PLAYING THE GAME - RULES OF THE GAME

The Rules of the Game are generally flexible to meet your desired level of competition. This is what we have found to work best:

Players can use the stick and their hands in any way to defend their goal and shoot the ball into their opponents goal. That includes hitting or throwing the ball into their opponent's goal. You can play only with your hands if that is your desire (both hands).
When the ball goes out of play on your side, you get the ball to restart play.
Play up to 10 or your desired score.

HANDICAPPING THE SKILL or AGE DIFFERENCE

When playing with people of different skill or age differences, here are some suggestions:

Higher skilled person can only use their stick, and the lower skilled person gets to use their hand and stick to defend their own goal.

EXCITING PARTS OF PLAYING STIXX!

The protective barrier is high enough so you can shoot the ball in the upper corner of your opponent's goal. It's not just 2-dimensional play like air hockey or foosball. It's 3-dimensional. You can shoot and score Top Shelf!
On tables with the rounded corners you can 'ring' the ball around the edge to bank it in off your opponent's hands and stick into the goal.
Single wall bank shots or even double wall bank shots keeps your opponent on their toes. It's not just straight shots that you have to worry about.
Ceiling shots off the under-side of the protective barrier reminds us of racquetball ceiling shots.
Pass it to yourself of the side wall on your end and snap a quick shot on your opponent.
Stick-handle or dribble the ball and use whatever deception you can to deke out your opponent before shooting.
Rapid fire like air hockey sometimes can be effective. Just be ready to defend your own goal as you might just end up with the ball in your own goal!