A Project Hindenburg e-text An informational and tactical pamphlet for Roby Baggio's Magical Kicks, the life-changing (-giving) Internet football free kick game. A PRIMER FOR MAGICAL KICKS Reggie Rhinestone The basics, the very basics—they cannot be explained. But they have little to do with football. It is all too easy to shoot too high (in the belief that your on-target shots are easy saves) or too low (in the belief that your high shots will simply be too high). Practice hitting the crossbar. Then learn to shoot just below that. The keeper is easier to beat than fool. If a striker is on the pitch, he will be brought down in the box every ten kicks or so. A low shot with maximum curl ('Lift') will travel approximately straight, then, on hitting the turf, skip sharply left or right, depending on the spin. But it won't go far. On the ground, the ball behaves as if it's full of water. When crossing to a striker, close is often good enough. Leading passes, curiously, are a problem, but the strikers deal quite well with passes apparently behind them. The best shots have the wind behind them. The keeper is remarkably, maddeningly inconsistent. Sometimes he has enormous legs (especially) and arms. (You will see what I mean.) Learn this and believe it. 17: If you immediately click 'Height,' 'Direction,' and 'Lift,' there is an even chance that you will connect with the charging striker and he will score. 1: Ignore the striker. This will be best in other situations, as well. Penalties: a nightmare. Unlike in real penalty situations, the keeper does not guess—he responds. I can only recommend aiming wide of the goal and using maximum curl in the opposite direction. Favourable wind (blowing in the direction of your aim) is almost a must. You can shoot between the heads of players in the wall. 5: The easiest possible situation. Shoot low and in the centre or curl the ball across the goalmouth. An unswerving shot to the top corner is the best shot more often than you would think. Because the keeper tends to dive rather than stay his ground, shots at the centre of goal, however they travel there, can be deadly. The weaker and more awkward the cross, the more powerful the striker's shot. Occasionally, you can shoot through (or under?) the wall (4 or 10, for example). It is sometimes worth it. Even when the striker has been brought down, he can still, wildly, flick goalward. You, the kick-taker, must believe you can score, or cross, or generally do what you like (hit the photographers, for instance). Not much good can come if it is otherwise.