Air Hockey > 101 > Strategies
Air Hockey Strategies
Much like any other sport, having a game plan going into a match can greatly improve your odds of winning. Why do you think football coaches don't just spend all their time improving the skills of their players? Because having the most skilled team alone won't make you a winner. Developing a sound strategy that you can use on the offensive and defensive side of the table are key in air hockey.
There are also proven success strategies based on actual human reaction times, geometry and tactics that have been explored throughout the short 40 year history of the sport. While the sport is still young, it has been mastered by real professionals who have spent countless hours testing different theories for what works best. There is always room for improvement but these tips will help you lay a foundation for opponents at the highest level. |
Patience is Key
Unlike your typical arcade players, real air hockey involves a great deal of patience across the offensive and defensive side of the table. When on offense, knowing when to take a quick shot to catch your opponent off guard and when to slow down the game, make a drift and execute an accurate shot is key. You can't always just slap the puck the second it comes on your side or the table or good players will defend those sloppy shots and break your defense down. On defense you have to be patient enough to wait on your opponent to shoot, but intently watch and constantly reposition against their every move. If you are an impatient player and lose your focus during a lull in the action you will be sleeping when the puck flies by your mallet.
Unlike your typical arcade players, real air hockey involves a great deal of patience across the offensive and defensive side of the table. When on offense, knowing when to take a quick shot to catch your opponent off guard and when to slow down the game, make a drift and execute an accurate shot is key. You can't always just slap the puck the second it comes on your side or the table or good players will defend those sloppy shots and break your defense down. On defense you have to be patient enough to wait on your opponent to shoot, but intently watch and constantly reposition against their every move. If you are an impatient player and lose your focus during a lull in the action you will be sleeping when the puck flies by your mallet.
Vary Your Shot Sequence
Unlike some other bar games, making a single style of shot that you have mastered won't win you a lot of games. All different types of offensive shots are important to practice and use throughout the game play. You should be analyzing the defense for certain weaknesses in guarding their goal. Do they have a tendency to not be directly center? If so, drift your shots more frequently toward the open side of the goal to exploit this. Do they play with their mallet too far away from their goal box? Then start to use more banks that can slide in behind them. This strategy is all about reading the defense and actively changing your game to improve your odds.
Unlike some other bar games, making a single style of shot that you have mastered won't win you a lot of games. All different types of offensive shots are important to practice and use throughout the game play. You should be analyzing the defense for certain weaknesses in guarding their goal. Do they have a tendency to not be directly center? If so, drift your shots more frequently toward the open side of the goal to exploit this. Do they play with their mallet too far away from their goal box? Then start to use more banks that can slide in behind them. This strategy is all about reading the defense and actively changing your game to improve your odds.
Bank Off Both Sides of the Rail
This suggested strategy is all about evening out the amount of times you are using the left and right side walls during bank shots. This may seem like a no brainier but is actually more common to simply use a dominate side than you think. It is actually hard coded in our brains to gravitate to one side. Right handed players typically leverage the right side of the table, and vise versa for left handed players, more frequently when shooting the bank. This is because they are subconsciously drawn to this and are more comfortable controlling their angle from one wall. The key to this strategy is breaking that routine to bank off both sides to keep your opponent guessing.
This suggested strategy is all about evening out the amount of times you are using the left and right side walls during bank shots. This may seem like a no brainier but is actually more common to simply use a dominate side than you think. It is actually hard coded in our brains to gravitate to one side. Right handed players typically leverage the right side of the table, and vise versa for left handed players, more frequently when shooting the bank. This is because they are subconsciously drawn to this and are more comfortable controlling their angle from one wall. The key to this strategy is breaking that routine to bank off both sides to keep your opponent guessing.
Each Possession is Valuable
It is obvious that you need to take advantage of each offensive possession and shoot your highest percentage shots to win the game. However, what most entry level players don't think about is the importance of saving a puck that might simply drift away. You need to always be on your toes in order to circle around the puck and grab it before you lose a possession to your opponent. The pros understand the concept of always playing defense in order to improve their offense.
It is obvious that you need to take advantage of each offensive possession and shoot your highest percentage shots to win the game. However, what most entry level players don't think about is the importance of saving a puck that might simply drift away. You need to always be on your toes in order to circle around the puck and grab it before you lose a possession to your opponent. The pros understand the concept of always playing defense in order to improve their offense.
Add Some Trick Shots
Once you become an accurate level shooter, we recommend that you should incorporate trick shots to your sequence. Trick shots are all about being deceptive and not telegraphing your offense. If you are obvious about how you set up a shot, it is going to be extremely easy for your opponent to simply get in the right position before you even make contact with the puck. Instead, maybe intentionally hit the puck off your opponent's back wall and slam the ricochet back at them to keep them off balance.
Once you become an accurate level shooter, we recommend that you should incorporate trick shots to your sequence. Trick shots are all about being deceptive and not telegraphing your offense. If you are obvious about how you set up a shot, it is going to be extremely easy for your opponent to simply get in the right position before you even make contact with the puck. Instead, maybe intentionally hit the puck off your opponent's back wall and slam the ricochet back at them to keep them off balance.