to emulate soccer (although certain differences in the rules are unavoidable). I usually tell people it was a precursor to foosball- while not entirely true, it does explain it's intent- to play soccer without getting dirty. :)

Subbuteo is a great way to spend time with friends, drinking a beer, and having a laugh. It takes skill, patience, strategy, and luck to win in Subbuteo (not necessarily in that order). It has been compared to chess, golf, pool, bocce, tidly winks, and, of course, soccer. Unlike modern video games which are often exercises in finger gymnastics, Subbuteo is incredibly simple to play and impossibly difficult to master.


BASICS OF THE GAME

The object of the game is to retain possession of the ball until a goal is scored. Like all sports, the player with the most goals wins the game! All games are two halves of fifteen minutes, with players changing ends at half time.

Figures must be flicked cleanly using only the fingernail of either middle or index finger. Leverage can be gained from the playing cloth but there must be no contact between the flicking finger and the thumb during a shot.

To score the ball must first be fully over the shooting line (the line that divides the halfway line and the goal-line).


Possession can be given away by:

a) Missing the ball

b) Hitting the ball onto an opponent\'s figure

c) Hitting the ball out of play

d) Conceding a free kick (by hitting any figure before the ball)

e) Touching any figure by accident (players can agree to ignore this rule)


For every attacking shot the defenders can have one blocking flick. This blocking flick must not touch any figure or the ball otherwise the attacker can opt to have it replaced to its original position. The attacker does not have to wait for the defender\'s blocking flick.


The attacker can only have a maximum three touches of the ball with one figure in succession. After the third flick the ball must touch or be touched by another figure before the attacker can use this figure again in the same possession.

another pic of friends playing Subbuteo

To see a little video of the game, click here.