Air Hockey

Enjoy A Game Of Air Hockey

Air hockey can be played just for fun with your buddies or you can join up to play in air hockey tournaments where there is serious prizes and prize money to be won. In fact air hockey is a world sport with tournaments being held between countries.

The object of air hockey is to score goals. The first player to get 7 points wins. Each time the puck makes it into the opponents goal you score one point. The puck can be struck with any part of the mallet.

For tournament air hockey the mallets used must be approved by the referee and must meet the following standards:

• The mallet must consist of the same material and be uniform and symmetrical throughout its circumference.
• Must weight 6 oz or less
• Must be 4 1/16 inches in diameter or less
• It can be any color but the exterior rim has to be a different color that the table's surface color

There are three pucks approved for tournament play. They are the dynamo green, lexan-red, and lexan-yellow. Both players must agree to use the same puck and the standard choice is the lexan-yellow. Pucks cannot be changed during the game unless the referre decides the pucks in use are non playable.

A coin is tossed to see which player gets which side, then the game begins with a face off where the puck is placed flat in the center of the table by the ref. Each player is then allowed to come within one inch of the puck, the ref then calls players ready, then there is a few second delay and the puck is released.

If a player contacts the puck before the ref releases it, it is called a false start and the face off is redone. Each player is allowed one false start with no penalty but after that the other player receives possession of the puck.

Once the puck is in play the object is to get the puck into your opponents net and score a point. The referee can call a penalty at any time or can stop play for interference.

If the puck reaches the goal it scores a point. However the puck must break the horizontal plane for the goal to count. If the puck rebounds out of the goal mouth it doesn't count. If the puck hits the opponents hand because it is in the way the goal will count.

There are several penalties or fouls that can be called by the referee. A foul will result in forfeiture of the puck to the opponenet. The main penalties are:

• Excessive play delay
• Puck off the table and contact with opponents hand
• Wobbling puck the hits the opponents hand changing the speed of the puck
• Palming while the puck is moving towards the goal
• Loss of control of mallet while the puck is in play
• If the puck leaves the playing surface
• If the player's mallet completely extends over the centerline

There are several other penalties that can occur but these are the main ones.

Air hockey is loads of fun, whether you are playing a less serious game with your pals, or whether you are participating in a tournament. If you want to practice your skills and don't have a partner or room for a table why not try the online games?

Many of the online air hockey sites are also offering tournament play. So you can get into the action without ever leaving your home. You can make new friends and perhaps even win a couple of prizes.

Don't miss out on the fun and entertainment air hockey has to offer.