Thanks for all of the tips on your blog about playing air hockey. I used to have a table in my basement as a kid but I haven’t really played much at all since then (roughly 15 years ago). I shoot a lot of pool now and am pretty good at it, but I have lost touch with air hockey.
The other night during playoffs for my 9-ball league, I decided to play a few games of air hockey. A buddy of mine refused to challenge me stating that he was too drunk at the time and didn’t want to ruin his 9 year winning streak (or something to that effect). He talks a HUGE game though. He is quite the pool player (at the top of the handicap ranking in 8-ball and close to the highest rank in 9-ball) and yet he says that his air hockey game is better than his pool game, better than his ping pong game (he *slaughters* me), and better than any other table game he plays. I MUST challenge him.
In any case, I decided that I needed to study up a bit before I play him and look like a total fool (I can hear it now: “The kid with the air hockey table in his basement just got schooled!!”). I did some google searches and youtube searches before I finally stumbled across your blog. There is very little out there that was easily accessible and most of the videos on youtube are of amateurs.
Thanks for all of your tips and diagrams! I finally figured out how the diamond drift works! If you’re interested used a “V” drift in the past which can go right into your own goal if you aren’t careful. On the bright side it allows for great backhanded straight shots at the apex of one side (I’m right-handed, so it works well on the left side of the table). On the right side apex of the “V”, I like to tap it gently to the right then hit a quick straight over shot. Give it a shot sometime and thanks again for the great info!
Sweet, man. I just got back from a pretty big handicap tourney outside of Chicago… and had a blast. There’s not a whole lot written about air hockey – hence the blog. I tell ya, talking shit and being really competitive are what keep a lot of the regulars I play with going.
Better than reading up would be practice. And better than learning a fancy drift would be just learning how to be deceptive. Oh, and if your opponent is playing a back-rail defense… don’t even hit a single bank shot.. only hit straights. I just did this against a guy today.. drift left – hit the right side of the goal. Kills noobs. That, and don’t just go out there and whack at the puck.. set up every shot and play a triangle defense.
Thanks for all of the tips on your blog about playing air hockey. I used to have a table in my basement as a kid but I haven’t really played much at all since then (roughly 15 years ago). I shoot a lot of pool now and am pretty good at it, but I have lost touch with air hockey.
The other night during playoffs for my 9-ball league, I decided to play a few games of air hockey. A buddy of mine refused to challenge me stating that he was too drunk at the time and didn’t want to ruin his 9 year winning streak (or something to that effect). He talks a HUGE game though. He is quite the pool player (at the top of the handicap ranking in 8-ball and close to the highest rank in 9-ball) and yet he says that his air hockey game is better than his pool game, better than his ping pong game (he *slaughters* me), and better than any other table game he plays. I MUST challenge him.
In any case, I decided that I needed to study up a bit before I play him and look like a total fool (I can hear it now: “The kid with the air hockey table in his basement just got schooled!!”). I did some google searches and youtube searches before I finally stumbled across your blog. There is very little out there that was easily accessible and most of the videos on youtube are of amateurs.
Thanks for all of your tips and diagrams! I finally figured out how the diamond drift works! If you’re interested used a “V” drift in the past which can go right into your own goal if you aren’t careful. On the bright side it allows for great backhanded straight shots at the apex of one side (I’m right-handed, so it works well on the left side of the table). On the right side apex of the “V”, I like to tap it gently to the right then hit a quick straight over shot. Give it a shot sometime and thanks again for the great info!
Sweet, man. I just got back from a pretty big handicap tourney outside of Chicago… and had a blast. There’s not a whole lot written about air hockey – hence the blog. I tell ya, talking shit and being really competitive are what keep a lot of the regulars I play with going.
Better than reading up would be practice. And better than learning a fancy drift would be just learning how to be deceptive. Oh, and if your opponent is playing a back-rail defense… don’t even hit a single bank shot.. only hit straights. I just did this against a guy today.. drift left – hit the right side of the goal. Kills noobs. That, and don’t just go out there and whack at the puck.. set up every shot and play a triangle defense.
Good luck, and let me know how you fare.