I’ve only recently got into air hockey, playing it at a local Barcade on the weekends.

But I swear, through childhood, I distinctly remember the phrase “puppy guard.” I searched on this subreddit to no avail. Puppy guarding is when you use your mallet to move along your goal line, essentially blocking a large portion of the goal, whereas a “non-puppy” guard can be imagined as a semi circle your mallet must ride.

Most people play directly blocking their goal, and that’s cool! If you do that, I will too, but there’s an extra challenge to not doing that. It’s a street rule, I guess, but I remember being called out for “puppy guarding,” as it is disadvantageous to the other player.

Anyways, just wondering if anyone else has heard of this? Thanks!