My House, My Rules

Just over 12 Months ago, I posted about some new rules I was implementing with regards to my solo play. These were mainly centered around the way I would administer blocking flicks. Well 12 months on nothing has really changed in that respect, but I did try one or two things which like all things worked on paper but quickly became dismissed as I felt that there was no actual benefit in game play.

Nevertheless things have changed over that 12 month period in other ways This month I thought I’d briefly go through my rule-book explaining my thoughts on why I choose the methods I do, in an attempt to show why I do what I do, and why I feel it works for me.

It’s all well and good people like myself sharing or suggesting ideas, but sometimes they are easily dismissed because the recipient just doesn’t understand why it’s been suggested in the first place. So the following is a brief insight into my rules, an attempt by me to show my working out rather than the results, then maybe the recipient can possibly make a better decision on the validity of my ideas from their own perspective.

Lets Kick Off

Kicking off is a simple affair, but we live in different times from when the game was first invented. So to keep things up to date I allow a team to kick off in any direction they wish. Players that play historic leagues etc. will probably disagree here, it’s just a matter of choice.

Irrespective of that minor point once the attack has played the ball twice including the kick off (or restart), I allow the defence a Counter Flick, this basically is a chance to advance a player into their opponents half, there’s are a couple of restrictions however, it’s not allowed inside their opponents shooting area or it’s a back, and they can only take the flick providing that the ball is not in their possession or inside their shooting area. If it makes contact with the ball or an opponent it’s a foul.

The Blocking Flick

When I’m playing I try and play as unbiased as possible, when I’m attacking I’m not thinking about defending, so any blocking flick made by the defence is my way of making any possible shot as awkward for the attack as I can, I sometimes make mistakes my blocks are too short or too long, shots are miss hit, to me that’s all part of the game. But the block isn't allowed to obstruct the shooting players ability of getting a shot away. It’s just a way of try and block the shot not to cut the amount of chances made.

On caveat however as soon as the attack play the ball into the shooting area they can shoot first time unopposed, providing the player taking the shot is closer to the ball than the nearest defender, as much as I like making the attack work to create a chance, the defenders aren’t going to get it all their own way.

Shooting and Keepers

Before a shot on goal can be attempted the ball must be fully inside the area, something that was always adhered to when I played competitively. Solo wise I feel its more challenging for the attack, and in most of my rules I like making life difficult for the attack in certain circumstances just because I can, there’s little in the way of blocking, so I’m not going to let them just shoot because the ball is not quite fully inside the shooting area.

My goal keepers are the BBB offerings, however I only use the diving variety in my games. It may be repositioned after every flick the attack have, but in practice it usually only gets positioned before a shot. It can be placed anywhere within the 6 yard box to try and block the shot, as long as about half it’s base is covering the lines of the 6 yard box I count that as inside, because it’s quite a large base the keeper can narrow the angle a little more.

When a spare keeper is brought into play it cannot be replaced until a teammate has played the ball and the team retains possession, or the ball goes out of play, it just adds a little jeopardy into the mix. If possession is lost by the keeper or a teammate in this way, the attack have 3 touches before the keeper can be replaced, if a block is due the keeper may be used for the purpose if needed. Not strictly Subbuteo but adds to the excitement.

Penalties

Whilst we’re on the topic of goalkeepers, penalties was an another area that I felt needed addressing due to the fact if taken as normal my strike rate was pretty darn good. So the keeper is placed so that approximately half it’s base is covering the goal line, the ball is put on the spot, and the penalty taker is placed anywhere on the shooting line, All in an attempt again to make the penalty harder to score but still give the attack a fairly good chance of scoring, but maybe not 100% of the time, as seemed to be the case before I changed things.

Offsides

This rule caused me more than a little headache. I’d tried numerous ways over time but what I wanted was a simple method, so that when the ball passes the last defender in the shooting area the attack is either on or offside. My rule I feel fulfills my philosophy of simplicity. When the ball passes the last defender if the attack are onside at that point they continue to be onside whilst the ball remains inside the shooting area irrespective of any defensive flicks, It’s one check then carry on either way.

In an effort to maximise shooting chances the attack is allowed to shoot if the ball is in front of the line of the last defender even if there are attackers in offside positions, and if this shot scores it counts, providing that no offside player touches the ball, if the shot misses, remains in play or contacts an offside player, offside is then called. Not actually in the Subbuteo rules, but I feel that it incorporates a small passive element into proceedings that is prevalent in modern football.

If a defender loses possession in their own shooting area, that effectively plays the attack onside irrespective of where the attackers are positioned. With set pieces inside the area there are no offsides, that includes throw ins, corners and free kicks. It all just simplifies a fluid rule and again allows me to concentrate on the team with the ball, and not trying to concentrate on more things than is necessary.

During any of the above if the ball is played out of the shooting area the whole offside issue is reset and begins again.

The attack also have the opportunity to get offside players back onside, as long as they are in possession, they have 2 opportunities to do this during any period of possession the onside flick must try and go as parallel to the touchline as feasible, without contacting an opponent, or it’s back you go. The defence then get a flick, this flick however is a little different from the usual rules. The defender can be flicked from any part of the field but must end up in their own shooting area. If there are already 5 or more defenders there one of those players must be used. This way the attack get the benefit of keeping onside and the defence get a chance to plug a hole or two.

My method of making a penalty a little more challenging

 

Free Kicks and Backs

This rule is really simple if a player contacts an opponent before contact if any with the ball it’s a foul. But like others I would imagine I have extended this to a defenders blocking flick, and in my case also the counter flick I use after kick off. If a defender touches the ball or an opponent with a block it’s a foul, if it’s in the penalty area it’s a penalty. Onside flicks are handled a little differently if an onside block contacts an opponent it’s a back and the flick is lost, contact the ball it’s a free kick, this I feel determines that any free kick awards are at least in the same vicinity as the the ball. All positional flicks at corners etc. are handled a little differently again, if a positional flick displaces an opponent, or buffets a teammate I play a back and that flick is lost, and all positional flicks must be no less than 25mm to an opponent if they are I stick my thumb between the players so they comply.

All Free Kicks are indirect, yes you read that right, all that is except penalties. My reasoning behind this stems from the fact that there are then no walls to build, which eliminates them being left in situ, and not having too many blocking flicks or opportunities to break it up should the defence come away with the ball. As mentioned earlier there are no offsides for set pieces in the shooting area which hands a little initiative back to the attack so things become a little more balanced.

I also have an advantage rule any free kick award (including offside), can be disregarded by the team now in possession, they can just carry on from the current position or have the play reset by means of a back (except offside), it’s their or should I say my choice.

Throw Ins

This is the only time I disregard the offside rule, a throw in can be flicked into the area past the last defender and no attacker in there can be offside, and may also shoot with their next flick unopposed, to me it makes my defensive positional flick have purpose and used in the right area instead of randomly playing a flick somewhere else on the pitch, and allows an attacker to be onside just like it is in the real game.

Throw ins can only be forced if the attacker, defender, and the ball are in the same quarter, and the ball goes out of bounds within that quarter. It’s been that way in the 2 player game for quite some time, and I see no reason to change it.

Throw ins however have restrictions they aren’t allowed to travel over half the width of the pitch, or more than one adjacent quarter, it just stops ridiculously long throws.

Corners

Not much to say really, I just play them as normal, apart from that you can’t be offside, as mentioned previously, but I still play that the corner kicker gets a freebie onside flick no point leaving him there in the grand scheme of things.

Last but not least

When setting up for a goal kick I have a method which limits where, and the number of players that are allowed to be placed.This just stops densely packed areas and keeps some kind of formation without allowing teams to form up in ways that just defend the shooting line. I, like many other solo players don’t like or tend to do that, and my rules are my way of preventing that for me in the first place. I’m sure we all have have our own ways of doing just that. One other thing I don’t allow, is an attacker inside their opponents shooting area, and they cannot be placed any closer than 90mm to their opponents shooting line when placed outside. I do this again to make life just a little more difficult for the attack in their build up play. It also helps slightly with my lack of blocking flicks.

That’s not all the rules but I hope it’s given you an idea of how I play, all based on a philosophy of simplicity and an effort to be balanced. When playing this game against a live opponent you’re either attacking or defending, in solo play trying to do both at the same time can often become confusing. What I’ve endeavoured to do is make it a game where I concentrate on attacking with whichever side is in possession, and allowing the defence to intervene at times without having to out think myself.

The games themselves have believable scorelines, and enhance my attacking skills, defensively not so much but as long as the rules challenge those attacking skills I’m happy. My rules can be found on the downloads page if you feel you want to to read them in full.

My philosophy may not suit every solo player, but I’ve tried to make the rules simple to adhere to in a solo context, as well as trying to make games flow like a 2 player game, the rules themselves may not fit the criteria others are seeking, we all have different outlooks. Personally I’ve tried to maintain the core values of Subbuteo, and the house rules are there to give me a way of challenging myself without an opponent. They may at times not wholly represent real life or in any way be perfect, but as long as they produce a challenge they don’t have to be.

Keep On Flicking 

Ian