In the isolated world of ∏ foosball, many idiosyncratic rules have arisen. As such the game has evolved beyond that of the normal world outside the boundaries of ∏.
Where the rules differ from the standard they are listed here. The list should not be taken as final. They are in constant flux, and the final decision is always made by the concensus of the players themselves.
Aerial Play
(main article: aerial play)
Play does not stop if the ball jumps higher than the foosball men. It is acceptable to head or chest the ball back onto the table. Only when the ball hits the ground must it be replaced, either in defense (if it left the table from there) or by put-in (otherwise).
Crawl Rules
(main article: crawl rules)
If the losing side in a foosball match finishes with 0 goals (or fewer), then the ∏ house rules demand that they crawl under the table as punishment. The punishment can in principle increase if the final score is negative, (which is possible when gamelles are scored), but there are no firm rules yet to deal with this case.
Gamelle Rules
(main article: gamelle rules)
When a gamelle is scored, not only is a goal added to the attacking team's total, but also a goal is deducted from the defending team. This rule applies in the case of the Bruno as well. It is now standard for play to continue after the gamelle until such a time as a regular goal is scored, even if the attacking teams reaches 10 goals, to give further opportunities for crawl-forcing gamelles.
Saving the gamelle
If the gamelle doesn't cross the bar of the defender's goalkeeper, then the goalkeeper can put the ball back into the goal, thus disallowing the gamelle, though the goal still counts. This is called saving the gamelle.
Moving the ball
(main article: moving the ball)
If the ball stops in a position in which touching it with the men is impossible, it can be moved. It goes to defence when not in midfield, and to a put-in otherwise. The ball should be knocked at random or replaced in the corner. In non-tournament play, players sometimes blow the ball back to their own side, but this is widely considered to be vile and wrong. Placing it deliberately with a view to score is just low, and is punishable by a penalty.
Penalties
(main article: penalties)
If a player engages in illegal play, a penalty may result. Possible infractions that might lead to a penalty include, but are not limited to, too much spinning, throwing the ball by hand at the goal, placing the ball to try to get a free kick, and so on. A penalty is taken by first placing the ball in front of the middle attacker. The defenders are raised, and the opposing goalkeeper must try to block the shot. The attackers are allowed to touch the ball only once (so, for example, it is not possible to perform a gancio or reverse European.)
Put-in rules
(main article: put-in rules)
The put-in takes a number of forms. The ball is never set up in the center of the table. The put-in holes can be used to push the ball onto the table, and it is acceptable (encouraged in fact) to spin the ball with the thumb to accelerate it towards the opposition (see blitzkrieg). On occasion, and especially when the ball leaves the table, the ball is bounced from the side border of the table onto the pitch (see also The Omelette, Simone's dirty trick). Bouncing it straight out of mid-field is frowned upon.
On the other hand, the tournament rule is very strict: the ball has to be served so that it touches the opposite wall in between the two midfield poles before being kicked.
Two-pointer rules
(main article: Two-pointer rules)
If the ball goes over the bar of the goalkeeper and, before being cleared past this bar, goes into the goal, this is worth 2 points.
