1. Players will act in accordance with the following Players Code of Conduct. All players conduct themselves as fair and good sportsman at all times. Table hockey since its inception has always been and
will remain 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. The speed of the game’s
surface must be kept the same as the usual factory surface speed.
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 can allow the use
of other Stiga playing figures when there is good cause.
4. Matches
4.1. Matches last five (5) minutes.
4.2. Time runs even if the puck is out of play.
4.3. An audio timer should be used for all matches.
4.4. The audio timer must signal at specific intervals, either particular
thirds or minutes, by unmistakable sounds and music must measure the last
thirty (30) seconds of the match. The match ends with a clear final signal. There
must be a signal between the thirtieth (30th) and the fifteenth (15th) second
before the start of each match.
4.5. If the match has to be played from the start again (e.g. if the timer
malfunctions), both players keep all
goals they scored during the interrupted match.
4.6. If a player is not at the game
and ready to play thirty (30) seconds after the beginning of the match, he/she
automatically loses this match 0-5.
4.7. If any player retires during a match when the
opponent insists on continuing, he/she automatically loses all his/her goals
scored during the game, while the opponent may add an extra five (5) goals to
his/her score.
4.8. During the play-off
matches, in the event of a draw at
the end of the five (5) minutes, there is an overtime. The overtime starts with
a new face-off. The winner is the one who scores the first goal (sudden death).
5. Face-offs
5.1. All matches begin with the puck placed at centre ice
spot. Game starts with the opening signal. If any player plays the puck before
the signal, face-off is made.
5.2. Face-offs are made by dropping the puck on the centre ice spot.
5.3. Centre forwards and left defenders must stay on their own side of the
centre red line during a face-off.
5.4. The puck must be visibly released about five (5) cm
above the figures’ heads and the releasing hand must be still. The flat side of
the puck must face down.
5.5. Players must be sure that their opponent is ready
before releasing the puck. If the face-off is made wrong the opponent is
allowed to ask for a new one or he/she may make a new face-off by
himself/herself. 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 valid goal can be scored. This rule is in effect even if a neutral person is making the face-off.
5.7. The
centre forward is not allowed to score a goal directly off a face-off - the
puck must hit a bank or another figure (other than both centre forwards and
opponent’s goalie) before a goal can count.
5.8. 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 places the puck on the center ice spot, asks each player to
announce "Ready", and then says "Go".
6. Scoring
6.1. The puck must stay in the goal cage for the goal to
count. In and outs do not count. If the puck goes out
from the goal cage, the match continues without interruption.
6.2. The
puck must be removed from the puck catcher (if there is any) before the next
face off.
6.3. A goal scored directly by pressing a motionless puck
against the goal cage or against the goalie does not count. A goal scored in
this way indirectly (off the bank or off another figure) counts.
6.4. It is not
allowed to stabilize a puck and directly score a goal using the body (not the
stick) of a figure. However, it is allowed to score a goal with a figure’s
right foot, if using it as a stick (i.e. by rotation of the figure). A goal scored
by the body of a figure is valid if the puck becomes motionless in any other
way than stabilizing it with the scoring figure.
6.5. If a goal is scored when
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.
6.7. A goal scored by moving the
whole game is not valid.
7. Goal Crease Rule
7.1. If the puck is in full rest
in goal crease and is touching the goal line the defending player may call
“block” and a new face-off is made.
7.2. If the puck is in full rest
in goal crease and is not touching the goal line the defending player must play
the puck.
7.3. Intentionally
moving the puck onto the goal line to call a block is not allowed.
8. Possession Rule
8.1. It is not permitted to retain possession of the
puck without making any recognizable attempt to score a goal. 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 the puck is kept in possession by one figure
without passing or shooting, a warning can be given by the opponent after five
(5) seconds has elapsed since the figure gained puck control.
8.4. 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 match(es).
When a referee is called to a match, the players do not give
warning signals themselves, and face-offs due to passive play may only be
executed by this referee.
8.5. If a player repeatedly ignores these rules on passive
play during a tournament, tournament judges may exercise an option to order
affected matches to be replayed and supervised by referees. If number of
affected matches is too high (more than three (3)) tournament judges can decide
that player will automatically lose all these matches 0-5.
9. Interference
9.1. A player can tap down
his/her figures only when he/she has complete possession of the puck.
9.2. If a player scores a goal
while the opponent is tapping his/her figures, the goal counts.
9.3. If a player notices
that any of his/her opponent’s figures are raised up on the peg, he/she may stop
playing and ask the opponent to tap the figure back down on the peg and the
opponent must do it. The player can continue playing when the opponent is ready
again.
9.4. If a player passes the
puck to another of his/her figures when tapping the figures down, a face-off is
made.
9.5. Rough playing that results
in shaking of the game and causing the puck to move is forbidden.
9.6. If any figure loses
possession of the puck due to shaking of the game, then the puck must be
returned back to this figure.
10. Interruption
10.1.
If any unusual situation happens (e.g. broken gear,
rod or game, displaced goal cage, lights go out, several pucks appear on the game
or somebody/something interrupts any of the opponents), the match must be
immediately suspended. A player can interrupt the game by saying „stop” if the
opponent is not aware of such situation. The match resumes when both players
are ready again.
10.2. If a match is interrupted
and significant time is lost then the lost time must be added to remaining time and the match continues.
10.3. Goals scored during an
interruption do not count.
10.4. If a player had indisputable control of the puck before the
interruption, the match continues with the puck in the place where it was,
otherwise a new face-off is made.