1. Players will act in accordance with the following Players Code of Conduct. All players will conduct themselves as fair and good sportsman at all times. Table hockey since its inception has been and always will be a “gentleman’s” sport.
2. Game Board
2.1. Stiga games must be used.
2.2. Goal cups must be removed.
2.3. Games must be fastened to the table.
2.4. No chemicals that change the factory surface speed can be used on the game’s surface.
3. Playing Figures
3.1. Figures from the Play-off version (all figures have the stick on the same side) of Stiga table hockey games must be used.
3.2. The ITHF will allow the use of other Stiga playing figures when organizers show good cause.
4. Matches
4.1. Matches last five (5) minutes.
4.2. Time will run even if the puck is out of play.
4.3. An audio CD timer should be used for all matches.
4.4. The audio CD timer must signal at specific intervals, either particular thirds or minutes and some music must measure the last thirty (30) seconds of the match. The match is ended by a final signal.
4.5. If the match has to be played from the start again (e.g. if the timer malfunctions), both players will keep all goals they made during the interrupted match.
4.6. If a player is not in front of the board and ready to play thirty (30) seconds after the beginning of the match, he/she automatically loses this match by 5-0.
4.7. If any player retires during a match, he/she automatically loses that match. The official final score will be recorded as follows: the number of goals scored during the match by the retiring player’s opponent +5, retiring player 0.
4.8. During the play-off matches, in the event of a draw at the end of the five (5) minutes, the winner is the one who scores the first goal (sudden death), following a face-off.
5. Face-offs
5.1. All matches begin with the puck placed at centre ice.
5.2. Centre forwards begin on their own side of the centre ice red line.
5.3. Face-offs are made by dropping the puck on the centre ice circle with the centre forwards being in the position previously mentioned in paragraph 5.2.
5.4. The puck shall be visibly released about five (5) cm above the figure’s heads and the releasing hand shall be still. The flat side of the puck shall face down.
5.5. Before releasing the puck, be sure your opponent is ready. If the face-off was made wrong the opponent is allowed to ask for a new one or he/she may make a new face-off by himself. If a player makes a lot of bad drops in a play-off match, the opponent can ask for a neutral dropper.
5.6. Three (3) seconds must elapse after each face-off before a goal can be scored.
5.7. If a goal is scored within the three seconds after a face-off, it does not count and a new face-off must be made. This rule is in effect even if a neutral person is making the face-off.
5.8. The centre forward is not allowed to score directly off a face-off - the puck must be passed out of the reach of the centre forward (to another figure or to the goal cage by a bank shot) before a goal can count.
5.9. When play-off matches result in sudden death overtime, players can ask for a neutral person to make the face-off and they may agree to exercise the following optional method of puck dropping for all face-offs: A neutral person will place the puck in center ice, ask for each player to announce "Ready" and then the neutral person says "Go".
6. Scoring
6.1. The puck must stay in the goal cage for it to count. In and outs do not count- if the puck goes out from the goal cage, the match will continue without interruption.
6.2. The puck must be removed from the puck catcher (if there is any) before the next face off.
6.3. Scoring a direct goal by pressing a motionless puck against the goal cage or against the goalie with either defenseman or goalie does not count. If scoring in this way indirectly (off the bank or off another moving playing figure) the goal counts.
6.4. A goal scored by shooting the puck with the body of a figure (not the stick) after having stopped the puck does not count. However, it is allowed to score a goal with a figure’s right foot, if using it as a stick.
6.5. When a goal is scored as the final buzzer is sounding, the goal is not valid.
6.6. If any figure or goalie breaks when a goal is scored, the goal is valid.
7. Goal Crease Rule
7.1. If the puck is in full rest in your goal crease and is touching the goal line you may call “block” and a new face-off is made.
7.2. If the puck is in full rest in the crease and is not touching the goal line you must play the puck.
7.3. Moving a puck on to the goal line with the goalie or other figure to call a block is not allowed.
8. Possession Rule
8.1. It is not permitted to retain possession of the puck without making a recognizable attempt to attack or to shoot on goal. It is also not permitted to intentionally and repeatedly fail to shoot or score in order to retain puck possession. This is regarded as passive play.
8.2. When a tendency towards passive play is recognized, the opposing player may give a warning signal by saying “passive play”. This gives the player in possession of the puck the opportunity to change the method of attacking in order to avoid losing possession. If the passive play continues then the opponent may demand a face-off.
8.3. If disagreements regarding passive play occur between two opposing players during play-off matches, or if several players in any tournament round accuse one player of passive play, a neutral person agreed by both players (referee) may be called to watch the following game(s). When a referee is called to a game, the players do not give warning signals themselves, and face-offs due to passive play may only be executed by this referee.
8.4. If the puck is kept in possession by the same figure without passing or shooting, a warning may only be given by the opponent after five (5) seconds has elapsed since the player gained puck control.
8.5. If a player repeatedly ignores these rules on passive play during a tournament, tournament judges may exercise an option to order affected games to be replayed and supervised by referees.
9. Interference
9.1. Tapping down your own figures is only allowed when you have complete possession of the puck.
9.2. If a player scores a goal while the opponent is tapping his or her playing figures, the goal counts.
9.3. If a player notices that any of his opponent’s figures are raised up on the peg, he/she may ask the opponent to tap the figure back down on the peg and the opponent must do it.
9.4. If a player moves the puck when tapping down the figures, a face-off will be made.
9.5. Rough playing that results in shaking of the game and causing the puck to move is forbidden and will result in a face-off.
10. Interruption
10.1. If a game is interrupted and significant time is lost e.g. from a broken gear, rod or game, the game will be suspended and resumed on a new or repaired game.
10.2. If any unusual situation happens (e.g. lights go out, several pucks appear on the ice or somebody/something interrupts any of the opponents), the game will be suspended and resumed when both players are ready again.
10.3. If a player had indisputable control of the puck before the interruption, the game continues with the puck in the place where it was, otherwise a new face-off is made.