Air Hockey Variants
contributed by Tim Weissman
The following games are all new and different ways to play Air Hockey. The
majority of them are excellent when there are many players and only one table.
Also, many of them are team oriented. They add excitement to your practice
sessions and encourage people to show up. They can be used on their own or as
part of a competition. Enjoy them!



AUSTRALIAN DOUBLES

This is the traditional doubles in Air Hockey. It involves two teams of two
players. The lower ranked (or less skilled) players from each team begin the
match. Traditionally, each game of the match is also begun with a face-off. If a
player is scored upon, he/she leaves the table, and their partner takes over. As
long as you are not scored upon, you stay on the table. This rotation of players
continues from game to game throughout the match. Therefore, if John and Kim are
playing and John is scored on, and that was the seventh point for their
opponent's, then Kim starts on the table in the next game. However, if John was
on the table and scored the winning point of a game, then he starts the next
game on the table.

Either player may call time-out for the team. And either player may cast a serve
from the goal (though this maneuver is rather difficult to perfect). Also, this
game may be played with larger team sizes. Triples and Quadruples can be quite
competitive and fun.

A variant on this is TURKISH DOUBLES. In this version, if a player scores, they
leave the table and their partner takes over. This is fun, but tends to make it
difficult for a weaker player to get his/her partner on the table. They don't
score, so they can't get off. It is tradition that any player who gets scored on
at least three times in a row must "gobble" like a turkey and carry some token
of humiliation around with him/her until another player receives the dubious
distinction.

Other variations which could include a doubles format, or simply be singles are:
MAKE IT/TAKE IT - If you score, you get the puck back.
TENNIS SETS - Play according to the tennis scoring system, including the serving
format. A player serves the puck after each goal for an entire game.
VOLLEYBALL SCORING - Play using the volleyball scoring system, including serving
format. Remember, to score, you must have served, and to serve, you must break
your opponent's serve. Also, you must win by 2 points.
TABLE TENNIS SCORING - Play using table tennis scoring format, including serving
format. A player serves 5 points, then the opponent serves 5 points.

Or, combine different rules variants. Try Turkish Doubles, make it/take it. This
can be very cruel for a less skilled player. Not only does he/she have a hard
time getting off the table (because they must score), but the opponent gets to
start with the puck after they score each time. Another fun one is to play
doubles tennis sets.



AIR HOCKEY BASEBALL

Each team must designate a starting pitcher and a catcher at the beginning of
the game. These must be different people, unless the team consists of only one
person. Each team must then be designated as either home or visitor. The number
of people on each team may be different and it doesn't even have to be the same.
The visitor bats in the top half of each of the 9 innings; the home team in the
bottom half. Each team then submits a line-up for batting. This is followed
throughout the game. A starting pitcher may be relieved during the game by any
player on the team, but then the relieved pitcher may never pitch again in the
game. The catcher may be changed at the start of any inning.

BATTING

When a batter records a hit or an out, the next batter is up.


HIT: RESULT:

Any scoring shot Single
1-2's, chase shots, forehands, hand-switching Double
Off speeds, double-banks, blade shots Triple
Any combination of these seven Home Run
(except blade/forehand combo)
Any four off-goals hit to the same area Walk
and of the same kind (straight or bank)
without any other shots in between

Sacrifice Bunt:
If a hitter wishes to attempt a bunt, he announces it, then the defense holds
his mallet in the middle of the goal. The hitter then gets one shot. If it
scores, then the bunt is successful, all runners move up one base and the hitter
is out. If he doesn't score, the lead runner is out, and the pitcher gets one
shot back at the hitter (with the hitter's mallet in the middle of the goal) to
attempt a double-play. Suicide squeezes (scoring a 3rd base runner with a bunt),
requires three consecutive scores by the hitter against the pitcher (the mallet
being in the middle of the goal). Trail runners always move up one base,
regardless of whether the bunt was successful or not.

PITCHING

-Defender (pitcher) gaining possession is an out
-A stuff is a double play
-Offensive player scoring on himself is a double play
-If the defense scores a double-play when no player is on base, then the current
batter is out and the next batter is skipped, also having an out. If there is a
double-play when runners are on base, then the lead runner and batter are out.
-Defender committing a foul of knocking the puck off the table counts as a balk
(all runners move up a base)
-Pitcher has the option of intentionally walking a new hitter before the batter
takes the plate.
CATCHING

At any time during an offensive possession, a runner on base may make an attempt
to steal a legal base by taking the table against the catcher. The catcher then
takes the table for the pitcher and makes an attempt to throw the runner(s) out.
This is done by having the catcher try to score against the stealing runner.
More attempts are allowed for higher bases:


1st to 2nd One possession
2nd to 3rd Two possessions
3rd to Home Three possessions

If the runner gains X possessions, the steal is successful. If the catcher
scores on himself, or is stuffed, then the runner not only steals the base, but
all runners advance one more. If the runner commits a foul or is scored on by
the catcher, he is out. Runners on 1st and 2nd may attempt a double steal, and
the catcher may only choose one to throw out.


PRESS YOUR LUCK

This game involves seven rounds of play and the object is to be the player with
the most points in their bank at the end of the seventh round. Any number can
play, but the best is somewhere between 6 and 10 players. This is an excellent
game for new players because they generally play more often (a result of how
each round is seeded). Also, because they will have many opportunities to play
crucial points against tougher players.

The first round is seeded with the lowest ranked (least skilled) player at the
top (this being the highest seed as the number 1 position), followed by the next
lowest player, and so on, until the highest ranked player is seeded at the
bottom.

The player in the number 1 position then begins with their turn at "holding the
table." The first player to "defend the table" is the highest seeded player, not
taking into account whoever is "holding the table" (in this case, number 1
position). Therefore, the player in the number 2 position is the first defender.

The player "holding the table" (position 1 player in this case) starts with the
puck. If he/she scores, then he/she has attained 1 point and the "defender"
leaves the table. The player "holding the table" may continue on, pressing their
luck, and go up against the next defender. The next defender is simply the next
lowest seeded player on the list (not taking into account the player "holding
the table"). If the player "holding the table" continues, they again start with
the puck. In fact, the player "holding the table" always begins with the puck,
and therefore has the extra temptation to Press their Luck. If the player
"holding the table" scores on the next defender, then they have attained a total
of 3 points. For each score on a defender in a round, the value of the goal
increase by one. Therefore, the stakes get higher and higher as the player
"holding the table" continues forward, pressing and pressing. For the first
score, they get 1 point, for the second, they get 2 points (and therefore a
running total of 3), for the third, they get 3 points (and a total of 6); and so
on. Below is a quick list of point totals for number of consecutive goals
scored:



Goals Point total
1 1
2 3
3 6
4 10
5 15
6 21
7 28
8 36
9 45


At any point when the player "holding the table" has possession of the puck,
they may "relinquish the table." This means that they wish to keep their running
total of points for that round and let the next player in the seeding have their
turn at "holding the table." The points they have earned go to their bank. If a
player "holding the table" gets scored on, they lose all points for that round
and get a negative 1 point put toward their bank. For example, John scored on
three opponents in round 1, then "relinquished," taking his score of 6 points
and putting it in his bank. In round two, John goes on a great run, scoring on 5
opponents. He has a running total of 15 for the round, but he has gotten cocky
and presses his luck. The sixth defender scores on him and the crowd hoops and
hollers as John leaves the table. John loses all points for that round and gets
a negative one put in his bank. His bank, after round two, is at a total of 5.
That is a result of his 6 points from the first round, followed by his negative
1 for the second round. Note: A player can relinquish the table without even
trying for a score at all. They just walk up to the table when it is their turn
to "hold," then declare "relinquish." They get a 0 for the round. This becomes
very important after you have played a few games and understand the strategy
more, particularly the seeding.
And that brings us to the final piece of the puzzle for this game, seeding.
After the first round (which is seeded according to ranking or skill level),
each additional round is seeded according to the total points in each player's
bank. The player with the least points is seeded first, followed by the player
with the next lowest points, and so on. If two players have the same amount of
points, then they are put in the same order as they were in the previous round.
The re-seeding of each round generally keeps the lower ranked players at the
top, and therefore the "keepers of the door" in each round. It also adds
enormous levels of strategy, which become apparent after just a few games.

Hope you like it.



CONTRACT AIR HOCKEY

Contract Air Hockey is a group game, scored individually, ideal for 7 players. A
scorepad and a deck of playing cards are required. The object of the game is to
be the first player to win a set. To win a set a player must win between 1 and 4
games (depending on the match length desired). A player wins a game by earning 7
or more points. A player earns points by fulfilling contracts and by terminating
the contracts of his opponents.

The point breakdown is as follows:



* Fullfilling a Priority Contract: +2 Points
* Fullfilling a Purchased Contract: +2 Points
* Terminating an Opponent's Contract: +1 Point
* Failing to meet a Priority Contract: -1 Point
* Failing to meet a Purchased Contract: -2 Points

When a player achieves 7+ points, that game is immediately awarded to the player
and all scores are reset to zero (for the next game if necessary). Games are
made up of rounds, and there is no set number of rounds each game. New rounds
are started until a player gets to 7+ points and ends a game. The following
steps take place each game:
1. All players draw a random card to determine the order of play for the round.
(Note: this step is modified after the first game of a match).

2. The 1st player chooses a card at random to determine the "Contract Type" for
the entire round. This card is removed from the deck until the matche's
completion. The contract types and the card which represents them are listed at
the end of this document.

3. Each player in order then chooses their opponent for the current round, and
the choices are recorded. Every player must be choosen as an opponent in every
round. Once an opponent has been selected, he cannot be picked again by another
player for that round. Also, you cannot make a selection that would force
someone to pick themselves. (EX: In a 7 player game, the 6th player, Mike and
the 7th player, John are next to choose their opponents. Only John and the 3rd
player Scott remain as choices. Therefore, Mike must pick John and John must
pick Scott, if Mike picked Scott, John’s only choice would be himself.)

4. The first contract is then bid on. The opponent for the first match may not
bid. The player whose turn it is, (whoever choose this opponent) is said to have
"priority" for this round of bidding. The players are bidding on how many times
in a row they can sucessfully complete the contract. The player with priority
may match any bid to win the contract while the other players must increase the
current bid by at least 1. If the non- priority player wins the right to attempt
to fulfill a contract, he is said to have "purchased" that contract, and the
scoring is changed as such. A player may purchase one contract per round. A
player wishing to purchase an additional contract in a round may do so by paying
1 point from his score. This point is lost when he is declared high bidder
whether or not he fulfills the contract. A player with zero or negative points
for the current game may not purchase or even bid on more than one contract a
round (not including his priority contract).

5. The current contract is played and points are awarded immediately. If the
opponent prevents the contract from being fulfilled, they are said to have
"terminated" the contract.

6. Steps 4 and 5 are repeated for all the opponents

7. Instead of redrawing for position, each player moves down one in priority
order. (EX: Player 1 goes to 2, 2 goes to 3, the last player goes to 1, etc.).
(Note: this step is modified after the first game of a match).

8. Steps 2-6 are repeated until a player acheives 7+ points to end the game.

Repeat the game steps until one player reaches the desired amount of games. The
only difference is that players who have won a game may never be priority seeded
above someone who has won fewer games. Players draw for random order within
their own group (players who have won the smallest amount of games) and are
reordered within this group in step 7.


Contract Types


Ace - Starting with a free-shot(opponent must hold his mallet in direct middle
of goal for one shot), score before being scored on
Two - Winning a face-off
Three - Starting with puck, score before being scored upon
Four - Starting without the puck and gaining possession before being scored upon
Five - Starting with a face-off, score before being scored upon
Six - Starting with puck, score on 1st possession
Seven - Starting without puck, score before being scored upon
Eight - Starting with a face-off, score on your 1st possession before being
scored upon
Nine - Starting without puck, score on your 1st possession before being scored
upon
Ten - Starting with puck, score with a forehand before being scored upon
Jack - Starting with puck, score with a bank shot before being scored upon
Queen - Starting with puck, use off-hand and score before being scored upon
King - Starting





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