SMART FOOTBALL
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Smart Football
A game of tactics and skill inspired by football.
The rules and moves in this game are based on those of real football.
To win you must use real football strategy – by making use of all your players and thinking ahead, both in attack
and defence.
Smart Football is a game for two players, who move the pieces in their ‘team’ about the board.
Equipment
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consists of a grid like a chess-board, 30 squares long and 19 squares wide. The goals are 9 squares wide and the
goal area is 13 x 5 squares.
The ball may be placed either on an empty square or on the head of the player who is in possession.
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As in football, each team has a different colour and is made up of eleven players. The goalkeeper is marked ‘1’, while
the other pieces are numbered 2 to 11. Importantly, we can also see at a glance which way each piece is facing.
Label the pieces with the stickers provided.
Label the
number
Side
Back
Front
The goalkeeper may move freely around the goal area. This piece has arm-like projections indicating that it can
protect three squares at once – the one it is on and the two adjacent ones.
Pictograms used in the Rules
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movement
of ball
movement
of piece
starting
position
of ball
new
position
of ball
starting
position
of piece
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new
position
of piece
1
goalkeeper
4
opponent
square(s)
referred to
1. GENERAL RULES OF THE GAME
1.1.
The players draw lots to decide who will start.
1.2.
The players place their pieces on their half of the board in any positions they choose – more or less as
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from the opposing team may be inside the central area at kick-off. During the game only the goalkeeper
is allowed inside the goal area.
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1.3.
The ball is carried on the pieces’ ‘heads’. (Where in real football a player gains possession of the ball, here
the player puts it on his head.)
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If it is your turn to play you must make at least one move. You may not give up your move.
ACTIONS:
MOVES:
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Pieces PD\EHPRYHGLQDVWUDLJKWOLQHXSWRʻYHVTXDUHVLQDQ\GLUHFWLRQ
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7KHball may be moved in a straight line up to ten squares in any direction (kick, pass, strike).
1/ A pass is a movement of the ball from the head of one piece to the head of another, or to an empty square.
2/ A kick is a movement of the ball from a square next to a piece to another empty square.
3/ A strike is a shot on the opponent’s goal.
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2/
3/
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șCOMBINED MOVES: PIECE + BALL:
If a player does not use up all of his move (5 squares) he may complete the move with a kick or pass up to
a distance of double the number of squares still remaining to him. So:
If a piece has moved 4 squares, the ball may move 2 more.
If a piece has moved 3 squares, the ball may move 4 more.
If a piece has moved 2 squares, the ball may move 6 more.
If a piece has moved 1 square, the ball may move 8 more.
2. RULES OF PLAY
2.1.
Pieces not in possession of the ball
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To gain possession of the ball, a piece must either.
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direction until the end of its move. or
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but only in three directions (straight ahead, diagonally left, diagonally right).
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b/
2.2
Pieces in possession of the ball
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second piece may then ‘run’ with the ball and/or kick it, as far as but not exceeding the limit of its move.
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3. CONTEST FOR POSSESSION
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possession of the ball by landing on a square next to him (attempted ‘tackle’).
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3.1.
Resolving a contest situation
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If the challenging piece lands on one of the three squares in front of the piece with the ball, the piece thus
threatened must immediately get rid of the ball by kicking it up to 5 squares in one of the two remaining
directions. This is not counted as a move, but a mini-move within the other player’s action.
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If the challenging piece lands on a square beside or diagonally behind the piece with the ball, the attacking
piece wins the ball and continues its move.
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The square directly behind the piece with the ball cannot be used for a tackle.
4. THE GOALKEEPER
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goal area (this does not count as a move). He may only leave it
to retrieve the ball from the area to the left and right of the goal
area, where he moves like an ordinary player. Then he may return
to the goal area.
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the same move he may then take up a new position in the goal area.
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square and turn to face in any direction. This is a mini-move within the opponent’s action.
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pieces and, as part of the same move, may take up a new position in the goal area.
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5. GOAL
A goal is scored when the ball crosses the goal-line.
6. INTERRUPTING PLAY
6.1.
Offside. A piece is said to be offside when it is positioned behind every member of the opposing team. If a
piece in this position receives the ball, the action is halted and the ball is given to the nearest member of
the other team.
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ball) it should immediately move back to the nearest onside square. Alternatively, it can get back onside
with a separate move in the following action.
6.2.
Corner. In this game the corner kick is not a practical option.
6.3.
Out. In this game the ball is unlikely to be kicked out of play accidentally.
However, a player may kick the ball out deliberately to prevent the other team gaining possession, in which
case the ball is thrown in from the point where it crossed the sideline. The piece taking the throw-in
stands outside the line and may throw the ball up to ten squares in any direction (even over the heads of
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opposing pieces). It then moves on to the nearest vacant square.
7. DURATION OF GAME
This is up to the players. We recommend either a time limit (2x15, 2x20, 2x30) or an agreed goal
difference or total number of goals (best of three goals, etc.). To keep up the pace of the game we suggest
a time limit of 15-30 seconds per move.
CONCLUSION
We have tried to explain the rules of Smart Football as fully and clearly as possibly. They may seem
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referring to them. And the more you play, the better you’ll master the ‘art of football’. Indeed, we believe
that some of the skills you will learn playing Smart Football (seeing the ‘wider picture’ and using the
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difference between winning and losing.