Hello to all!

[Hönkki]

Very good, Stefano. Welcome !

As a matter of fact also another Italian man, who lives in Helsinki, has contacted me, and he is also interested to visit our club. He and his children has just started to play table football and they want to learn from more experienced players. We just need to find a suitable day for their visit.

[ZIPPO]

Thank you Rossonero and Honkki for your kind reply,

I basically play FISTF rules but I would not disdain some old subbuteo friendly matches 
Do you play on astropitch or astroturf (or other...) pitches?

Bye

Stefano

[Rossonero]

I basically play FISTF rules but I would not disdain some old subbuteo friendly matches 
Do you play on astropitch or astroturf (or other...) pitches?

We have many different pitches in use. The problem is that when we need more, we buy what is reasonable. And keep the old. So Astropitches, Astroturfs (both 3d and pegasus). We also have Extreme Pitches and Astrobase pitches in store, but we haven't really needed them.

It would be interesting to find out how old subbuteo differs from FISTF in reality. But in Finland we don't have old subbuteo players. We play FISTF, and our own old version which is played without polish.

[ZIPPO]

I have to admit that I don't know if in the italian version of the old subbuteo we use polish or not, because I have never participated at any tournament of old subbuteo so I'm sorry but I can't help now about that, but I could ask around here.
...Just for curiosity, how many people participated at the Open of Helsinki last year? How many are expected to be this year? How many of you usually meet at the monday evening?

hope to not bother you with all this questions but I'm going to live in Helsinki for a quite long time, so I would like to not give up on my favourite hobby 

[Hönkki]

...Just for curiosity, how many people participated at the Open of Helsinki last year? How many are expected to be this year? How many of you usually meet at the monday evening?

In Helsinki Open there were 28 players in GP and 23 in IO, if you count all the categories. That GP was the biggest tournament ever in Finland.
About mondays: yesterday we played with 5 tables and there were 11 or 12 players, but normally not so many players and tables. 5 tables is the absolut maximum in the club of Munkkiniemi. In Matinkylä the room is a little bit bigger, but to most players it is easier to travel to Munkkiniemi. Sometimes we play on both places on the same time (not very often).

edit: Helsinki Open is not in the same place where we usually meet, of course

[AriFerra]

Ciao from Porvoo too!
In Porvoo (more closely Askola, near of Porvoo) we have 5 table too. And very good clubhouse in march. Maybe...
So...You wanna make acquaintance for Finland`s countryside with cows and pigs...

Seriosly: Wellcome to Helsinki and Finland!

[Hovimestari]

Hello Stefano. As there were curious conversations in Munkkiniemi yesterday, we would like to know which  table football club (or town) do you represent in Italy?

[Rossonero]

hope to not bother you with all this questions but I'm going to live in Helsinki for a quite long time, so I would like to not give up on my favourite hobby 

No problem. The game is growing slowly here. And also the better players are improving. It's not like Italy, but we have some very enthusiastic players here, so I think you'll be fine.

[ZIPPO]

Thank you to all guys, I'm thinking it's all true what i read about the hospitality and kindness of your people and i'm really happy to move to your country (even i know it will be very cold for me there!!!) and to know everything about it, even the wonderful countryside Ariferra 

...About your curiosity, i play in the "Virtus 4 Strade Rieti" team, we moved up in the "Serie A" last year after ten years of "Serie B", so we are going to play next month our first "Serie A" (but personally I will not be in the four first-string players as I have not been playing very often in the last months).

[Rossonero]

Thank you to all guys, I'm thinking it's all true what i read about the hospitality and kindness of your people and i'm really happy to move to your country (even i know it will be very cold for me there!!!) and to know everything about it, even the wonderful countryside Ariferra 

Being warm is only a question of clothing. I hope we don't disappoint...

...About your curiosity, i play in the "Virtus 4 Strade Rieti" team, we moved up in the "Serie A" last year after ten years of "Serie B", so we are going to play next month our first "Serie A" (but personally I will not be in the four first-string players as I have not been playing very often in the last months).

Ok, your level is quite high then. Good for us definitely, for improving our game. But I'm sure we can give you good matches too. So, perhaps we will have an italian in the Helsinki Open (14.-15. of May) also this year. It would be nice.

I had a peak at your club, and found out that you are part of a football club. I thought the only "polisportiva" CdT club was Lazio. Some pictures there http://www.virtus4strade.it/CalcioTavolo.asp?Pag=1

Perhaps we finns make a bet about which one you are 

[ZIPPO]

[Being warm is only a question of clothing.]

So I have to buy proper clothes when i get there, because defintely we don't have anything like that here...

[Ok, your level is quite high then. Good for us definitely, for improving our game. But I'm sure we can give you good matches too. So, perhaps we will have an italian in the Helsinki Open (14.-15. of May) also this year. It would be nice.]

I should be there for that date, I hope so at least. It would be very nice... actually I would like to arrive in Helsinki just for the "Vappu", that I heard it's quite an interesting happening too

I had a peak at your club, and found out that you are part of a football club. I thought the only "polisportiva" CdT club was Lazio. Some pictures there http://www.virtus4strade.it/CalcioTavolo.asp?Pag=1

Perhaps we finns make a bet about which one you are 
[/quote]

If you allow me this little joke i could say i look like " a little finn" 

[Hönkki]

If you allow me this little joke i could say i look like " a little finn"

Blond hair ?

but personally I will not be in the four first-string players as I have not been playing very often in the last months

You will be a big challenge to us, which is very interesting of course. I think it is a respectable achievement, if you are even close to first-string in Serie A . How long you are going stay in Finland ? I just wonder could you play in our next season's league ?

actually I would like to arrive in Helsinki just for the "Vappu", that I heard it's quite an interesting happening too

Yes, that day is quite different than a normal day in Finland.

[ZIPPO]

Yes, blond hair with long beard sometimes 

I will stay about 3 years in Helsinki, but honestly I don't know if i can cope with the commitment of the league. As I will be very busy for my job  I don't think I will be able to play on a regular base (once a week for instance). What does it consist in more specifically?

[Rossonero]

I will stay about 3 years in Helsinki, but honestly I don't know if i can cope with the commitment of the league. As I will be very busy for my job  I don't think I will be able to play on a regular base (once a week for instance). What does it consist in more specifically?

The league Hönkki mentioned is the Helsinki region league (HeFi league), where anyone can play. It is quite relaxed league without a specific schedule. The idea is that as many as possible could play, also those who have not so much time. The HeFi league has players from finnish top level and players from the other end. In this league we don't use referees, so people can play more effectively.

It is played from about August-September until about May. The number of games depends on the number of players and how much they want to play. Usually it's 2 games against everyone, and it has been about 22-30 games a season. So no problem for you, I'm sure.

On top of that we play mostly training matches and tournaments. And many players play leagues with the finnish old school rules (you will be scratching your head when you see it).

But we have been thinking of a extra leagues which would be better for development. So there would be only games against closer level opposition. We try to have something for everyone, and so things change every year a little.

We'll see when you get here, and sort things out so that you get to play about as much games as you wish.

[ZIPPO]

In this case I would be very honoured to play the HeFi league