SECTORBALL

Sectorball is a sport. It is a version of of the table is cleaned with talcum

the game Button Soccer, which simulates powder (in order to make it smooth
the sport Soccer. Knowing the rules of enough).
soccer certainly helps but is not Both players have the same equipments:
necessary for understanding this a team of eleven players (here I will
summary. What follows is based on the refer to them as buttons), more precisely
Hungarian summary found on the 10 fielder (their size: diameter at most
homepage of the International Sectorball 5cm, height at most 2cm) and a
Association goalkeeper (its size: diameter at most
http://www.gombfoci.hu/nsz/index.html. 5cm, height at most 2.5cm). They are
You can also find some additional notes usually close to discs or rings, but that is
in red. They mostly refer to the actual not in the rules. Also players can use any
rules of Sectorball, which can be found in number of sector measuring tools,
Hungarian at pressing sticks and balls. One ball is
http://www.asztalifutball.hu/index.php? used at a time, but having extra balls is
option=com_content&task=view&id=16& helpful.
Itemid=34.
Basic rules
The rules of Sectorball are simple, hence
the game can be easily learnt. However, A match takes 26 minutes divided in 2
there are a few rules regarding the halves of 13 minutes each.
professional players, which may seem to
be difficult in a written form, but can be The players alternate taking turns. A
learnt within minutes while practicing. turn consists of moving one of your
This summary deals only with the most buttons. The buttons have to slide on the
important rules, which can be learnt table, but not by pushing or pulling. They
while reading, and are enough for casual can be moved by hand (flicking or
players. A referee is needed for pressing the toenails) or by a pressing
professional matches and some rules do stick.
not really make sense without a referee, The buttons cannot be lifted up and put
in casual matches. The rules of elsewhere, only after goals or before
Sectorball are basically the same as the goal-kicks. There are special rules about
rules of soccer, without offside and with moving the goalkeepers.
the addition of some special rules. Both players control a goal. The closest
side is called the defensive half, the
Board and pieces other is called the offensive half of the
player.
The game is played by two players on a
green table of size 120x180cm. That Setup
table also has white lines similarly to a
soccer field, and a raised border. The Both halves of the match starts similarly,
field itself has length 140-160cm and it but one player starts one half and the
is 115-125cm wide. In the middle of the opponent starts the other. Both players
shorter sides there are two goals of size put their buttons anywhere in their
5x13cm, just outside the pitch. There are defensive side. The ball is put in the
penalty areas in front of the goals. They middle of the field. The starting button
are 27cm wide and 20cm long and has to touch the ball, but is not allowed
symmetrical. They contain the goal to score immediately.
areas, which are also in front of the
goals, 14cm wide and 7cm long. A The aim of the game
penalty point is marked at 14cm from
the goal line, in the middle. The surface The aim of the game is the goal, i.e.

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moving the ball to the goal of the applied if the ball is between the button
opponent. and the half-line in the defensive half or
The goal is valid if, before the shot, the between the button and the goal in the
ball was on the same side as the goal, offensive half.
where it moved (usually on the offensive
side of the attacker, but it is also Goalkeeper
possible to score an own goal).
Before the shot the player has to The goalkeepers stay in the small area
announce the intention to shoot on goal. (the „goal area”) in front of their goal.
Then the other player can move his They can be moved before shots inside
goalkeeper anywhere inside the goal the goal area. In the professional rules
area, and only then the shot can be there is also the possibility to use it as a
executed. Or, to simplify it, the normal button, but it is risky: if it is
goalkeeper can be moved before any moved out of the penalty area, it cannot
turn, if the ball is in its defensive half. be put back, only by wasting another
The winner is the player who scored move and flicking it back. If the
most goals. If both teams score an equal opponent shoots before that, your goal is
number of goals or if no goals are scored, empty.
the game is drawn.
Start kicks
Passing
Similarly to soccer, there are goal kicks,
There are two rules regarding passing: corner kicks, free kicks, throw-ins (more
the Closeness Rule and the Sector Rule. precisely side kicks) and penalties. You
can score after a free kick in the
The Closeness Rule is applied when the offensive half, penalties and corners.
ball is in your defensive half before your These are awarded similarly to Soccer,
move and after your move as well, and is if the ball leaves the field, check which
touched by the button which you have button touched it last (well, except for
just moved during your turn, and no goals). Then the opponent has the next
other buttons. If these all hold, check turn.
which button is the closest to the ball. If
it is a button of yours, you get one A side kick is taken after the ball leaves
additional turn, but you have to move the field on the side. The ball is put on
the button that is closest to the ball. the spot where it left the field, and the
Also, after that turn it will be your player moves one of his buttons behind it
opponent’s turn and neither the (outside the field), and moves that
Closeness, nor the Sector Rule can be button in his turn (it has to touch the
applied. ball). No goal can be scored in that turn.
A goal kick is taken after the ball leaves
The Sector of a button is the area with
the field on the end-line. The ball is put
distance of at most 4.5cm from the
in the penalty area, and the player
button. The Sector Rule can be applied
moves any one of his buttons behind it
when the ball is touched by the button
(outside the field), and moves that
which you have just moved during your
button in his turn (it has to touch the
turn, and no other buttons. If it holds,
ball). Also, the other buttons can be
and the ball is in the Sector of one of
rearranged as well. First, the player
your other buttons, then you get another
whose turn comes puts his buttons
turn. That turn is normal, except that the
anywhere on the field, then the other
Closeness Rule cannot be applied. The
player does the same, but his buttons
sector rule cannot be applied after kick-
have to keep a distance of at least 5cm
offs. For professional matches this rule is
a bit more complicated. It can only be
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SECTORBALL

from the opponent’s buttons. It is also a putting some of them between the ball
goal kick if the ball goes into the goal and the goal. They have to be placed at
when scoring is not allowed. least 18cm away from the ball.
If a player commits a foul in his own
A corner kick is taken if the ball leaves penalty area, a penalty is awarded
the field on the end-line in the offensive instead of the free kick. The ball is put
half. The ball is put in the closest corner, on the penalty point, and every button is
and the player moves any of his button removed from the penalty area. Then the
behind it (outside the field), and moves attacking player puts a button into the
that button in his turn (it has to touch penalty area, which will be moved in the
the ball). next turn. Then the defending player
puts his goalkeeper anywhere on the
If it was a goal, the buttons set up as in goal line. After that the penalty can be
the beginning of the game, and the executed and the game continues
player who let the opponent score has normally.
the next turn. Free kicks are described in
the next section. It is also forbidden to touch the ball with
hand during play (after fouls or after the
In professional matches there are more ball left the field, you can put it to the
types of goal kicks, side kicks, free kicks appropriate place by hand).
and corner kicks.
There are actually two types of free kicks
Fouls in Soccer, and 4 types of free kicks in
professional Sectorball.
There are three main types of fouls.
First, it is a foul if the button used in the
play touches the opposing team’s button Optional Rules
or goalkeeper before it touches the ball.
Second, it is forbidden and counts as an These changes are recommended for
interference to move your button more experienced players. The Sector
between an opponent button and the ball rule cannot be applied when:
such a way that your button does not
- You get a throw in from your own turn.
touch the ball, which is in your defensive
- You get a corner kick from a play that
half. (I.e. this move eliminates the
started in your own defensive half.
opponent’s possibility to shoot in the
- You take a free kick after a foul of the
next turn.) Third, if you have two players
second or third type.
with the distance at most 5cm from each
- You take a goal kick.
other with the ball between them
therefore making it impossible for the
opponent to reach the ball, you have to
change this immediately (i.e. in your
next turn), otherwise you commit a foul.

In all cases the opponent can choose.

Either the play continues, or a free kick
is awarded. Then he puts the ball where
the foul was committed, and moves any
one of his buttons (usually next to it, in
order to move that player, but he can
use any of his buttons in the next turn).
If it is in the offensive half, the defender
can make a „wall” out of his buttons by
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