Wednesday 30 April 2014

A good show with 11 players in Chile

Last saturday, 11 players attended the "Autumn Cup" in Valdivia (chile). It was a very international tournament as there were representatives from Colombia, Ecuador and New zealand taking part. The event was played in three groups, the winner of each group qualified for the final round. Ignacio López, who had the chance to meet players in Australia a few months ago, took the honors. Well done Ignacio!
Carolina Fonseca (from Colombia), Suzanne Hodgkinson (from New Zealand) and Manuel Gallardo (from Chile)

The whole group (First row from left to right: Carlos Polanco (Ecuador), Jaime Cabanilla (Ecuador), Sergio Vallejos (Chile), Emilia López (Chile). Second row: Annemarie Mohr (Chile, supporter), Laura López (Chile), Teresa López (Chile, supporter), Antonio Gallardo (Chile). Third row: Ignacio López (Chile), Suzanne Hodgkinson (New Zealand), Carolina Fonseca (Colombia) and Manuel Gallardo (Chile). Alejandro Claude is not in the photo

First row (from left to right): Antonio Gallardo (Chile), Manuel Gallardo (Chile), Carolina Fonseca (Colombia), Carlos Polanco (Ecuador), Jaime Cabanilla (Ecuador), Teresa López (Chile, supporter),  Ignacio López (Chile). Second row: Laura López (Chile),  Sergio Vallejos (Chile), Emilia López (Chile)  and Suzanne Hodgkinson (New Zealand)

The winner of the tournament: Ignacio López (Chile)

Monday 28 April 2014

Mike Newton wins in Parramatta



Five players attended the Parramatta tournament held on sunday. There were local players but also England's Mike Newton who finished on top of the league format after winning three games and sharing points with Rob Retalic. Adrian Elmer finished second, Rob Retalic third, Steve Diasinos fourth and Gordon Dudley fifth.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Some more events in Singapore and Austria

The event will and both FISTF and WASPA status



A nice victory for Paul O'Donovan Rossa

Paul O'Donovan Rossa defeated Steve Tucker in the final of the tournament held wy the Southern California Subbuteo Club (2-0). The event was held to celebrate the visit of Singapore's Erza Aripin. Erza lost to Paul O'Donovan Rossa (0-1) in the semi while Varant Kurkeyerian was the other semi-finalist. After the event, Erza Aripin reported he was very thankful to the SCSC players for making new friends and having a great time. Congratulations to everyone for a great day of subbuteo.

Marcos Kalopsioditis wins in Limassol

The monthly tournament of Famagusta TFC took place on saturday with a great field of 18 players. This time Marcos Kalopsioditis took the honors as he beat Georgos Zangylos (2-1) in the final. Charalambos Constantinou and Daniel Sarris reached the semis. Congratulations to Marcos!

Friday 25 April 2014

A good turnout for the promotional event in Templeuve

The 14 competitors of the evening
There were 14 players attending the WASPA promotional tournament held in Templeuve on thursday with many interesting games played in the swiss ladder system (5 sessions of 2 halves of 12 minutes). This time Alain Flament (SCAF Quévy) won all his games to win his first WASPA title. Thibault Buron, who had not played for years, took the second place with 12 points while Maxime Hoguet from France ended with 10 points. It was nice to see some old and new faces and representatives from four different clubs and two players from the North of France.
First WASPA title for Alain Flament

Final table of the tournament:
1. Alain Flament (SCAF Quévy) - 15
2. Thibault Buron (Templeuve United) - 12
3. Maxime Hoguet (Templeuve United) - 10
4. Eddy Beernaert (SC Flanders) - 9
5. Hatim Elmajd (Templeuve United) - 9
6. Olivier Bodelle (Templeuve United) - 9
7. Sébastien Devreese (SC Eugies) - 7
8. Matthias Averlant (Templeuve United) - 7
9. Kimberley Devreese (SC Eugies) - 6
10. Jordan Bonte (Templeuve United) - 6
11. Melvin Gobert (Templeuve United) - 6
12. John Verfaillie (Templeuve United) - 3
13. Laly Ramos (Templeuve United) - 1
14. Hugo Charlet (SCAF Quévy) - 1
The top 6 of the evening

Thursday 24 April 2014

David Busch wins the first WASPA tournament in Austria

On wednesday evening the first tournament ever held in Austria was a great success! Although it was held under the flag of WASPA, some world class players have found the way to Niederösterreich. The evening saw ten participants, exciting games and at the end an unexpected winner. It was David Busch, which defeated favorite Alexander Haas in a high class final 4-2 and won the first WASPA title in Austrian table soccer history. The tournament on wednesday showed us that WASPA can become an important part of our small community.


(Report with the help of Thomas Eppensteiner)

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Subbuteo sales for charity

Westwood Table Soccer (http://www.westwoodtablesoccer.co.uk/) is a well-known company selling subbuteo teams. WASPA has decided the sales of three teams sold on Ebay to raise money for Chris Harding, who cycled solo from Southampton to Lesotho to raise money for Saints Foundation and Kick For Life. Westwood Table Soccer can assure that the money you bid will ALL be going to Chris, only the Shipping costs will be kept as re-imbursement for what will be paid. Details about Chris's ride: https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Harding2/

The three teams for sale are:
Saints Foundation
Lesotho National Team
Panathinaikos 1971

Pictures of the teams for sale

Lesotho

Panathinaikos 1971

Saints Foundation

Interview of Vincent Coppenolle

This week, Panos's interview is about Vincent Coppenolle, the founder and organizer of the WASPA circuit.

When did you first started to play Subbuteo and what was the first team you bought?

I remember I started playing when I was very young. I already had a set at home when I was 10 and I played with my neighbour.The first extra kit I bought a black/yellow stripped kit of Lierse/Berwick Rangers because it was one of the only kits available in the local shop.
Geoffrey Marain (right) and Vincent in the premises of the Templeuve club

How many years have you been playing and what are the best positions titles you have achieved in any level?

I play in the belgian association for 24 years but I have never been a champion. I won a few tournaments and I remember very well winning the B-category in Antwerp about 15 ago because I was 0-2 down at half-time against Holland's Dennis Landzaat but I won 3-2. I played several times the final of some FISTF Satellites but for some reasons I always lost these finals. For the last 3 years I have been involved in the WASPA circuit and I have played a lot of tournaments. I won a few tournaments but the one in Auvelais in December 2013 was something special as it was played on swiss system with some good players taking part and it was really difficult to make the difference with Geoffrey Marain, Vincent Guyaux, Ralf Grégoire and Jos Ceulemans taking part.
With Vincent Guyaux and Jos Ceulemans in Auvelais

What is the best thing about this game and why would you recommend it to someone?

I believe it's a great game and everyone is free to play at any level but I will always tell people that you have to play for the fun first. I always thought something wrong in this game is that when you have new players being involved, there are always people who will tell them "you have to play top players to become a good player yourself and you must have the ambition to become a strong player". Of course it's good to become a stronger player but not everyone can become a champion. In many sports, you can play at low level but still enjoy playing. I have played basket-ball for years and even if my team played at low level, we had fun. In Subbuteo, people will tell you you have to travel long distances to play top tournaments but I don't think it's enjoyable if you only play two games and then go back home. Playing in the WASPA circuit means you can have a lot of fun without traveling too much and without spending too much time out of home. Getting FISTF ranking points should not be the main motivation to go to tournaments. Many clubs and organizers should think about it.

Your most memorable moments from this game happy or even sad?

As a player, I don't think I have had any sad or bad moment. As a club organizer, the biggest frustration was to see young talented players leaving the club because of other priorities (girls, studies, going out...) and that caused a big lack of motivation. Many young players stopped playing because they hate being referee and once again, there is a big thing to think about as subbuteo is the only "sport" I know where players also have to be referee.

As an official, it was being sacked as FISTF President in 2010 just a few months before the end of my second term. But one the two biggest satisfactions nowadays is to see so many people are now aware it was a huge mistake.

The other big satisfaction as an official is the see the success story of the WASPA circuit as we have more and more tournaments, players, clubs, nations and organizers involved. Many people thought I was crazy to launch it in 2011 but the way things are developping is rather impressive and I still believe people who criticize the WASPA circuit must be very frustrated and jealous people... I'm very proud of how the WASPA circuit is helping the game in general but also very frustrated to see national associations of Belgium and France not supporting my efforts.

Who was your most difficult opponent to beat and who is your favorite player and why?

I have played top players such as Eric Verhagen, Chris Thomas, Carlos Flores, Andrea Di Vincenzo, Valéry Dejardin,... and they are all great but I really prefer to play against Geoffrey Marain who is the best player in our area. He beats me approximately 8 times out of 10 but when I win, it's because I played at my best level and I deserve it. In the real life I would say we are not the best friends on earth but around a pitch, we respect each other and we share the same love for subbuteo.

Is it a sport or a game ? What is your opinion about this question that many people ask?

Well, of course many players take it seriously and when you take things to a certain level, it becomes a sport but we must stop taking things too seriously. I have been involved in many other sports. I played basket-ball and I know how hard it is. It becomes a real sport when you need to practice several times a week to keep your level of excellence. I remember a world champion being interviewed by a national TV and he was asked how often he's practicing. His answer was "Never. I only play in tournaments and sometimes I play some friendlies with friends." How can you take Subbuteo seriously if even top players say this kind of things?

It will also become a real sport when people will "do the job", which means sleeping much every day, taking care of food to feel extremely good, exclude alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,... I see people who take the sport seriously but who need a cigarette after each game. That's a total joke! Being a cyclist and loving endurence rides, I really think Subbuteo is not really a sport. My body need to feel really tired to have the feeling to have done sport.

Last point: subbuteo will be a sport when it will be organized as a real sport, which means everybody can play tournament as according to his level.

What improvements would you like to see in the future and what would you suggest to improve things?

I believe our sport needs more local events so that players can play more often without traveling much. We need a strong base with many tournaments and many clubs but right now everything is going in the wrong direction. Some big tournaments attract more than 200 players and most of them play only 2 to 4 games during the whole week-end. So what's the point? Do people only travel to meet friends, have some beers, visit cities and subbuteo is not the priority any more? There will be no positive future for the game if the mentality of the players does not change.

What would you recommend to someone who starts the game now? What are the secrets for top performance.

The first thing to say is that a newcomer must enjoy himself. I will not tell him he must have the ambition to become world champion. He shoudl get a table at home, practice his technique a few minutes a day (at least 10 minutes but not more than 60 minutes) and play games against stronger opponents at least once a week. He should go to tournaments where he will not be trashed and learn something and, more importantly, he should keep have realistic dreams to achieve. I think it's funny to see sometimes clubs having young players, travelling hundreds of kilometers to get world ranking points but then ignoring tournaments organized by neighboring clubs because these events don't give ranking points. New players shouldn't pay much attention to rankings even if rankings are always a good source of motivation.

Vincent's passport

Name: Vincent Coppenolle
Age: 39
Nation: Belgian
Club: Templeuve United
Type of figures/bases used: Real Soccer
Profession: Self-employed insurance broker but also a part-time sports writer specialized in cycling
Hobbies: football, cycling, subbuteo, video games, comic books

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Kaspar Bennett visits subbuteo players in Malaysia

Kaspar (right) in the premises of the Hartamas Tigers
This week-end, the Hartamas Tigers club in Malaysia had the honord to meet one of the world's top players as Kaspar Bennett from England was visiting the local players in their premises. "We are excited and he is an excellent player and also a great coach. We are learning more about FISTF tournaments and rules now that we have the good fortune of meeting him", reported Jamie Kong, the local organizer.

Kaspar and Mike Dent
Things are moving in the right direction in Malaysia as new groups of players are being formed. "We have a few new members and a company with 4 players. I am helping tow new clubs to be organized in other cities. One is in Penang island, the other one in Kuantan, in the East coast. The club in Penang is in a game cafe just across the University os Sciences. The one in Kuantan is in a fitness and gym center", added Jamie Kong who is very enthusiast about the chances to have a first WASPA tournament in May.

Monday 21 April 2014

First WASPA win for Ismael Pardo in Madrid


The Subbuteo FutbolchapasStore Cup was held in Móstoles, on the outskirts of Madrid, on the 12th April 2014. Nine players took part in the event, four of them were U19. Only Subbuteo bases were accepted. Isma Pardo beat Juan Carlos Pendolero in the final. It's the first WASPA win for Ismael Pardo in his second tournament. In his first tournament he played he lost the final against Jose Carlos Guerrero. This was the second time that Ismael Pardo played against Juan Carlos Pendolero and in both matches, Ismael started loosing and got back in. There were two U-19 players in the final podium, Juan Rubio and Mario Chamorro. This was the first time playing table football for Mario Chamorro, who did an amazing performance in his first WASPA appereance.

(Report by Juan Rubio)

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Giannis Metaxas wins the Flaming Flickers tournament

This sunday the Flaming Flickers in Greece held their fifth WASPA tournament with a good field of 18 players in the Open category. Everyone had three games and in the end, Giannis Metaxas was the final winner with 3 wins. Giannis Pashalides finished second while Chris Panagiotides and Panos Panagiotides shared the third place. There was also a junior section and Dimitris Begnis won the final against Vasilis Panagiotides (2-1). Congratulations to the winners.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Sliders Tour 2014: Double points for Lampitt

Nice win for Matt Lampitt
The Slider Tour produced yet another fantastic stage in Heckmondwike, Yorkshire.

It was Matt Lampitt that produced the goods throughout the day, coming on top against Burns, Staples, Daley and Baxter.

It was only Paul Lawrenson that could pinch a point of him. Lampitt took the winning prizes of two trophies and £50

Other winners were Steve Clarke, Paul Lawrenson, Dave Baxter and Brian Daley, all taking medals and £25

In the U15′s it was Manchester’s Connor Bowden who came 1st, with Dylan Staples 2nd and Abbie Staples in 3rd.

We hope to see you at the next stage in Middleborough.

ESA Link here

(Report by Danny Lilley)

Round 1

Colin Fletcher 2 – 0 Russ Harker
Stathis Tsolis 0 – 10 Brian Daley
Mike Parnaby 0 – 0 Stuart Walsh
Ben Staples 3 – 0 Gary Keech
Dave Baxter 1 – 2 Matt Lampitt
Paul Lawrenson 3 – 0 Martin Blanchard
Brian Kinrade 1 – 3 Steve Clarke
Danny Lilley 0 – 2 Brett Price
Mike Burns 4 – 0 Andy Boyer

Round 2

Colin Fletcher 0 – 1 Brian Daley
Ben Staples 0 – 5 Matt Lampitt
Paul Lawrenson 3 – 2 Steve Clarke
Brett Price 0 – 4 Mike Burns
Mike Parnaby 5 – 2 Russ Harker
Stuart Walsh 2 – 1 Stathis Tsolis
Gary Keech 0 – 3 Dave Baxter
Martin Blanchard 2 – 0 Brian Kinrade
Danny Lilley 1 – 4 Andy Boyer

Round 3

Brian Daley 1 – 3 Matt Lampitt
Paul Lawrenson 4 – 2 Mike Burns
Mike Parnaby 2 – 0 Colin Fletcher
Stuart Walsh 0 – 2 Ben Staples
Dave Baxter 3 – 0 Martin Blanchard
Steve Clarke 1 – 0 Brett Price
Andy Boyer 4 – 2 Russ Harker
Stathis Tsolis 3 – 0 Gary Keech
Brian Kinrade 3 – 0 Danny Lilley

Round 4

Matt Lampitt 0 – 0 Paul Lawrenson
Mike Parnaby 1 – 6 Brian Daley
Ben Staples 0 – 3 Dave Baxter
Steve Clarke 1 – 2 Mike Burns
Andy Boyer 0 – 2 Stuart Walsh
Colin Fletcher 1 – 2 Stathis Tsolis
Martin Blanchard 2 – 0 Brett Price
Brian Kinrade 1 – 1 Russ Harker
Gary Keech 0 – 3 Danny Lilley

Round 5

Mike Burns 1 – 5 Matt Lampitt
Brian Daley 2 – 0 Paul Lawrenson
Dave Baxter 4 – 0 Stuart Walsh
Mike Parnaby 1 – 4 Steve Clarke
Ben Staples 3 – 0 Stathis Tsolis
Martin Blanchard 2 – 2 Andy Boyer
Brian Kinrade 0 – 2 Colin Fletcher
Danny Lilley 1 – 2 Russ Harker
Brett Price 3 – 0 Gary Keech

League Table (GP PTS GD)

Matt Lampitt + 5 13 12
Brian Daley + 5 12 16
Dave Baxter + 5 12 12
Paul Lawrenson + 5 10 4
Steve Clarke + 5 9 4
Mike Burns + 5 9 3
Ben Staples + 5 9 0
Andy Boyer + 5 7 -1
Martin Blanchard + 5 7 -2
Stuart Walsh + 5 7 -3
Mike Parnaby + 5 7 -3
Colin Fletcher + 5 6 0
Brett Price + 5 6 -2
Stathis Tsolis + 5 6 -10
Brian Kinrade + 5 4 -3
Russ Harker + 5 4 -6
Danny Lilley + 5 3 -6
Gary Keech + 5 0 -15

Harrow Weald tournament of April 2014

Only 5 hardcore flickers turned up at the Harrow Club for the monthly meeting which turned up to be a WASPA tournament (just because I won :-)) after a round robin where everyone played 4 matches (also worth it for the Harrow League). In the first Round, Rudi beat Lee 1-0 while Gerald trashed 7-0 Colin, in session 2 Gerald and Victor drew 1-1 while Colin beat Lee 3-1, session 3 saw Rudi winning 3-0 vs Colin and Victor winning 3-1 over Lee, session 4 Rudi pulled an important 3-1 win over Victor whilst Gerald won 3-0 vs Lee in the final round with Rudi 2 points in front, Gerald needed a win to upset the guest and risking to try on the new set of knives I lately bought so he let Rudi win 2-0 also Victor beat 2-0 Lee and the final table saw me, myself and I Rudi Peterschinigg 1st with 12 points, Gerald Edwin Brightwell 2nd with 7 points (+8), Victor Jones 3rd also with 7 points (+2), Colin Lindsey 4th with 3 points and Lee Fenton 5th with 0 points (but he definitely deserved some). Thanks to everyone for coming over and looking forward to see you next time

(Report by Rudi Peterschinigg)

A Hat-Trick of wins for Chessray Jooste

Saturday 12 April 2014, Pretoria, South Africa : A long day in Pretoria as 20 matches were played, with 5 participants playing each other twice in a "home and away" format, ensuring each player got to play 8 games on the day ! The Prize : the 2014 PFC LEAGUE 2 TOURNAMENT CUP. Chessray got off to a bad start, losing 0-1 to Adrian, with Adrian playing a "keep ball" type of tactic, depriving Chessray of any possession throughout the entire match ! Julian got off to flyer, disposing of Kegan by 4-0 and then a 1-0 win over Adrian to go top of the standings during Round 1 matches. The last match-up of Round 1, Julian (0) v (2) Jayden, saw Julian slump to his first defeat, with Jayden going top on goal difference by the end of Round 1. Halfway through Round 1, Kegan changed the bases on his players and he started scoring goals again !
So much was expected from Adrian, but after his opening 1-0 victory over Chessray he could only add 3 draws to his overall tally.
The event really came to life during Round 2 as Chessray posted a massive 4-1 win over Julian, followed by a 3-0 win over Jayden, thereby taking the lead by virtue of goal difference over Jayden. In the penultimate match Chessray (1) v (2) Kegan, a draw would have secured the title for Chessray, but Kegan saved his best for last as he took a 2-0 lead to try and "spoil Chessray's party" and from then on Chessray was under all sorts of pressure  until he managed to score an all important goal with 1min 13sec left to play ! In the final match-up Jayden (2) v (0) Julian, the mission was clear - Jayden had to win by 3 goals and force the event into a final play-off match, but in the end the 2-0 result ensured that Chessray won his 3rd successive title for 2014 - by the slightest of margins (1 goal) !!!
A great day of Subbuteo fun and action overall, as 45 goals were scored in total.
Next event on the PFC Calendar : the 2014 PFC CHALLENGE CUP on Saturday 17th May 2014.

Final Standings
1. Chessray Jooste
2. Jayden vd Merwe
3. Julian vd Merwe
4. Kegan vd Merwe
5. Adrian Otto

(Report by Julian van der Merwe)

The PFC website & facebook page will be updated shortly with photo's & news content at :
http://pfctest.leaguerepublic.com/l/league/298369156.html
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PFC-SA/519566284755728

Thursday 10 April 2014

A little poetry

The Big Match

Just give me a minute, to tell you this tale,
It’s based on football, on miniature scale.
Our man plays a game, that most of you know,
Called Table Football, or SUB-BUT-EO.
He’s been playing all day, just one match to go,
And he’s into the final, wouldn’t you know!
His opponent is daunting, but beatable too,
The last time they played, it ended 2-2.
The crowd gathers round and the cheering begins,
The players feel goose bumps rise up on their skins.
But no time for nerves and the Ref says to “Play!”
Just who will be the best player this day?
The game is so even, both players are good,
But defences hold firm; just as defences should.
Half time comes and goes, with nothing to show,
The odds of a shootout continue to grow.
The second half starts with a cheer and a roar,
Urging both players to attack, and to score.
With so much at stake, both players are tense,
And as time ticks by, the pressure’s immense.
A battle of minds and a battle of wills,
Both players showing incredible skills.
But then our man goes for a big final push,
Keeping possession, but not in a rush.
Moving the ball down the right then the left,
With lightning fast touches, ever so deft.
When suddenly there is a gap in the wall,
Can he get through with both man and the ball?
The block flick comes in but its heavy by far,
The shot is now on, keep it under the bar.
A step back, a deep breath, then step in to shoot,
It flies in the net like it’s from Beckham’s boot.
A glance at the clock and the time is now up,
The whistle sound shrill and he’s won the Gold Cup!
But whatever the outcome, they shake hands just the same,
It might not be sport----but it’s more than a game!

Special thanks to Mike Parnaby for sharing the text with us!

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Jos Ceulemans wins again in Hofstade

Last monday the SC Flanders club held their monthly tournament in Hofstade-Zemst (Belgum) with a good turnout of 8 and games played in swiss system. Jos Ceulemans (SC Anfield Hoppers) won his fur games and won the overall ranking of the evening with 12 points while Johan Lourdon took 9 points and Frank Lannoy ended on the podium with 7 points. Jos wins therefore his 6th tournament in the WASPA circuit.

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Interview of Rudi Peterschinigg

In this week's interview, we are talking with one of the most friendly players on the circuit. Rudi Peterschinigg lives in England but he's from Italy and he has travelled to several nations in the last few months to play subbuteo.

When did you first started to play Subbuteo and what was the first team you got bought?

I did start to play in Italy in 1984, at a friend of mine's house, fell in love after 10 seconds for the game after I saw this miniature touching the ball after a long curl L/W they were, if I don't remember wrong the first team I've bought was an Inter Milan set for the equivalent of 4€ nowadays.
Rudi (left) with Belgium's Dirk Vekemans in June 2013
How many years have you been playing and what are the main titles you have collected at any level? 

I've played from 1984 till 1989/90 when I left for the army, won a lot of tournaments back in my hometown in Italy, and I became very popular because of that but nothing outside my kingdom, and after I re-started to play about September 2012, a total different game, I didn't win anything in particular, so far a couple of WASPA finals lost and the satisfaction of going trough qualifiers in Mons beating a former number 1 and one time Mons Winner.

What is the best thing about this game and why would you recommend it to someone?

Definitely the passion, the fun and the athmosphere you can breath at tournaments, and top of it the fact that you interact with other game lovers like you rather than pushing buttons of a pad behind a playstation, that's why I would recommend to anyone, to socialise and have fun in group, thing that we forgot how to do these days.

Your most memorable moments from this game happy or even sad?

That's a good question, memorable is each time a new tournament begins, sad is when exhausted you making your way back home after a great week end of flicking the plastic (C. Tarry).
The most difficult player I've beaten is probably the only one I've beaten at major tournament, my Scottish friend Dave Baxter ( I must have been on drug that night in Fremeries lol), my favourite player at the moment, taking Vasco Guimaraes out of the equation as he's from another planet I'm really liking Bjorn Kegenbhein at the moment, the boy plays so calm, fast and cool that is a pleasure to watch.

Who was your most difficult opponent to beat and who is your favorite player and why?

The most difficult player I've beaten is probably the only one I've beaten at major tournament, my Scottish friend Dave Baxter (I must have been on drug that night in Frameries, lol), my favourite player at the moment, taking Vasco Guimaraes out of the equation as he's from another planet I'm really liking Bjorn Kegenbhein at the moment, the boy plays so calm, fast and cool that is a pleasure to watch.
To me it's both like any other sport that is also a game, I don't honestly know a sport which is not a game, if they call poker or darts a sport then Subbuteo or table football is definitely a sporty game, you sweat, you move around the table you got to concentrate, you get stressed, you celebrate when you score (well most do) and you get mad when you concede a goal, what else would you need to be a sport?

Is it a sport or a game ? What is your opinion about this question that many people ask?

To me it's both like any other sport that is also a game, I don't honestly know a sport which is not a game, if they call poker or darts a sport then Subbuteo or table football is definitely a sporty game, you sweat, you move around the table you got to concentrate, you get stressed, you celebrate when you score (well most do) and you get mad when you concede a goal, what else would you need to be a sport? Without forgetting that is always a game too.

What improvements would you like to see in the future and what would you suggest to improve things?

An improvement about the rules, to make them much more clearer, a quick meeting prior a tournament to recap the rules would be an idea, while organisers sorting out the paper work a quick debrief of 5, 10 mins with questions previously picked from email and stuff could have a massive impact in players behaviours towards the referees in my opinion. On the gaming part instead I'd like to see more Table football and Subbuteo been played in the same time, same venue, maybe run the Subbuteo tournament during the teams event to keep who is been knocked out or doesn't have a team in the venue much longer in order to have more people during the prize ceremony.

What would you recommend to someone who starts the game now? What are the secrets for top performance.

I'd tell him/her to take it for what it is, a social congregation of people sharing the same passion and not to be put off by the amount of matches you'd lose or the goals you'll concede as only by learning from the best you can become a better player.

Rudi's passport

Name: Rudi Peterschinigg
Age: 43
Nation: Italian (but playing under English national flag as I live in London)
Club: London & Essex Utd
Type of figures/bases used: Cc2 dynamics by Astrobase, Snake by tchaaa4
Profession: Restaurant manager
Hobbies: Football, tennis, golf and Subbuteo in no particular order

"All the best wishes for the forthcoming Easter to you all at the club and at WASPA."

(Interview by Panos Panagiotides)

Next event in Greece


Monday 7 April 2014

19 players in Limassol where Zangylos wins again

There was a good field of 19 players taking part in the WASPA tournament held in Limassol on sunday. The Cypriots are improving and there were many close games. Once again, the final was between George Zangylos and Kostas Kalopsidiotis. "He played very well and he probably deserved to win but I was playing on my own field and I won the game 3-1", reported Zangylos who also beat Marcos Kalopsidiotis 2-0 in the semi-final while Marios Nikolaou was the other semi-finalist.







Saturday 5 April 2014

Interview of Daniel de Matos

In this week's interview, we give credit to one of the most active players in Brazil. Daniel de Matos is also one of the most enthusiastic players in South America and a big promoter of the the beautiful game.

When did you first started to play Subbuteo and what was the first team you got bought?
I first played subbuteo when I was a 8 year old kid. Estrela (A Brazilian toymaker) had launched Pelebol (subbuteo) in Brazil and it was fairly common in the early eighties. Then my parents went to England and bought me and my brother a complete set. We used it quite a lot, until nearly all of the players broke. Then, the subbuteo trend disappeared here and we didn´t find teams to replace the ones we broke.

So, I went on to play Brazilian table football (played with buttons) for the remainder of my childhood and my early twenties. After I graduated from college, I stopped playing due to complete lack of time.
However, in late 2011, I got the news that the game was being brought back again thanks to the effort of the Brazilian Table Football Confederation. So, I got a used subbuteo set on eBay and went back to flicking.

First, I got a Brazil and Argentina on Zeugos, and shortly after, I got Atletico de Madrid on iBase Storm
Daniel (second from the right side) with his Vasco de Gama shirt during the recent FISTF Grand Prix of Brazil

How many years have you been playing and what are the main titles you have collected at any level?
Right now, it´s been almost two years since I have returned to the subbuteo table. The only title I have gotten so far is the South American Club Championship with my team (Vasco da Gama). But I am still working hard on the table to get better in this department.

What is the best thing about this game and why would you recommend it to someone?
First of all, It is a game that requires a lot of mental strength, mental quickness, hand-to-eye coordination and a lot of practice. You don´t get to be a better flicker without practicing. You have to go to the pitch and try you best.

Second, it is a close-knit community. Most of the players I have spoken to or exchanged messages on Facebook are as passionate as I am about subbuteo and love to share their experiences. I usually get lots of tips from high-ranked players like Dan Scheen, Trisha Baumeler or Carlos Flores. These guys are really enthusiastic about the game and are willing to share their knowledge to increase the awareness of the sport. I feel very fortunate to be able to learn something from guys like them.

Your most memorable moments from this game happy or even sad?
Ah, my most memorable moment was winning the Club Championship with Vasco da Gama. Vasco da Gama is the football club I support ever since I was a little kid. And we Brazilians are very passionate about club football. It is part of the fabric of our souls, we might say. I never was a great footballer myself, and I always thought that I would never be an athlete for my childhood team. Well, I actually accomplished my childhood dream on a smaller scale. So I feel very honored to play for Vasco da Gama.

Who was your most difficult opponent to beat and who is your favorite player and why?
Our most difficult player to beat is Marcelo Lages Ramalhete. He´s a fierce defender. He will put a lot of pressure on the midfield to try to cause mistakes. And if you commit any mistakes on the defensive end, you can expect him to capitalize on them. No wonder he´s Brazil #1 player.

I have two favorite players. Carlos Flores, with his uptempo game and his nearly endless arsenal of tricks and accurate shots.  And the other one is Dan Scheen. A fast player with amazing control of the ball and deadly chip shots. 

Is it a sport or a game ? What is your opinion about this question that many people ask?
Well, even according to the Brazilian Ministry of Sports, table football is a sport. It requires mental strength, great conditioning. You play and you perspire. You walk and jog around the table. Definitely a sport.

What improvements would you like to see in the future and what would you suggest to improve things?
Since we are far away from Europe, we try to learn as much as we can from videos from our European and North American friends (Huge props to Serge Leroy, Wolfgang Haas and Paul Eyes for their effort – and also Danny Lilley from ESA, for the live streaming of ESA competitions). So, we would really like to see more games from Europe. We would like to learn from our European friends as much as we could.  I even remember cancelling all my appointments during last year´s World Cup just to watch the live streaming of videos (Such a treat to watch).

Here in Brazil we are trying to bring people to the tables. To create awareness to the game, and to bring new players. As FISTF President Alan Collins always says, you can be bad in football, but you can come and try subbuteo and share our passion and the love for the sport.

What would you recommend to someone who starts the game now? What are the secrets for top performance.
First of all, do not rush to buy a subbuteo team right away, if possible. Try different bases and see which one fits your style better. And stick with this team for as long as possible. Better results are achieved when you stick for a base type for a longer time.
Second, keep your cool. Being nervous on the subbuteo pitch is an ill-omen. It makes you prone to mistakes and makes it more difficult to capitalize on your opponent mistakes. If you start cursing, you can be sure that you won’t go far with a negative attitude
Third: Practice, practice and practice. If you don´t put effort, you’ll never be a brilliant player. It takes a lot of time to be a great subbuteo player.

Danel's passport

Name: Daniel de Matos
Age: 35
Nation: Brazil
Club: Vasco da Gama
Type of figures/bases used: Extreme Works and Tchaaa Sniper
Profession: Surgeon

Hobbies: Running, Watching TV series and football, videogames and Subbuteo

(Interview by Panos Panagiotides)

The first tournament in Savona

Last monday four players attended the very first tournament of TSC Ponente in Italy. The event was played with the old rules and in the end of the evening, Enrico Demutti came on top with 3 wins, Alessandro Rava had 2 wins, Alessandro Ullevi was third and Daniele Fabiano was fourth.
Alessandro Rava beats Alessandro Ullevi 2-1
The club of Ponente is now preparing a team for the tournament of April 16 to be organized in the memory of Giovanni Montorsi who passed away in 2013 at the age of 46.

Friday 4 April 2014

Geoffrey Marain can't be stopped in Templeuve

16 players attended the Templeuve tournament held on thursday with the usual swiss system. This time, instead of playing 4 sessions of 2 times 15 minutes, organizers decided to play 5 sessions of 2 times 12 minutes. There was no surprise as the usual winner was Geoffrey Marain with 5 wins, in cluding victories aginst the 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th of the evening. Logan Adam finished second while Vincent Guyaux was third.
The usual group picture

The winner and the runner-up

The top 4 of the evening

At the end of the eventing, the ranking was as follows.
1. Geoffrey Marain (SC Eugies) - 15 points
2. Logan Adam (SC Eugies) - 12
3. Vincent Guyaux (SC Flanders) - 10
4. Vincent Coppenolle (Templeuve United) - 10
5. Eddy Beernaert (SC Flanders) - 9
6. Renald Deloose (Templeuve United) - 9
7. Stéphane Lambert (SC Flanders) - 7
8. Sébastien Devreese (SC Eugies) - 7
9. Olivier Bodelle (FRANCE/-) - 7
10. Hatim Elmajd (Templeuve United) - 6
11. Maxime Hoguet (FRANCE/Templeuve United) - 6
12. Jason Delattre (Templeuve United) - 6
13. Steve Jamotte (-) - 4
14. Kimberley Devreese (SC Eugies) - 2
15. Jordan Bonte (Templeuve United) - 2
16. Melvin Gobert (Templeuve United) - 2