Foosball is a played on a table with 8 rods and "table soccer" figures all over with a ball and some handles. There is a goal at each end and a place to serve on each side in the middle. Each player/team uses their handles to move their men to strike the ball into the opposing teams goal. You always go to your right and defend at your left. The tables are very cleverly build to provide different kinds of rods with different spacing between the men. The game is fast.

Objective: Use your figures to pass and shoot the ball into your opponent's goal while blocking the ball from going into your your own goal. You serve (foos) it, you pass it and you try to score. Always shoot to the right.

Game: A typical game is played to 5 points. Don't get too caught up in this though, some people play to 7 points or 9 or whatever. A match would normally be best 2 out of 3 games, or maybe 3 out of 5.

Tournaments: The pro's play for hundreds of thousands of dollars ($100,000) all over the world. At a tournament the pro's play the same game as anyone else would. They simply do it much faster and with very strict rules. A typical tournament last for 3 to 6 days during which they play for 12 or more hours a day with up to 1000 players involved.

Basic Rules: Foosball rules can be simple or they can be complicated.
-The simple rules would be: Hit the ball into the goal. Your goal is on the left, you try to score to the right.
Here are the 3 Golden Rules!
1. Tables have 9 Balls, so you play best out of 9 which is first team to 5 goals.
2. If a ball goes into the goal legally, it is a point, no matter who hit it or what it bounced off of.
3. NO SPINNING THE RODS!!!

Advanced Rules:
1. Coin toss to see who serves first.
2. Serve the ball through the hole any way you want, but you must touch the ball with a man before you score.
3. After goals, the team scored UPON serves the ball next.
4. Ball off the table is given to the team last scored UPON.
5. If the ball stops moving and you can't reach it, "Dead Ball" give it to the team last scored UPON.
6. You can call "Time Out" if you have the ball. Make sure the other team is ready before you call "Time In".
7. You can't reach into the table for the ball while it is in play.
8. Be polite, no swearing, and have fun.
9. You can only have the ball for 15 seconds in any one place.

How to play:
Serve: Try to push the ball over to your figures. This can be tricky so practice.
Hitting the ball: Never spin. The best way to strike the ball is with a flick or snap of the wrist and hand.
Passing and catching: Be soft, absorb the impact. don't overreact to the ball. Sort of guide the ball, don't fight it.
Shooting: Move the ball along the table before you shoot. Everyone will stay in front of you on defense so you have to move it one way or the other quickly then snap or flick it into the goal. don't do a big wind up before you hit the ball. A flick motion is the answer.
Defense: Think of all you men as a team. They move together to make a larger "wall" of defenders. Try not to over react and stay in front of the ball. Remember, the ball will be shot where it is, don't follow the man.
Blocking slop: Balls roll into the goal on even the best players. The key is to stay calm. Block the corners of the goal with your goalie tilted back. Move to the ball in a steady manner. Don't jump around the table, be smooth.

This information was modified from: http://www.foosball.com