Why is buying an air hockey table a great investment?
An air hockey table can be used as the focal point of any home game room or business. By knowing the proper rules and regulations for air hockey, you can enjoy your air hockey table for fun or competition for years to come. Below, you will find the basic rules for air hockey as established by the United States Air Hockey Association. Keep in mind that you may want to adopt your own family rules for air hockey to avoid sibling rivalries and to ensure that everyone in the family gets a chance to enjoy your new air hockey table.
The Following is a General List of Basic Air Hockey Rules as established by the USAA. For a complete list of air hockey rules and equipment, consult the USAA’s website.
A player may stand anywhere around the air hockey table on his/her side of the centerline. He/she may not stand past that line.
If any part of a player's hand, arm, body, or clothes touches the puck, a "palming" foul shall be called.
The puck may be struck with any part of the mallet but the bottom surface.
The puck cannot be "topped" by lifting the mallet or pusher and placing it on the top of the puck to slow or stop it while the puck is on the air hockey table. This cannot be done at any time, whether before a serve or during play. Violation constitutes a foul. However, using the mallet to bring an airborne puck to the table or toward the opponent's goal is not a topping violation no matter which side or edge of the puck is contacted.
Only one puck shall be in play at a given moment.
A player may play with only one air hockey mallet on the playing surface at one time. Violation results in a foul. Players may choose to hold only one air hockey mallet.
When the puck enters a player's goal, the puck must drop and remain in the goal for the goal to count. The player's opponent receives one point for a goal scored, unless the offensive player committed a foul during or just prior to making the shot.
A player has seven (7) seconds to execute a shot that crosses the centerline of the air hockey table. The seven (7) seconds begin as soon as the puck enters and remains on that player's side of the centerline. Violation of this rule is a foul.
When the puck is in contact with any part of the centerline, either player may strike the puck.
The player scored upon receives possession of the puck for the next serve.
When a player is scored upon, he/she has 10 seconds to remove the puck from the goal and place it in play. The 10 seconds start as soon as the puck has fallen completely through the goal and is available for the player to place into play. This rule is suspended during the course of a time-out.
A player may hand-serve the puck (use his/her hand to set the puck in front of his/her mallet) only after he/she has been scored upon.
Each player may take one time-out per game. The time-out may be no longer than 10 seconds.
A player may exercise his/her time-out only when the puck is in his/her possession or not in play.
A player must make a clear indication of a time-out so that the opponent understands the player's intention.
The first player to score seven (7) goals is the winner.
