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If you play air hockey you know it’s a high-paced, exciting table game. It’s often thought of with other games such as pool and ping pong. A standard air hockey table is 4′x 6′.

You’ll find the top of the air hockey table is unlike any other you’ll see. It has hundreds of tiny holes. These perforations allow air to flow through which lets the puck glide over the table in a smooth motion. The table mimics an ice hockey rink with its blue and red lines.

When you begin playing, you pick one player as the server. The player serves the puck and attempts to drive it into the opposing player’s goal. The receiving player can return the puck once it has crossed the centerline.

Don’t try to use your hands, arms or other body parts to block your opponents’ shots in air hockey. It’s illegal. After the puck reaches your end of the table you have seven seconds to return the shot. Often air hockey players will strategize and often wait for their opponent to establish a pattern they can follow. They will then formulate their own plan to block and score.

Air hockey tables have large side rails that serve two purposes – they are used to keep the puck from leaving the table and to allow players to bounce the puck against it while making a bank shot.

There are slots on either end of the table that are each player’s goal. The purpose of the game is to score by sliding your puck into the opposing goal. The puck is hit by players holding mallets. The first person to reach a specified number is the winner.

Sometimes players get lucky with a direct shot at the goal. You can also use misdirection or angling the puck to hit the corners of the goal.

If you ever participate in an air hockey tournament you’ll find the tables are larger and players use more sophisticated strategies. Air hockey tables used in tournaments are larger and players use additional tactics to distract their opponents.

Aside from sports, this author also frequently contributes articles about Mickey antenna topper and Disney car seat covers.