Mpls League

The Minneapolis League has been on hiatus during COVID, though weekly tournaments have resumed at Jimmy's.

Interested in being involved in a future league season?

Email us at mnfoosball@gmail.com

2019 Fall League

Playoff Results

11/19

Fall League Champs: Team Target!

2nd Place: Foosing for Pun

3rd/4th: Team Talati

3rd/4th: Team Anoka

Thanks to all for a fun fall season.

Full write-up at the forum soon.

See you for the Winter League!

Tentative Dates: 1/14-2/25

Minneapolis Foos League

will be back in Spring 2020....

Please contact Skip at mnfoosball@gmail.com if you're interested in being involved in the spring league.

How it works...

Each week, league teams of 3-4 players face off against one other league team in 7 events. (Final week playoffs/finals).

$20 league fee per player for the whole season; Reduced $15 entry for each player with a rookie/beginner on their team (payouts for 1st and 2nd in the league playoffs; prize raffles and other goodies for all participants).

Events:

Doubles (2 rounds)

Singles (2 rounds)

Goalie Wars/Rollerball Singles (1 round)

Rollerball/Johnny Lott (1 round)

Team Roto (1 round)

Beginners/Rookies welcome!!!

-Point and Skill Handicaps to keep games fun and competitive

- Team Handicaps: to keep teams balanced

Max Points for team of 3: 7 pts

(e.g. 2 experts and a beginner)

Max Points for team of 4: 9 pts

(e.g. 2 experts, an amateur and a beginner)

How to Register:

- Interested in joining the league? We can help you join a team or form your own!

- Interested in forming a team for a future league season? Curious about the league, but would like to learn more?

- Interested in being on our list of substitute players?

Interested? Questions? Contact Skip at mnfoosball@gmail.com or PM on facebook.

League Schedule

2020 Spring League Schedule: TBD

Preseason: Warm Up Event will Occur in late February/early March

Details posted in a few weeks.

Fall League Standings:

After Week 4 of the Regular Season....

Team Points Wins

1. Team Target 25 5

2. Foosing for Pun 16 3

3. Anu's Team 16 2

4. Team Anoka 6 0

Handicapping System:

Heads up!

The handicapping system will go through an update for the Winter 2020 season to become more sensitive to skill differences while remaining easy to implement. Moving to the following 5 level handicap.

1 - Beginner

2 - Rookie

3 - Amateur

4 - Expert

5 - Pro

These rankings do not perfectly correspond to a ranking on the pro foosball tour. Most 'Rookies' on the pro tour would be a 3 handicap or greater in this league. 1 is for newer players (usually players that have 1 year or less of competitive play). A 2 ranking is often for up and coming players still refining their basic skills (often 2 years or less of competitive play). Handicaps are fundamentally at the league director's discretion, but can be changed mid-season if necessary.

The goal of the handicap system is to keep the games fun, sporting, and challenging for all skill levels. It won’t be a perfect levelling of the playing field (which isn’t practical) but it should help. It will challenge veteran players to learn/perfect shots they’re less familiar with and give developing players a more competitive match.

The size of the handicap will vary depending on the experience levels of the opponents.

The larger the difference in ‘ranking’ between the teams facing off in that particular game, the greater the handicap. Handicaps take two forms: point spots and shot restrictions.

Shot Restriction: No pull/roll-over shots from 2 or 3 rod. (At Captain/League Director discretion if the expert’s primary shot is distinct from a pull/roll-over, they should be refraining from that shot instead).

Point Spots : As a default, games are to be played to 7 points. If a team/player has a 1-point spot in their favor, they are effectively playing to six points. If they have a 2 point spot, effectively to five. Those spots will be marked before the game begins, so all players will be looking to get to that 7th scoring bead.

Doubles:

1 point difference: 1 point spot.

Examples: 3 player + 2 player v. 2 player +2 player, 3+1 v. 2+1, 2+2 v. 2+1

2 point difference: 2 point spot.

Examples: 3 player + 1 player v. 1 player + 1 player, 2+2 v. 1+1, 3 + 2 v. 2 +1,

3 point difference: 2 point spot AND shot restriction.

Example: 3 player + 3 player v. 2 player + 1 player,

4 point difference: 3 point spot AND shot restriction.

Example: 3 player + 3 player v. 1 player v. 1 player.

5 point difference or greater:

3 point spot, shot restriction, AND 5 sec shot clock on higher ranked team (basically Pro team plays rollerball w/ ShotRest. and 3 pt handicap).

Singles:

1 point difference: 2 point spot OR Short Restriction

Examples: 3 player v. 2 player ; 2 v. 1

2 point difference: 2 point spot AND shot restriction (choice of lower team).

Examples: 3 player + 1 player

3 point difference: 3 point spot AND shot restriction.

Examples: 5 player + 2 player

4 point difference: 3 point spot, shot restriction and 5 sec shot clock for pro player.

Examples: 5 player + 1 player

Team Doubles:

For the Team Doubles game, the handicap will be determined by the difference between the 'team average' handicap. E.g. if a Team X has an avg. handicap of 2.5 and Team Y has an avg. of 1.3, then Team Y gets a 2 point spot in the game to 7 points.

- Team Avg Difference between (inclusive) 0.5 points and 1 point: 1 point spot OR shot restriction

- Greater than 1 point difference: 2 point spot AND shot restriction

Handicap System

Fall Playoffs! Tues 11/19

Join us for the final week of league. All are welcome for pick-up games and to root on their favorite team!

Playoff Schedule:

7:30 pm Qualifying Round

8:30 Finals, League Group Pic, Prize Raffle

Final Match: Winner of Match 1 v. Winner of Match 2

Handicap Points List:

Player Handicap

Team 1: Foosing for Pun (team avg: 2)

Skip S 3

Nick W 2

Louis 1

Carlos (sub) 2

Jim R (sub) 1

Team 2: Team Target (average: 1.2)

Adarsh 1

Jordan C 1

David 1

Uday 1

Daniel V 2

Dave G (master sub) 4

Team 3: (team avg. 1.5)

Anu 1

Jared W 2

Ben T 3

Zachary C 1

Team 4: (team average: 1)

Brian M 1

Dick Z 2

Lena C 1

Avis F 1

Tim 1

Handica Pts

Winter Foos League Formats:

The Winter Foos League will include a variety of styles of play. Particular formats may vary by turnout/interest but will be limited to those listed below. Players will pick their format before a match via coin toss. (Winner of the coin toss can choose to start with the ball and pick side OR choose the format: Rollerball, Lott's Revenge or Standard Doubles).

Rules for Doubles and Singles will largely abide by ITSF rules. The rules for some of the specialty formats are below.

-- Goalie Wars --

Goalie Wars is a singles specialty event where the three-man and five-man rods are lifted and the player shoot against each other from the goalie positions.

Possession - A player is deemed in possession of the ball when it’s within reach of the goalie rods.

- During play, if the ball goes off the table or becomes dead between the two-man rods, it will be put back into play by the opponent of the player who had the last possession.

- If the ball goes dead in the goalie area, it shall be put back into play from the goalie area of where the ball went dead.

- A ball that strikes any rod, player figure, or bumper in the center of the table is still considered to be in play. These rods do not affect possession of the ball.

Time Limits - Once the ball is put into play, the player has a ten second time limit to advance the ball. If the ball stops for more than three seconds, or is pinned for more than one second, it must touch another player figure before it may be legally advanced. Violation of any part of this rule is loss of possession to the opposing player.

-- Johnny Lott’s Revenge -- (‘Touch-2’)

Ball Advancement: 5 bar moving ‘pass’ rule applies to all rods for all ball advancements (clearing, passing and scoring). That is, to advance the ball from a stopped or pinned position, the ball must be put in motion and hit a second man. Standard set 1 man shots and passes are illegal. Set shots would require at least two-touches (kick shots). Pushes, pulls and dinks could still be done while appropriately in motion.

Time Limits: Once the ball is put into play, the player has a ten second time limit to advance the ball.

-- Rollerball -- (2016 version of ITSF's Rules)

Ball in Play: The ball must be in continuous motion during play. Once the ball has been put into play, it may not be stopped or in possession of any player figure for more than one second. If the ball contacts a player figure and is not directly advanced within one second, it must touch another player figure on the same rod, or side wall, within one second.

Pinning the Ball: If the ball is pinned, it may be advanced by the same player figure if done within the one second time limit.

Time of Possession: The time of Possession shall be 5-Seconds for ALL rods. The goalie rods are considered one rod. The time of possession is suspended when the ball is not within reach of any player figure. During the serve or when resuming play, the time limits begin when the ball touches the second player figure. During play, time begins when the ball is either controlled or in a position to be controlled.

Ball off the Table: If a player causes the ball to go off the table, play shall resume at the opposing goalie rods. If unclear, the player with the last clear possession is deemed to have caused the ball to go off the table. Arial shots are legal provided no other rules are violated to perform the shot.

Time Outs: Teams may take two 15-second time outs per game. Time outs are only allowed between points or between games. Time outs are not allowed while the ball is in play, however, an Official Time Out may be called to request a referee or to call a foul.

Passing: All passes from one rod to any other rod is considered legal.

-- Team Doubles --

Player Positions: The format is played with standard doubles rules, with the following exceptions.

- Team members rotate in (and out) of playing positions upon a score by the opposing team.

- When a team is scored upon, their goalie moves to forward, their forward moves to the back of the rotation, and the player at the front of the rotation waiting in the wings moves to goalie.

- All members of the team are involved in the rotation.

- No player substitutions during time-outs.

- The order of the initial line-up/rotation is up to the Team Captain.

Formats