Bubble Hockey Tournament Benefits Howard County Food Bank

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Saturday's the day for the fourth Old Ellicott City Cup, a charity bubble hockey tournament benefitting the Howard County Food Bank.

Bubble hockey, also called dome hockey or rod hockey, is the classic arcade game with the dome-shaped plexiglass playing surface and miniature hockey players mounted on rods. It traces back to table hockey prototypes from the 1930s, but the version everyone knows today, Chexx, was invented in 1982 by Innovative Concepts in Entertainment (ICE), explained Shawn Smith, founder of The Old Ellicott Cup, told Patch. It was inspired by the "Miracle on Ice" USA-vs-Russia Olympic hockey game.

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"ICE sold 5,000 tables in its first year alone and its Super Chexx model, introduced in 1993, is still the gold standard in arcades and bars today," Smith said.

The tournament typically features a mix of amateur and semi-professional players, and draws bubble hockey players from several regions who compete in a series of games that ultimately lead to The Old Ellicott Cup going to the winner.

The tournament this year has 40 solo bubble hockey players competing from Maryland, Virginia Pennsylvania and even as far away as St. Louis, Missouri.

"Instead of lacing up skates, players stand at each end of the dome and control miniature players by turning and sliding rods - one rod per position, plus a goalie. It's all about fast reflexes and precise wrist control rather than skating ability or physical conditioning, which is part of why it's so accessible," Smith told Patch. "You don't need to know how to skate and matches move at a much faster, more arcade-paced clip than a real hockey game. It's a game anyone can pick up, but the top competitive players bring great skill and strategy to it."

But it isn't just about the competition. The ultimate winner is the Howard County Food Bank.

"This year, the goal is to raise a few thousand dollars," Smith told Patch. "The goal is simple: help people going through hard times get the assistance they need. Food bank services have helped people the organizers know personally in the past, which made it an easy choice as this year's cause."

The event kicks off at noon and will run until 8 p.m. at Cushwa and Rad Pies Taproom in Columbia at 6695 Dobbin Road, Suite G. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission to the event is free. Player registration costs $40 and can be completed online.