Hantis tricks

Basic trick serves

The rulebook names five trick serves. Toss or drop the ball first, then strike it: the strike is the serve. Kick serve: toss it up and kick it down onto your table. Elbow serve: drive it down with the point of your elbow. Header serve: toss it to about forehead height and head it down. Tweener serve: jump with your legs wide, let the ball drop from one hand and strike it between your legs with the other. Scissor-kick serve: see below.

Rules: 2.0.0 · 2.0.2

Holler Back Serve

A serve struck from behind your back. Stand side-on to your table with the ball in your off hand, let it drop, and swing your strong hand around behind your back to strike it down onto your own table. It comes in quicker and lower than a normal serve. Ace someone with it and invite them to "holler back" on their way to the end of the line.

Also called: Holler-Back Serve · Rules: 2.0.2

Sparta Kick

A high front kick. Stand about 3 feet back from your table and toss the ball up in front of you. Bring your knee up high, then drive your leg out forward and down and kick the ball onto your own table with the flat sole of your shoe, never the toe. It works in a rally too: pop the ball up to yourself and kick it straight onto an opponent's table. Shouting "This is Hantis!" is optional but encouraged.

Also called: Sparta · Rules: 2.0.2 · 3.0.0

Scissor Kick Serve

Scissor-kick both legs into the air and, while you're airborne, serve the ball fast and low between your legs. Your opponent is still admiring the kick when the ball arrives.

Rules: 2.0.2

Horseman

A variation of the Tweener serve. Raise one knee in the air with that leg bent at 90 degrees, then strike the ball between your legs onto your own table and on to an opponent's. Served fast and low, it's a sneak serve that leaves a trail of fire.

Also called: The Horseman · Rules: 2.0.2

MonGoyo

A Tweener serve struck off your own table hard enough to bounce off a wall or another X-Factor and come back down onto an opponent's table. X-Factors are neutral during the serve, so it's legal, and almost impossible to read.

Also called: Mon-Goyo, Mongoyo · Rules: 1.1.4 · 2.0.2

Double Mongoyo

A MonGoyo that comes off the X-Factor and bounces on both opponents' tables, uninterrupted, before it hits the ground. That's a Double off the serve: both opponents out in Freestyle, 2 points in Competitive.

Rules: 4.0.7

Slam

Right next to an opponent's table, strike the ball onto it with a loud thud so it bounces sky high. A favorite with beginners, but not the best way to end a play: if it bounces out of bounds, you're the one who's out.

Also called: The Slam · Rules: 1.1.2 · 4.0.6

Back Slam

A Slam with your back to the opponent's table: slam the ball from overhead without looking. Keep practicing it and you'll build table awareness, a feel for where every table is.

Back Hand Slam

A Slam with a powerful overhand slap from the back of your hand, sending the ball rocketing off your opponent's table.

360 Slam

Spin a full 360, on the ground or in mid-air, then finish with a Slam.

Also called: 360 Hop

Back Hand Chop

Chop down hard at the underside of the ball with the back of your hand to give it heavy backspin. Done right, it skitters across the opponent's table before they can react. Ping-pong players love it.

Under Chop

The Back Hand Chop, but with the front of your hand.

Also called: Under-Chop

Punch

Use one of your two hits to punch the ball forward with a closed fist. Simple, unless it's fast as lightning.

Rules: 3.0.0

Hammer

Like the Punch, but you strike the ball down with the bottom of your fist.

Also called: The Hammer, Hammer of Thor

Ally-Yukin

Put your wrists together with your fingers spread and strike the ball with both palms at once, like a fireball blast in a fighting game. Two hands together use both your hits, so make it count, and shout "Ally-Yukin!"

Also called: Allayukin · Rules: 3.0.4

Canadian Cobra

A bare-bones two-hit return. With your first hit, pop the ball up to yourself with the back of your hand, wrist coiled like a cobra. With your second, strike it hard toward an opponent's table.

Also called: The Canadian Cobra · Rules: 3.0.0

Bang-A-Rang

Usually done by a beginner trying to pick up a very fast serve: the arm swings in a big full-length circle and launches the ball sky high. If you see one, shout "Bang-a-rang!"

Kiss of the Dragon

When opponents back far off their table expecting a Slam, their table is wide open. Touch the ball gently onto it so it bounces twice right away. The softest kill shot in Hantis.

Also called: KOTD · Rules: 4.0.1

Table Roll

Hit the ball with just the right spin, angle and touch that it rolls along the opponent's tabletop instead of bouncing.

Snipe Shot

Either a long-distance shot that lands perfectly on a table, or a shot that hits an opponent instead of their table. If it hits them and then the ground, they're out. The ultimate Snipe Shot does both from a long way off.

Rules: 4.0.3

High Shot

A very long lob from far behind your own tables that comes down on an opponent's table.

Around The Back

Like the Reverse Tuck, but with your arm extended away from your body. Throw in a 180 or 360 spin so your opponent has no idea where the ball is going.

Also called: Behind The Back

Reverse Tuck

A sneaky one. With your arm down at your side, use a low strike to hit the ball behind your back and onto an opponent's table. Tuck it away.

Side Hook

With your back to an opponent's table, strike the ball with one hand underneath your other arm. Your body hides the ball, so they rarely see it coming. Add a 180 or 360 to mislead them even more.

Also called: Sidehook

Cross Fake Side Hook

With your back to their table, swing at the ball as it drops from overhead as if you're hitting it over your shoulder. When your opponent steps back for the Slam, let the ball drop under your arm and finish with a fast Side Hook.

Also called: Crossfake Sidehook

Over the Shoulder

Like the Side Hook, but you hit the ball above your other arm, between your neck and shoulder. A good no-look trick for building table awareness.

Nectarine

A skilled, tasty no-look shot. With your side to the opponent, strike the ball behind your own head and across your shoulders toward their table. It arrives at an angle they're not ready for.

360 Strike Behind-The-Back

Spin a full 360 and strike the ball behind your back onto an opponent's table as you come around.

Also called: 360 Raymer

Back-Side Eagle

Jump and spread your arms wide like an eagle's wings, hold the pose through a full 360 in the air, and strike the ball as you come back around.

Also called: 360 Backside Eagle

Tweener

The Hantis slam dunk. Jump with your back to an opponent's table and strike the ball below your waist, between your legs. It's legal anywhere, as long as you stay within your two hits.

Rules: 3.0.0 · 8.0.0

Rising Saddle Tweener

A power combo. Open with a Griffin that sends the ball up onto the opponent's table, pick it up with a dribble, then hit it up again and finish with a Tweener.

Rules: 3.0.3

Griffin

While running at an opponent's table, jump off one leg and, with your side to the table, hit the ball between your legs in mid-air.

Also called: Gryphon

Air Wrangler

An advanced Griffin. Run alongside the opponent's table, knock the ball up to yourself, kick both feet high out in front of you and slam the ball under both legs. It takes some serious air time.

Boyo

Reach your arm under and behind your leg and hit the ball up between your legs from below your waist, with one foot still on the ground. Like the Griffin, but usually used as a pass to your teammate.

Also called: The Boyo · Rules: 3.0.1

Kevin Nash

Named after the pro wrestler's finishing move. With one foot on the ground, raise the other leg high enough to hit the ball down between your legs onto an opponent's table.

Also called: The Kevin Nash

Kick McNasty

The martial-arts and soccer kick: power through the ball with the top of your foot. It's faster than any other kick and can go in any direction, which makes it very hard to return.

Rules: 3.0.0

Kick Pass

Kick the ball to your teammate, directly or in a high arc.

Rules: 3.0.1

Side Kick

Like the Sparta Kick, but with your toe pointing left or right instead of up. Come in like a ninja, jump, turn your foot sideways and power through the ball in the air.

Falcon Kick

A Topper Harley and a Side Kick in one: dribble, hit the ball up to yourself, plant your hands and vault over the table, and side-kick the ball on your way over.

Heel Kick

Kick back like a startled horse, heel to the sky, and send the ball onto their table.

Whip Kick

For hacky-sack players: get your foot under the ball and whip your ankle forward so your toes pop it up. Usually a last-ditch save that lobs the ball to your partner, but with the right power it's a kill shot.

Toe Slam

Take a pass from your teammate and, in one hit, jump up and slam the ball down onto the opponent's table with your toe. Land it near the edge so it's hard to return.

Rules: 3.0.1

Knee Pop

Pop the ball up with your knee, as a pass to your partner or a long shot at the opponent's tables. Great for soccer players who are more comfortable with knees and feet than hands.

Rules: 3.0.0

Knee Swing

A more aggressive Knee Pop: strike the ball with your knee from the side or over the top onto the opponent's table. Very effective for ending a dribble.

Standing Scorpion Kick

Jump horizontally and curl both legs up behind you to hit the ball.

Head of Ram

A downward header, like in soccer. Have your partner kick you a pass, then head it down onto the opponent's table. (Hantis is non-contact, so no ramming anyone.)

Also called: Head of the Ram · Rules: 3.0.0 · 7.0.0

Rhino Header

Head the ball upward, as a lob pass to your partner or a high arcing shot onto an opponent's table.

Rules: 3.0.0

Off The Face

Peck at the ball with your face like a bird. Usually an accident while you're learning headers, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Double Header

Use both your hits as headers: pop the ball up off your head, then send it off your head onto an opponent's table.

Rules: 3.0.0

Chesty

Drop low and stop a fast serve with your chest, then send it to your partner with your second hit. Or have your partner stand right beside the opponent's table for some Chesty target practice.

Also called: The Chesty · Rules: 3.0.0

Bow Drop

Any successful play on the ball with your elbow. The proper celebration is slapping your elbow like an old-school pro wrestler.

Rules: 3.0.0

Trampoline

Hold out the front of your shirt and spring the ball off it at your opponents. A hit off your clothing counts as one of your hits, but don't let the ball sit in the shirt: that's a carry, and you're out.

Rules: 3.0.0 · 4.0.4

Reverse Trampoline

A Trampoline off the back of your shirt.

Rules: 3.0.0 · 4.0.4

Underside Trampoline

Your partner passes to you below the table, and from the floor or on your knees you pop the ball up with your shirt.

Rules: 3.0.0 · 4.0.4

Superman

Sell out with a diving play, flat out and parallel to the ground at about table height. Sand courts are made for this.

Also called: The Superman · Rules: 1.1.0

Over-Table Dive

Launch yourself across a table to reach the ball and play it before you land.

Topper Harley

Jump right over a table to get to the other side, so you can keep the play going and set up an easier point.

Penguin Slide

A belly slide across the table.

Sliding Scorpion Kick

A Penguin Slide and a Standing Scorpion Kick combined.

Down Under

Pass the ball to your partner underneath the opponent's table. Any body part works, but the most impressive version is kick to kick. Rated Level 1 with hands only, 2 with hands and feet, 3 with feet only.

Also called: The Down Under, Down-Under · Rules: 1.1.4 · 3.0.1

Double Underdog

An extension of the Down Under and one of the first team tricks ever. Dribble on an opponent's table from the outside lane while your partner moves around the far side. Use one hit to drop the ball below the table and the second to send it under both tables. Your partner pops it up and strikes it onto the opponent's tabletop.

Rules: 3.0.1 · 3.0.3

Leap Frog

The receiver uses one of their two hits to pass the ball up the middle. Their partner sets it to themselves, then hits it straight up as an alley-oop. The receiver leapfrogs over them and uses their second hit to slam it onto either opponent's table in mid-air. Count carefully: a third touch is out.

Rules: 3.0.1 · 4.0.0

The Shocka

Named for the surfer hand signal you flash to call it. The player at table 1 picks up the serve with their first hit to the left of their table, lets it drop to their foot and Whip Kicks it 4 to 5 feet up. Their partner runs up the middle, out to the far left lane, and jumps for a one-time Tweener. A sequence trick.

Also called: Shocka · Rules: 3.0.1

Top Shelf

The player at table 1 receives the serve, sets it high to buy time, then sends it high and left of the server's table. Their partner sprints across, plants a foot on the server's table to launch high into the air, and slams the pass down onto that same table.

Rules: 3.0.1

X-Factor Double-Point

Strike the ball off a wall or another X-Factor so it comes back and bounces on both opponents' tables, uninterrupted, then hits the ground. X-Factors are neutral, but they don't reset your hit count.

Rules: 1.1.4 · 4.0.7

Dribble

Bounce the ball off an opponent's table with your hand, again and again, while you set up your finish. The players you're dribbling on can try to intercept at any time. In a Trick Competition a dribble counts at 3 bounces.

Rules: 3.0.3 · 8.0.1

Gangnam Dribble

Dribble with one fist while your wrists are crossed and bent toward the table, like the Gangnam Style dance. Slam the last bounce hard and, while the ball heads for the rafters, finish the dance with a gallop and a fist held high. Best with music.

Also called: Gungdam Dribble · Rules: 3.0.3

Praying Hantis

Dribble hard on an opponent's table. As the ball comes back up, press your hands together palm to palm, fingers straight up, and slam it back down with the back of one hand. Then bow like an honorable ninja. Two hands together count as two hits, but that's fine here: every bounce on their table resets your count.

Rules: 3.0.3 · 3.0.4

The Juza

A finisher to spice up the end of a dribble. Cross your arms, forearms close together, with both hands throwing up peace signs, and make the final slam with one of the extended fingers. Hold the pose while your opponent heads to the back of the line.

Also called: Juza · Rules: 3.0.3

The Flincher

Dribble until your opponent comes in to intercept. Bounce it once a little harder and wind up like you're about to spike it, then swing at nothing but air. The ball bounces on their table a second time, and the play is over. Never hit the player.

Also called: Flincher · Rules: 4.0.1 · 7.0.0

Hand1

One of the flashiest tricks in the game, usually pulled off at the end of a dribble. Bounce the ball off an opponent's table up into your own shirt. As it reaches the underside of your shirt, strike it from the side so it travels all the way around your body inside the shirt, then falls out back onto their table so fast it makes their head spin. Freestyle only: the ball rolls inside your shirt, which Competitive play counts as a carry.

Freestyle onlyAlso called: Hand-1 · Rules: 3.0.3 · 4.0.4 · 8.0.2

Reverse Hand1

A Hand1 with a twist, first pulled off in Kalgoorlie, Australia. Dribble the ball up into your shirt and strike it from the side to send it around your body. Before it comes out the other side, hit it back the opposite way with the elbow of the same arm, so it exits on the side it went in. Freestyle only, for the same reason as the Hand1.

Freestyle onlyAlso called: Reverse Hand-1 · Rules: 3.0.3 · 4.0.4 · 8.0.2

Walking the Dog

A team trick for Freestyle only. As you dribble on an opponent's table, your partner grabs that same table and drags it away so they can't get to it: the most extreme form of keep-away. Everyone in line usually bursts out laughing the first time they see it. In Competitive play, moving a table on purpose loses the point. Only play it on grass, sand or another surface a table can't damage: dragging a table across a gym floor can scratch it.

Freestyle onlyRules: 3.0.3 · 7.0.1 · 8.0.2

Sumo

Like the Kevin Nash, but with your back to the opponent's table. After a dribble, set the ball up to yourself, lift one leg as high as you can like a sumo wrestler, slam the ball between your legs onto their table, and land with a hard stomp in a wide stance. Slap both knees to finish.

Also called: The Sumo, Sumo Slam · Rules: 3.0.3

The Frizzell

Dribble on an opponent's table, pop the ball behind your back, then spin and strike it with your elbow back onto their table.

Rules: 3.0.3

Heel Snap

Dribble the ball up and hit it up to yourself, close enough that you can whip your foot around behind you and snap the ball off your heel onto their table.

Rules: 3.0.3