Gaming tables - real matches at home

What to do at home, how to gain some movement and sports emotions when we are locked in four walls for a long time, without the possibility to go to a club or playground? In the apartment you can find some nice games that can provide satisfaction no less than "real" games.

Whether we are supporters of football or hockey, or more intimate sports such as billiards, even temporarily deprived of the opportunity to practice them, we are able to find good and enjoyable substitutes. Contrary to appearances, as evidenced by the experience of those who have already met them, they can provide quite a lot of emotion and let themselves live, even physically, to a surprising extent. In fact, games that we can install at home can be addictive. Above all, they don't let us get bored, they distract us from the screens of electronic devices and can be fun for the whole family. In the future, they will often be useful as an attractive addition to social gatherings. Here are our suggestions.

A noble game of gentlemen

Billiards is a game with a long, century-old tradition (it appeared in Europe in the 15th century). It is played on a linen rectangular table with side dimensions of 1 to 2 and involves firing balls with a specially shaped stick, ie. Heavy balls made of hard material, in order to direct them - directly or by reflection - to the planned location. The game is usually played by two people with alternating balls in series that last until the first mistake. There are many varieties of billiards that vary in size and even table shape, number of balls, their designations and rules, but they are divided into three main groups. The most popular are pool games, which are played on tables with six pockets (so-called pockets; openings in the corners and sides of the table), the tables of which are usually 7, 8 or 9 feet long. Snooker games are classified separately with different histories of development, rules, culture and terminology. This type of game also uses tables with six pockets, but larger ones (12 feet long). Both types of billiards consist of sticking consecutive balls into pockets. The third, slightly different group is made up of carom billiard games, which usually use 10-foot tables without pockets - all the balls (usually three) remain on the table and it is a matter of hitting them all, directly or by reflection.

Full-size billiard tables will not fit in most apartments. For many fans of this game, however, they can be a good, fun alternative (especially during social gatherings) and the opportunity to train skills in their miniaturized versions of various sizes, which for a relatively small price can be afforded without blocking home rooms - from small tables for children to quite large tables approaching the size of smaller billiard table variants. They are perfect for playing with children who are also passionate about playing mini billiards.

Air hockey or air hockey?

Cymbergaj, as known to our grandparents (because it is a game with more than a century of tradition), was a friendly skillful sport, organized almost "out of nowhere"; using makeshift props that were easy to get to the school where they played most often. It consisted of printing coins, caps or buttons on a flat surface using a ruler or comb. The varieties of air hockey varied in the number of coins, the playing field and the details of the rules. Today, the game is more sophisticated, it can be played on specially designed tables, and under the name air hockey, a game derived from it is based, but based on new rules - air hockey. The way you move in air hockey and air hockey is the same, but the rules of the latter, as the name suggests, are more like hockey.

Two, sometimes four players can play air hockey. The surface of a modern match table is equipped with many holes through which the "airflow" mechanism blows air onto the field. He creates a pillow on which the flat disc rises without contact with the table, which gives him a great slip, which is unattainable in an old air hockey puck, but similar to the one acquired by a hockey puck on the ice. Players use a round tool with a handle, called a mallet (in Poland it is also called "sombrero" or "mushroom" due to its specific shape). A puck hits him and he directs it to the opponent's goal. The puck can be stopped and hit only with a club, only if it is on our half of the field, but it must not be blocked by covering it with a sombrero. In addition, the sponge must not tear off the surface of the field. The movements can confuse the opponent, it is worth shooting punches on the boards. The game ends when one of the players reaches a predetermined point limit or when a predetermined match duration expires. We warn you that this game requires good condition because it forces players to move quickly - so it's ideal for losing a few calories without having to leave the house.

Football is always in the game

Table football is a game with rules related to football, popular for many years, about 140 years, also known as table football or trambula. Over time, it gained in importance to even become a professional sport. In 2002, the International Table Football Federation was founded, which amended the rules and rules of tournaments and also tried to add table football to the list of Olympic sports. The Polish Table Football Association was also founded in Poland in 2009, bringing together table football clubs from different provinces. So as you improve your skills, you can think of a real sports career and participation in national or international table football championships, in which you can already win considerable financial prizes. But for most of us, the great, exciting fun that a game of table football provides is enough. Two or four people take part in the game. The dimensions of the playing field vary slightly depending on the table model. The ball is driven by team "player" figures placed on so-called grids: metal, sliding bars, loosely attached to the case, with four handles on either side of the table. Soccer tables can have different numbers of players in different zones of the field (in defense, in the middle of the field and in attack). One player from the team guards the goal. By pushing, pulling and rotating the grids, we bounce or stop the ball. The aim of the game is to score as many goals as possible and defend your own goal. So the rules are simple - so it's good to play them with our children.

For adults and children

All of these games have several features: the tables dedicated to them take up little space, and the games themselves are a good opportunity to move, practice dexterity, and experience the healthy emotions associated with sports. In addition, they are very supportive of the child's development, on several levels. Air hockey and table football train reflexes, receptivity, dexterity and speed. They support the development of motor coordination as well as mentally stimulate, force them to anticipate the opponent's movements and react quickly to them. Mini-billiards, in turn, helps to develop spatial analysis, precision of movement and strategic thinking. All of them - not a joke - can help a child understand the basic physical phenomena on which the game technique itself is based. The competition also allows children to learn the rules of fair play and their healthy approach to competition, and also, if they play in a team, teamwork.

And you have it all at your fingertips - just order online, a few days of waiting and for years we will be able to enjoy undisturbed sports entertainment at home.