Games - Button football

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	Games - Button football

Button football is a football (soccer) simulation game played on a table-top utilizing concave "disks" or "buttons" as players. Board dimensions, markings, and rules of play are modeled to simulate standard football. It is popular throughout all of Brazil, and possibly other countries as well.

The term "button football" is an imperfect translation, as there is no standard name for the game in English. In Portuguese it is known as either the competitive sport of "Futebol de Mesa" ("Table Football", which would commonly be confused with Table Football or Foosball) or the more friendly game of "Jogo de Botões" ("Button Game", which yields no useful description).

History

The origins of Button Football are likely derived from any number of games played with tabs, bottle caps, or coins. The invention of the game using 11 pieces per side with rules simulating football is unclear.

In Brazil, the patron of button football is widely accepted as Geraldo Décourt. He began playing in 1922 as a schoolboy, using buttons removed from his clothing as pieces. Décourt published the first known rule and guide book in 1930. He named the game “Celotex”, after the material which covered the tables on which it was played. Décourt continued to promote the game and organize tournaments on and off for the rest of his life.

In 1962 the Federação Paulista de Futebol de Mesa (Paulista Federation of Button Football) was formed. To date there are dozens of formalized button football societies and leagues in every region of Brazil.

Button football continued to grow in popularity, especially during the early 70's when the covers of discared watches proved an economical source of game pieces. Today there are dozens of button football clubs throughout Brazil, with regular tournaments at the local, state, and national level. The majority of boys (and to a lesser extent girls) in Brazil play button football at some point in their youth.

Equipment

The game is played on a smooth, flat surface with markings per a regulation football field. Typical dimensions of the table would be 1.84 m long by 1.20 m wide, with the field being 1.67 m by 1.04 m. Goals are typically 12.5 cm wide by 5 cm tall per the interior dimensions.

Each team consists of 11 pieces, 10 field pieces, or buttons, in the form of small circular disks, and 1 goaltender piece in the form of a rectangular block. At the opening kickoff, all 11 pieces are relegated to their respective sides. Button are always circular in shape. Lower quality pieces are made of plastic and of a wide variety of diameters. Higher quality pieces are made of fiberglass, having a diamter of typically between 35 mm and 50 mm, and a height usually no greater than 8 mm. All buttons of the same team should be of the same color, and can be decorated with markings and numbers typical of a football jersey, as well as graphics of famous players or team logos.

Goaltender pieces are rectangular blocks with dimensions and weights closely regulated. Typical dimension limits include 35 mm width x 80 mm height x 15 mm depth.

The game ball is a sphere of woven felt with a diameter of 10 mm weighing between 0.1 and 0.3 grams.

Buttons are propelled using a flat circular plastic disc of approximately the same diameter as the buttons. Physical characteristics are not critical.

Gameplay

There are a variety of different rule systems to define play. The following general guidelines are common to most, if not all:

At the opening kickoff, all 11 pieces are relegated to their respective sides. Field players are moved during the game by using a circular disk to exert a downward force on the field pieces, propelling them forward (pieces may never be pushed with the disk). Field pieces are propelled forward to strike the game ball. The ball is either sent forward and then hit again with the same field piece the next play (i.e. "dribbling"), sent forward towards another field piece on the same team (i.e. "passing"), or towards the opposing goal (i.e. "shooting"). Players alternate manipulating their pieces based on the possession rules defined in each rule system.

Shots on goal must be declared by the attacking team prior to being taken to allow the defending team to adjust it's goalkeeper. If the ball enters the goal without a shot having been delcared, the goal is annulled.

If a field piece strikes an opposing piece prior to hitting the ball, that is declared a foul. If the ball hits an opposing piece then stays within the field of play, possession is relinquished to the opposing team. If the ball leaves the field of play, possession is taken by the team that did not hit touch the ball last before going out of bounds.

Button may be manually manipulated at intervals determined by the govenring rule system, usually only during stopages in play.

For corner kicks, free kicks, and penalty shots, the ball is placed in the appropriate location and a button is placed behind it at the attacking player's discretion. Throw-ins and goal kicks are simulated by placing the ball at the appropriate location, then either flicking the ball with disk or goalkeeper, or again by lining up a button behind the ball (depending on the rules of the particular rule system).

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Button football ]

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