In article <7kt9gg$11i$1@news.news.kodak.com>,
Richard A Chapman wrote:
Free advice for rookies:
Snakes and pulls shots compromise 90% of all the shots done. Good goalies see alot of these and therefore develop at least a couple of different defenses for each shot.
While developing your snake or pull, work on either a pullkick, pushkick, or pushshot as a backup shot. These shots are seen much less and therefore goalies do not have as much experience blocking them.
I have 4 or 5 different defenses for snakes and pulls. I only have 1 or 2 against the other shots. If you can score against my only pushshot defense, you will beat me. This can be your advantage over all the other rookies trying to win.
Disclaimer: I am not discounting the pull or snake shots. They are good shots and can take you to the top, but I believe you can get there quicker with something else.
I have to step in here and disagree with you. Why do people shoot the rollover and pull? Because they are high percentage shots. Theoretically they are much easier shots to shoot especially if you compare it to a pushkick or some other shot which requires transitioning the ball between two play figures. Not to mention the fact that the ball has to travel much farther to the long hole.
Consistency will make or break you in foosball. You are much better off shooting your best shot and learning to read many different defenses rather than shooting many mediocre shots and sucking at defensive reading.
I have seen so many players think they were great players because they could do a variety of shots, but when it comes to tournament play there shots seems to always fail them from lack of consistency.
If you really want to grow as a player you must do the same things that other great players do and adapt them to fit your style of play. Learning other shots to round out your skills as a player is great, but leave the trick shots for before tournament play.
– Denis Ory