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Snake. I love to steal the bag from another players square when they least expect it. Snaking requires you to be lightning quick and incredibly precise. Like most other trick shots, you also have to know when to use it. Snaking all the time will make you predictable. I like to pick off passes with a variety of moves (axe kick/sole shoves, high round kick & side kicks, flying knees, and flappers), generally when the bag is eye level and before most players get to them. Picking off passes high usually lets you avoid contact calls since you will be in their square, unless of course they like to steal high passes too or like to use headbutts.

Players that play too close to the line and/or kick a lot before passing are very easy targets. A very quick toe kick to try and flip it above and behind them or kicking it to their weak side works well. Or you can sole shove to their face or chest to mess up their rhythm. Be carefull not to spike it. As a king, this can be very usefull because you can snake after the player receives your serve. Or if nothing else use it to keep the bag away from a player that can threaten your reign and set yourself up for a better shot. If the defending player tends to kick only once you can target a straight pass to their chest and wait for them to play it. As it bounces off, snake the pass with a quick to kick to their weekside. Even better if you can manage to kick it straight up and make the defender blink. It's funny to see them frantically search for the bag above them afterwards.

Snaking a serve intended for another player is a great way to surprise the king. Kick the serve right after it leaves the king's hand to try and sail it behind him. This works just as well if you snake the serve and pop it behind the person it was intended to. This is generally used to remove a player with a high score and the King is not a threat to win from the point you just gave him.

Players with their back turned to you can be great targets as well, provided they are in your range and the footbag is to their side or otherwise easliy accessible. Same basic plan, you want to surprise them and kick the bag to an open area in their square or to their weakside. I've gotten a few sole shove snakes within inches of a bunch of local players faces from this! The intimidation factor is great

After a few good snakes you can start to fake the move in hopes of baiting players to defend/adjust and throw them off. It can be enough to make an inexperienced kicker lose their concentration and miss the bag.

At Euros in Lausanne, while playing 4 Square I thought up a new Trick Shot, and used it right away, with success. I was on square 2 attacking the king (Steve actually ) and I did a quick low right inside kick sending the bag to the right, immediately followed by a kick made with the side of the knee, that hit the bag while it was still going up and changing its direction to the left. So like a one legged inside-knee double tap It was a good shot but when I tried to use it later it didn't work so well because the second kick was often a spike.

Other trick shot that I use often is another version of double kick. I'm standing with my side facing the opponent's square and then I do a double inside kick, as low as possible, the first kick sends the bag to the left side of the defender and the second one (often made in his square) to the right. Switching-direction attacks are pretty effective. But nothing beats a good body screen, if it's done fast and properly it's almost impossible to defend Also, a bit dirty attack is sneaking a toe delay into opponent's square and just setting the bag directly into his left thigh. The set shouldn't be too strong though, because the bag will bounce off making it easier to get it. 4 Square is cool I can't wait for another bigger tournament where I'll be able to play with other people (only a few people play 4 Square in Poland).

Szymon Kałwak (Ners)

That snake picture is friggin hillarious

At New Year's Jam, I hit a great axe kick on Sebastien during the first round of 4-square. He was still looking up as the bag landed next to him. Steve completely negated it on our matches of 2-square by countering with his own. We ended up "high-fiving" each other on numerous occasions right over the line. The only other player I've had similar exchanges with is Tom.

I was using all the time during a game of 2S with Scott Behmer to great effect until he started dancing before I served to throw me off. I was laughing so hard I could barely lift my leg just to kick.

Me in action vs the roomie

i almost fell off my chair when i looked at your face in the second picture!

Pendulum fakes are my favortie kill. Start a pendulum and while your target of choice is looking over your shoulder waiting for the bag to come up and over you, reverse your pendulum behind your back and bring your foot forwards to launch the footbag at your oppenent's croch. This is a devistating kill that can easily send your friends to the floor. The faster you do it the better it works and hurts.

Zeke wrote:

you're clearly over the line.

CONTACT!

LOL, that's my whole [old] game!

Thats only from 3 weeks ago!

I learn plenty with each loss and I lost many games against Steve.

touché

Working on some new shots with my back turned. Both start with a body screen but set intentionally higher than normal. If the defender goes for the shot I'll axe kick/sole shove, side kick or knee the bag to change directions.

I'll have to work on quickly getting back to a good defensive position right after the shot in case it gets returned.

If I don't start playing some two-square I'm going to get left behind. Which means Jesus will kill me.

and a kitten

No, that was me, I had a moment alone...

nathan ... ill play you in 2square and i think i can take you out a fourth of the time

quadgun - I'm totally overrated. Let's do this thang!

Cool, both of you will be at the Pier Sunday!

-Will Nathan race out to an early lead?
-Will he be able to keep it for the win?
-Will Kamil actually keep score?
-Will he be able to defend the Beloit Thrust?

Shit! Didn't even play Kamil.

Beloit Thrust. But what about "the Surge." Anyway, I would have felt reeaally creepy busting that one out yesterday. Somebody call Dateline NBC!

I wish it were legal in 2-square. Or if it were worth like eleven adds...

Peter Kick

Fuck this move Bane of my existence This is probably one of the more frustrating shots to defend. Peter is one of the kids from Lane. Terrible player. Bad mechanics. Lazy attitude on the court. How the hell does he have his own shot, you ask? Well, it's not a shot of his own invention, it came about when others started mocking his kicking style and finding that they could score just about every time it was used.

The shot itself is pure simplicity. It's a freakin' straight legged kick that swings straight out in front of you and sometimes (depending on the performer) accompanied by some awkward jerking of the upper body and/or arms and a facial expression that would hint at down syndrome. The tricky part is hitting the bag with your shin in such a way that it shoots off in some random direction. I really can't explain how or why it works so well for as often as it's used, it must been seen to be believed.

Fredward is better at the Peter kick than Peter is