Subbuteo

I've a set of little men in Fulham kits ready to rock. My pitch (mounted on MDF, it was no joke) has been trashed and the lads have been stuck in the dressing room (read: cardboard box they came in) ever since.

 

I was telling Zesty Italian last week that you need to get a new pitch together so we can play. He doesn't even know what it is. You need to show him!

 

I've always thought Subbuteo was in a realm of foreign soccer geeky that I wasn't yet ready to enter.

 

Careful. I'll figure out who it is if you keep giving me clues.

 

It's an absolute blast to sit around drinking beer and playing Subbuteo. You use strategy that you use in real soccer... formations, the offside trap etc.

Here is a great site for videos. Before you laugh, this is a tongue-in-cheek "serious" Subbuteo club.

http://www.wrp7video.blogspot.com/

 

What's the keeper doing?!? HE'S GONE ALL WALKABOUTS!!!

 

There is a web site out there somewhere that will sell you MLS subbuteo sets. Let's see...here it is:

http://www.subbuteoworld.co.uk/index.php?cPath=21_38&osCsid=bjgkhg42v7mugijpg0u1s8m012

Pretty old sets, unfortunately, with no Houston, Toronto, Chivas, and the "MetroStars." Still, they sell paint-your-own sets as well...

 

If you're going to buy a set from Subbuteo World, make sure you only get sets that say "new zuego". They are flatter and slide sooooo much better.

 

ahh!!

 

Maybe the Dark Horse would let us keep a pitch, balls, etc. in their storage room for SoB events.

 

I have never even heard of such a thing... I would love to actually see this in play. Sort of a bastardized cross between Nok-Hockey, Foosball and Crokinole. Outstanding. In the video Davey provided, it is Six on Six. Is that the standard number?

 

What? You want to keep your balls at the DH?

 

Subbuteo is a skill and you actually have to devote a good amount of time to it in order to be successful. You have to learn the proper touch for different pitches (I've never seen the same pitch twice, and I've been in 5 or 6 tourneys).

If you're interested, scour the internet for any information you can get your hands on and soak it up. Videos, how-to's, tips and tricks, etc. It really is an awesome and rewarding hobby.

This little thread has really renewed my interest in the game. I know of a little shop in London that is devoted to just Subbuteo and will be bringing some stuff home with me when I go on vacation is a few months.

 

Don't order the sets. They come with crap base that don't slide. They just topple over. Take a look at the above link for Subbuteo World. They components you can buy separately are the way to go.

 

You guys have just introduced me to what could be my newest addiction. Sure beats old electric gridiron! Turns out there is a Philadelphia club. Their website, however, hasn't been updated since 2006. I shot them an email with questions, and we'll see what happens. There is a club in CT, and I thought I saw a Baltimore one as well. This might have potential...

A couple of the sites I found last night give instructions on how to make a pitch, and what surface is best to use... Some imitation astroturf seems to be the way to go for what I read...

 

Wouldn't that be real grass?

 

Wouldn't you be a smartass?

It's actually called Astropitch. I'm not sure what makes it different from Astroturf other than the name. I fould it while at a Subbuteo USA website. I'm intrigued by this game, and I think we're going to need a board for use at the Chester Stadium pub. Anyway, here's the link I found...

http://www.tablesoccerusa.com/index.html