Air hockey is a game for two competing players trying to score points in the opposing player's goal.
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Equipment
Air hockey requires an air-hockey table, two mallets, and a puck.
A typical air hockey table consists of a large smooth playing surface, a surrounding rail to prevent the puck and mallets from leaving the table, and slots in the rail at either end of the table that serve as goals. On the ends of the table behind and below the goals, there is usually a puck return. Additionally, tables will typically have some sort of machinery that produces a cushion of air on the play surface through tiny holes, with the purpose of reducing friction and increasing play speed. Friction is the Force resisting the relative motion of two Surfaces in contact or a surface in contact with a fluid (e In some tables, the machinery is eschewed in favor of a slick table surface, usually plastic, in the interest of saving money in both manufacturing and maintenance costs. Note that these tables are technically not air hockey tables since no air is involved, however, they are still generally understood to be as such due to the basic similarity of gameplay.
Currently, the only tables that are approved for play and sanctioned by the USAA (United States Air-Table-Hockey Association) for tournament play are 8-foot tables manufactured by Dynamo. Approved tables include the Photon, Pro-Style, older Blue Top, Brown Top, Purple Top or Black Top with unpainted rails. The HotFlash 2 and other full-size commercial tables with neon lights and/or painted rails are not approved for USAA play but are still great tables on which to learn the games .
A mallet (sometimes called a goalie, striker or paddle) consists of a simple handle attached to a flat surface that will usually lie flush with the surface of the table. The most common mallets, called "high-tops", resemble small plastic sombreros, but other mallets, "flat-tops", are used with a shorter nub. In English -speaking countries sombrero typically refers to a type of hat originating in Mexico.
Air Hockey pucks are slim discs made of Lexan polycarbonate resin. For similar products offered by other companies see Polycarbonates Lexan ( LEXAN) is a registered trademark for SABIC Innovative Standard USAA-approved pucks are the yellow lexan, red lexan and the Dynamo green. In competitive play, a layer of thin white tape is placed on the face-up side.
Four-player tables also exist, but they are not yet sanctioned for competitive play.
Rules
Here are some basic rules as defined by the USAA:
- A face-off or coin toss decides which player gets the first possession of the puck.
- The first person to score 7 points by shooting the puck into the opponent's goal wins the game. When the puck breaks the horizontal plane inside the goal, a point is counted, whether or not captured by the electronic scoring device.
- Once the puck is on a certain player's side of the center line, he/she has 7 seconds to hit the puck back across the center line. Otherwise a foul is committed and the opponent receives possession of the puck.
- Placing one's mallet on top of the puck, known as topping, is a foul. Here the opponent receives possession of the puck.
- A player cannot touch or strike the puck with any part of his/her body or with any object other than the mallet. Doing so causes a foul and possession changes hands.
- If the puck is on a clear path into the goal and the player stops it with anything other than the mallet, this is goaltending. Here the opponent receives a free shot.
- Hitting the puck when it is on the opposite side of the center line, or crossing the center line completely with one's mallet causes a foul. Here the opponent receives possession of the puck.
- If the puck leaves the table, a foul is called on the player that caused the puck to go out of play due to offensive motion and the opposing player gets possession of the puck. Generally, when a player causes the puck to leave the table with a forward motion of the mallet, even defensively (known as charging), the foul is charged on them. An out of play foul results in the opponent receiving possession of the puck.
Gameplay
Competitive (tournament) play is usually distinguished by the following:
- Grip the mallet behind the knob using your fingertips, not on top of it. This will allow more wrist action and help you be able to move the mallet around the table faster.
- For basic defense, keep your mallet centered about 8-10 inches out from the goal. From that point, very slight movements to the left and right will block virtually all straight shots. Pull back quickly to the corners of the goal to block the bank shots. This is known as the "triangle defense".
- Gain control of the puck before you take a shot. Shots are often hit out of "drifts", where the puck travels in set patterns designed to throw off your opponent's expectations and timing. The most popular drifts are the "center", "diamond", "diagonal", and "L". After establishing your drift, set up your shots like you would set up a shot in a game of pool - take your time, figure out where you want to shoot, aim and fire!
- Practice "combos": these are groups of shots which are hit with the same apparent delivery but opposite locations, caused by hitting the puck at slightly different locations on the mallet. For example, a transverse motion of the right arm can lead to a "cut shot" to the left corner of the opponent's goal or a "right wall under" (bank off the right wall, into the right corner of the opponent's goal). Keep your opponent guessing!
- There are many ways to get around your opponent's defense. Aim for the corners of the goal. On bank shots, try to get the puck in the goal off of a one-wall bank. If you hit double or triple banks, the puck loses velocity and will be easy to block.
History
Although it was believed for many years to have been invented by a Brunswick Billiards employee named Bob Lemieux in 1972, Air Hockey was actually invented by a trio of Brunswick engineers - Phil Crossman, Bob Kenrick, and Brad Baldwin - who were attempting to create a game utilizing a frictionless surface, circa 1969. The project never got off the ground and was left in mothballs for several years, but Bob Lemeiux later resurrected the project and refined the design to a certain degree. Some accounts of the story claim that Lemieux played the game on the table using a round disk and square mallets. Doorbells were hooked up at each end with a photo sensor to signal a "goal". It was then decided that the "game" may appeal to a larger market and Air Hockey was born. How much of this is truth and how much of this is the result of gaps in the story being filled in over time through multiple storytellers may never be truly known, given that Lemieux died in the early 1990s. What is certain is that the original patent references Phil Crossman, who, along with the other engineers, pioneered the frictionless table surface - and, almost by chance, created an instant classic of a game around it.
Air Hockey was an immediate financial success, and by the mid-1970s there arose substantial interest in tournament play. As early as 1973, players in Houston had formed the Houston AH Association, and soon thereafter, the Texas Air-Hocky Players Association, codyfying rules and promoting the sport through local tournaments at Houston pubs Carnabys, Damians,and the University of Houston. To ensure uniform play standards of the highest competitive quality, the United States Air-Table Hockey Association (USAA) was formed in 1975 by J. Phillip "Phil" Arnold, largely as an official sanctioning body. In this way, non-player friendly rules imposed by Brunswick corporation were rendered void, and the sport of air-hockey was secured under the control of Players since that time. Since its inception, the USAA has sanctioned at least one national-level or World championship each year, crowning 12 different champions over 30 years. The USAA remains at present the only recognized worldwide player organization for air hockey, and has maintained a close relationship with table manufacturers and event promoters over the years. Today, competitive air hockey is played by a close-knit community of serious players around the world, with extensive player bases near Houston, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Boston in the United States, Barcelona in Spain, Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Novgorod in Russia and Most and Brno in the Czech Republic. From the late 1980s, Caracas, Venezuela served as a hotbed of activity; three-time World Champion Jose Mora, and other finalists originated from there. By 1999 most of the Venezuelan activity had disappeared.
On 25 August, 2007, the three inventors - Crossman, Kendrick, and Baldwin - attended the Texas State Tournament at the Southfork Hotel in Plano, Texas. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the It is the first appearance of the three together since the game was invented in 1969-1971.
Tournament history
World Championships
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 |  Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
Rolf Moore |
| 1979 | Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
Joe Campbell |
| 1980 | Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
Joe Campbell |
| 1980 | Jesse Douty |
Robert Hernandez |
Mark Robbins |
| 1981 | Bob Dubuisson |
Paul Burger |
Jesse Douty |
| 1981 | Jesse Douty |
Bob Dubuisson |
Paul Marshall |
| 1982 | Jesse Douty |
Mark Robbins |
Bob Dubuisson |
| 1983 | Bob Dubuisson |
Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
| 1984 | Mark Robbins |
Robert Hernandez |
Bob Dubuisson |
| 1985 | Bob Dubuisson |
Robert Hernandez |
Vince Schappell |
| 1985 | Bob Dubuisson |
Robert Hernandez |
Mark Robbins |
| 1986 | Robert Hernandez |
Bob Dubuisson |
Mark Robbins |
| 1986 | Mark Robbins |
Bob Dubuisson |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1987 | Robert Hernandez |
Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
| 1987 | Jesse Douty |
Mark Robbins |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1988 | Jesse Douty |
Bob Dubuisson |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1988 | Jesse Douty |
Bob Dubuisson |
Joe Campbell |
| 1989 | Tim Weissman |
Bob Dubuisson |
Jesse Douty |
| 1989 | Tim Weissman |
Jesse Douty |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1990 | Tim Weissman |
Jesse Douty |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1990 | Tim Weissman |
Phil Arnold |
Mark Robbins |
| 1991 | Tim Weissman |
Mark Robbins |
Robert Hernandez |
| 1991 | Tim Weissman |
Jesse Douty |
Albert Ortiz |
| 1992 | Tim Weissman |
Robert Hernandez |
Mark Robbins |
| 1992 | Tim Weissman |
Keith Fletcher |
Vince Schappell |
| 1993 | Tim Weissman |
Andy Yevish |
Keith Fletcher |
| 1994 | John Giraldo |
Mark Robbins |
Tim Weissman |
| 1995 | Billy Stubbs |
Wil Upchurch |
Don James |
| 1996 | Tim Weissman |
Wil Upchurch |
Andy Yevish |
| 1997 | Wil Upchurch |
Tim Weissman |
Jesse Douty |
| 1999 |  José Mora |
Pedro Otero |
Jimmy Heilander |
| 2000 | José Mora |
Pedro Otero |
Tim Weissman |
| 2001 | Danny Hynes |
Tim Weissman |
José Mora |
| 2002 | Danny Hynes |
Ehab Shoukry |
Billy Stubbs |
| 2003 | Ehab Shoukry |
José Mora |
Andy Yevish |
| 2004 | Danny Hynes |
Andy Yevish |
Anthony Marino |
| 2005 | Danny Hynes |
Billy Stubbs |
Anthony Marino |
| 2006 | Danny Hynes |
Wil Upchurch |
Davis Lee Huynh |
| 2007 | Davis Lee Huynh |
Keith Fletcher |
Ehab Shoukry |
| 2008 | Danny Hynes |
Ehab Shoukry |
.svg/20px-Flag_of_Venezuela_(state).svg.png){kind=small} José Mora |
US Championship
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Jesse Douty |
Mark Robbins |
Bob Dubuisson |
| 1984 | Jesse Douty |
Phil Arnold |
Mark Robbins |
| 1998 | José Mora |
Pedro Otero |
Tim Weissman |
| 2004 | Danny Hynes |
Ehab Shoukry |
Don James |
| 2007 | Wil Upchurch |
Davis Lee Huynh |
Keith Fletcher |
European Championship
| Year | Champion | Finalist | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 (Singles) | Goran Mitic |
Michael L. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Rosen |
 José Luis Camacho |
| 2007 (Singles) | José Luis Camacho |
 Sergey Antonov |
Sergio López |
| 2006 (Teams) | Catalonia |
 Czech Republic |
|
| 2007 (Teams) | Russia |
Catalonia |
|
| 2008 | void |
Texas State Open
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tim Weissman |
Jose Mora |
Wil Upchurch |
| 2000 | Jose Mora |
Danny Hynes |
Jimmy Heilander |
| 2002 | Jose Mora |
Danny Hynes |
Anthony Marino |
| 2003 | Anthony Marino |
Jose Mora |
Danny Hynes |
| 2004 | Danny Hynes |
Ehab Shoukry |
Anthony Marino |
| 2005 | Danny Hynes |
Ehab Shoukry |
Anthony Marino |
| 2007 | Tim Weissman |
Vince Schappell |
Joe Cain |
Catalan Championship
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 |  Pedro Otero |
Emilio Araujo |
Marc García |
| 2004 | Marc García |
Sergio López |
José Luis Camacho |
| 2005 | José Luis Camacho |
Sergio López |
Marc García |
| 2006 | José Luis Camacho |
Marc García |
Javi Navarro |
| 2007 | Marc García |
Mauro Sturlese |
Javi Navarro |
Russian Open
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mauro Sturlese |
Igor Masloboev |
Sergey Grishin |
| 2007 | Dimitriy Butyrev |
Sergey Grishin |
Nikita Vaganov |
| 2008 | Dimitriy Butyrev |
Vadim Chizhevskiy |
German Vargin |
External links
- USAA United States Air Hockey Association - the governing body for competitive air hockey
- Air Hockey World Air Hockey World F. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common A. Q.
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