What is a face off. Face-off in Hockey: Rules, Strategies, and Importance Explained

What are the key rules for face-offs in hockey. How do players position themselves for a face-off. Why are face-offs crucial in hockey games. What strategies do players use to win face-offs. How do referees conduct face-offs in hockey.

Understanding the Basics of a Hockey Face-off

A face-off is a crucial element in hockey that initiates or resumes play. It occurs at the beginning of each period, after a goal, or following any stoppage in play. But what exactly happens during a face-off?

During a face-off, two opposing players position themselves at one of the nine designated face-off spots on the ice. An official then drops the puck between their sticks, and the players compete to gain possession. This simple act sets the tone for the ensuing play and can significantly impact the game’s momentum.

When do face-offs occur?

Face-offs happen in various situations throughout a hockey game:

• At the start of each period
• After a goal is scored
• Following a penalty
• When the puck leaves the playing area
• If the goalie freezes the puck
• After an offside call
• When there’s an error in officiating

Understanding these instances helps players and fans anticipate when face-offs will occur and their potential impact on the game.

The Nine Face-off Spots: Strategic Locations on the Ice

Hockey rinks feature nine specific face-off spots, each serving a unique purpose. Where are these spots located, and when are they used?

1. Center ice: Used to start each period and after goals
2. Four spots in the neutral zone: Often used after unintentional offside calls
3. Two spots in each attacking zone: Used when play is stopped in these areas

The location of a face-off is typically determined by where the play was stopped or the nature of the infraction. For instance, if a goalie freezes the puck on the right side of their crease, the face-off will occur at the right face-off dot outside the crease.

In cases of intentional offside, the face-off may be moved to the offending team’s defensive zone as a penalty. Understanding these locations and their usage is crucial for players and coaches when developing game strategies.

Face-off Procedures: Positioning and Rules

How do players position themselves for a face-off, and what rules must they follow? The NHL has specific guidelines to ensure fair play during face-offs.

Player Positioning

For face-offs in the end zones, players must stand squarely facing their opponent’s end of the rink. Their stick blades should contact the nearest white area of the face-off spot while staying clear of the center red area.

In neutral zone face-offs, players face their opponent’s end of the ice and stand approximately one stick length apart. The attacking player places their stick on the ice first, except during center ice face-offs where the visiting team player does so.

Other Players’ Positions

What about the other players on the ice? They must maintain a distance of at least 15 feet from the face-off circle. Players position themselves behind the hash marks on the outer edge of the face-off circle or stand about one stick length apart from opponents.

Time Constraints

After the line change procedure, teams have five seconds to line up for the face-off. The official signals this by blowing their whistle. If a player fails to take their position promptly, they may be replaced by a teammate for that face-off.

Penalties and Infractions During Face-offs

Face-offs come with their own set of rules, and breaking these can result in penalties. What are some common infractions during face-offs?

• Failing to maintain proper position: If a player other than the one taking the face-off doesn’t maintain their position, their team’s center is ejected from the face-off.
• Repeated violations: A second violation by the same team during a face-off results in a minor penalty for delay of game.
• Physical contact: A player making physical contact with their opponent’s body during a face-off, except when playing the puck, receives a minor penalty for interference.

These rules ensure fair play and prevent teams from gaining unfair advantages during face-offs. Players must be aware of these regulations to avoid costly penalties.

The Art of Winning Face-offs: Techniques and Strategies

Winning face-offs is a crucial skill in hockey. How do players approach this aspect of the game, and what strategies do they employ?

Basic Techniques

Players use various techniques to win face-offs:

• The “win-back”: Drawing the puck straight back to a teammate
• The “tie-up”: Using the body to prevent the opponent from getting the puck while a teammate retrieves it
• The “forward push”: Quickly pushing the puck forward past the opponent

Advanced Strategies

Beyond basic techniques, players and teams develop complex strategies for face-offs:

• Studying opponents’ tendencies and adapting accordingly
• Using different stick grips for various situations
• Coordinating with teammates for specific plays off the face-off
• Employing psychological tactics to throw off opponents

These strategies can vary based on the face-off’s location, the game situation, and the strengths of the players involved. Mastering face-offs requires practice, quick thinking, and adaptability.

The Importance of Face-off Specialists in Hockey

Why do teams value players who excel at face-offs? Face-off specialists play a crucial role in a team’s success. They can significantly impact possession time, scoring opportunities, and defensive strategies.

A player with a high face-off win percentage can:

• Help their team gain immediate possession of the puck
• Set up scoring plays directly from face-offs
• Relieve pressure in defensive situations
• Control the pace of the game

Teams often rely on these specialists in critical moments, such as the final minutes of a close game or during important power plays. The ability to consistently win face-offs is a highly valued skill in professional hockey.

Training Face-off Specialists

How do players become proficient at face-offs? It requires a combination of physical skills and mental preparation:

• Developing quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination
• Building upper body and core strength
• Studying opponents and learning their tendencies
• Practicing various techniques and strategies
• Mental preparation and focus

Many teams now employ specific coaches to work with players on improving their face-off skills, highlighting the importance of this aspect of the game.

The Evolution of Face-off Rules and Techniques

How have face-offs changed over the years in hockey? The rules and techniques surrounding face-offs have evolved significantly since the sport’s early days.

Historical Changes

In the past, face-offs were less regulated, often resulting in prolonged scrums for the puck. Over time, the NHL introduced more specific rules to ensure fair play and maintain the flow of the game. Some notable changes include:

• Introduction of designated face-off spots
• Stricter regulations on player positioning
• Time limits for taking face-offs
• Penalties for face-off violations

Technological Influence

Modern technology has also impacted face-offs. Video analysis allows players and coaches to study opponents’ tendencies in great detail. Additionally, advanced statistics tracking now provides precise data on face-off performance, influencing team strategies and player evaluations.

These changes have made face-offs a more technical and strategic element of hockey, requiring players to constantly adapt and refine their skills.

The Impact of Face-offs on Game Strategy and Outcomes

How significant are face-offs in determining the outcome of a hockey game? While a single face-off may seem like a small part of a 60-minute game, the cumulative effect of face-offs can be substantial.

Possession Advantage

Winning face-offs consistently provides a team with more possession time. This can lead to:

• Increased scoring opportunities
• Better control of the game’s pace
• Reduced defensive pressure

Critical Moments

Face-offs become particularly crucial in certain game situations:

• Power plays: Winning the initial face-off can lead to quick scoring chances
• Defensive zone: Clearing the puck from a won face-off can relieve pressure
• Late-game scenarios: Controlling the puck in the final minutes can secure a win or tie

Coaches often strategize around face-offs, matching their best face-off takers against opponents and designing plays off face-off wins. This emphasis underscores the importance of this fundamental aspect of hockey.

Statistical Impact

While it’s difficult to directly correlate face-off wins to game outcomes, statistics show that teams with higher face-off win percentages tend to perform better over a season. This relationship highlights the long-term strategic importance of excelling in face-offs.

Face-offs in hockey are more than just a way to start or resume play. They are a crucial element that can influence possession, scoring opportunities, and ultimately, game outcomes. From the precise positioning requirements to the strategies employed by face-off specialists, this aspect of hockey demonstrates the sport’s blend of physicality, skill, and strategy. As the game continues to evolve, the importance of face-offs in hockey is likely to remain a key focus for players, coaches, and fans alike.

Rule 613 | Face-Off Procedures

(a) Play shall start when one of the officials drops the puck between the sticks of two opposing players. 

For face-offs occurring at a designated end zone face-off spot, the players facing-off will stand squarely facing their opponents’ end of the rink and clear of the ice markings. The stick blades of both players shall be in contact with the nearest white area of the face-off spot and clear of the center red area.

For face-offs occurring at the center ice or neutral zone face-off spots, the players facing-off shall squarely face their opponent’s end of the ice and stand approximately one stick length apart.

The attacking player shall be the first to place his stick on the ice, except for a center ice face-off where the visiting team player shall be first to place his stick on the ice.

(b) No other player shall be allowed to enter the face-off circle or come within 15 feet of the players facing-off the puck.  All other players must position themselves behind the hash marks on the outer edge of the face-off circle or stand approximately one stick length apart from the opponent.

(c) At the conclusion of the line change procedure [see Rule 205(a) and Glossary], the Official conducting the face-off shall blow his whistle. This will signal each team that they have no more than five seconds to line up for the ensuing face-off. Prior to the conclusion of five seconds, the Official shall conduct a proper face-off. 

(d) If a player facing-off fails to take his proper position immediately when directed by the Official, the Official may order him replaced for that face-off by any teammate then on the ice.

If a player, other than the player facing off, fails to maintain his proper position, the center of his team shall be ejected from the face-off.

A second violation of any of the provisions of this subsection by the same team during the same face-off shall result in a minor penalty for delay of game being assessed to the player committing the second violation.

(e) A minor penalty for interference shall be assessed to any player facing-off who makes any physical contact with his opponent’s body by means of his own body or by his stick except in the course of playing the puck after the face-off has been completed.

What is a Face-off in Hockey?

A face-off in hockey begins the action. At the start of every game, we watch with great anticipation as the puck is dropped at center ice. Which team will get the first chance to go flying down the ice with the puck? At first glance, a face-off seems pretty straightforward, but as we’re about to find out, it can get a little more complicated.

Face-off Definition

A face-off occurs when two players from each team approach the face-off spot while an official drops the puck. Each player battles with their stick to determine who wins possession of the puck and the play. A face-off starts at the beginning of each period but also after a penalty, game stoppage, such as if the puck leaves the ice, and after a goal is scored.

Key Takeaways for a Face-off in Hockey

• A face-off involves two players facing off against each other while a referee drops the puck.
• A face-off occurs in one of the nine spots on the ice, after an infraction, a goal, or any other stoppage in play.
• Each team wants their player with the best face-off percentage to take the face-off.
• There are different strategies in which to approach a face-off.

Different Spots for a Face-off

Center ice is not the only spot that a face-off can take place. If you take a look at the ice rink, you will notice designated face-off spots or dots. There are nine in total. The first is the rink center; there are two more in each attacking zone and two more at each end of the neutral zone.

Each one serves its purpose. The center spot is used to begin each period and after a goal. As for the other eight zones, it depends on the situation. Typically, the four within the neutral zone are used after an unintended offside call has been made.

Otherwise, it may depend on where the puck was stopped. So, if the goalie freezes the puck on the right side of his crease, the face-off will take place at the right face-off dot outside his crease. If, however, intentional offside is the infraction, the face-off can be pulled back to the offending team’s defensive zone.

Lastly, I recently learned while watching a game last night with my husband; a face-off will occur at center ice if there was an error with a call. For the most part, however, face-offs will transpire at the closest face-off dot where the play was stopped.

How Do You Take a Face-off?

Without going into too much strategy, I’ll get into that more later. Let’s understand better how a player takes a face-off. This depends on the location of the face-off. In the attacking zone, he may look ahead to a teammate. In the defensive zone, he may want to clear the puck out from his end.

Let me elaborate further; within the neutral zone, a player may choose to get the puck back to his defensive player so that they can move the puck forward. In the face-off zone, players have to be careful that they don’t get kicked out. Here are a few reasons why this happens.

The first reason he is too quick to enter his body into the circle; the puck hasn’t been dropped yet. Second, his skates aren’t square within the hash lines outside of the dot. Lastly, another player on his team is encroaching too close to the hash marks.

To be kicked out once isn’t a big deal, but a penalty will be called if it happens again. I will admit to not seeing a penalty from being kicked out twice; players are careful not to get this careless penalty. Check out this video below where Colorado Eagles players explain and demonstrate face-off protocols.

Stick Strategy: Face-off in Hockey

Now, you may notice that one player puts his stick down before the other. But why can’t they put their stick down at the same time? The rules state that it is the player from the visiting team who strikes first, followed by the home team center.

While this may seem like a disadvantage for the home team, it can be quite telling. The home team gains the advantage of looking at the opposing center’s hand position. A hand position can reveal a lot, such as to which way he is trying to win the face-off?

Whether he has a backward or a forward grip, the opposing home team center can adjust his strategy accordingly. The second player may also gain quicker momentum as the visiting center has had his stick in a motionless position for a longer period.

The Face-off Video

Face-off Percentage

Sometimes, when watching a game, stats will flash up on your TV screen. The NHL (and many fans) love to keep track of all kinds of stats, including face-off percentage. This percentage is the rate at which a player wins face-off draws.

Typically, if the rate is above 55%, this player is considered a good face-off contender. During a game, they will also flash the team’s face-off percentage for the game. For example, the Habs have won 67% of all face-offs. They may even include how that team ranks amongst all the 31 teams in the NHL.

Who Takes the Face-off?

In a perfect world, it would be the one with the best face-off percentage. Typically, though, the center player is the designated face-off contender. That said, if there are other great contenders on the team, they will be sent out on the ice during key moments, such as killing a penalty or during a powerplay.

Strategic Styles of a Face-off in Hockey

There are several little tricks of the trade that hockey players have regarding face-offs. First, they make sure to keep their body mass low. This will help to keep their bodies balanced and allow for a quicker reaction to the puck.

Players will tell you that they will have to change their grip from their usual hold to win a face-off with their backhand. Both hands will face back on the stick. They also hold their stick closer to the middle (they choke up on it) to allow for better maneuverability.

A forehand style also requires that the players choke up on their stick. They also may choose to keep the tip of their stick on the ice. Their grip, however, goes back to a traditional hold where the higher hand faces back, and the lower hand faces forward.

The next strategy is a spin move and can be done with both backhand or forehand holds. The player will spin his body into the face-off dot. But some players prefer to avoid the puck altogether and instead go straight for their opponent.

By doing this, it can open the space up for another player on their team to swoop in and steal the puck. The same can be done if the centerman goes for his opponent’s stick directly, trapping him so he cannot reach the puck.

And while the puck can be passed forward, this isn’t likely a move you will as often lest they give the puck to the other team’s defensive players. Confused yet? It can be tricky to picture all the different styles, so check out this instructional video to better understand.

How to win Faceoffs Video

The Importance of a Face-off Win

Winning a face-off means possession of the puck. This, in turn, means more chances of scoring a goal. And goals have even been known to come straight off of a face-off win, so to some players, they spend a lot of time strategizing.

Officially, a win is determined by the team that ends up with possession of the puck after it leaves the face-off area. Now, I’ve already shown you a couple of instructional videos, so let’s spice things up with a nice mix of different face-offs styles in some games.

NHL Face-offs Video

Final Thoughts

Some may argue that face-off percentage is irrelevant to a team’s victory but tell that to the goalie who was scored on thanks to a face-off right outside his crease. Regardless of the team’s stats, I believe that the face-off in hockey makes for a more exciting game and demonstrates the players’ skills.

By Danielle L’Ami

Danielle, a Canadian born and raised, was first introduced to hockey by her Tampa-Bay-Lightning-loving husband back in university. She is a Habs fan. Despite this, they are still together and enjoy watching the rivalry between their two teams each time they play. The victory of the games determines who will get the silent treatment the next day.

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To the casual observer, face-offs may seem like an unimportant part of hockey. But they are actually an essential part of every hockey game. Are you struggling in the face-off dot? Or maybe you’re new to hockey and curious about how to win a face-off? Look no further. This helpful article tells you all you need to know about face-offs and the top tips on how to win them.

You win a face-off in hockey if your team gets possession of the puck off the draw. This occurs when a centreman either wins the puck to a teammate, or if the centreman initiates a puck battle that their team wins off the face-off. The centreman can win a face-off using strength, quickness, and hand-eye coordination. A mix of all three yields the best face-off approach. But if you lack one of the skills, you can still lean on particular strategies to win a draw.

What Is a Hockey Face-Off?

A face-off is a play in hockey where the referee drops the puck between the centremen of the opposing teams. Face-offs occur to begin each period of a hockey game as well as after every stoppage in play. A face-off is also sometimes referred to as a “draw.”

The phrase “puck drop” would also refer to a face-off. Each face-off is either won or lost by one of the two centremen. The victor of the face-off is determined by which team recovers the puck off the draw.

What Are Face-Off Rules?

Face-offs are held on one of nine spots (usually called “face-off dots”) on the ice. The dots are all the same size except for the one at center ice, which is smaller than the others. Face-offs that open a period or that come after a goal is scored are always taken at the center ice dot.

On an offside or neutral zone puck out of play stoppage, face-offs will occur at one of the four dots in the neutral zone just outside of the blue lines. For stoppages in the two team zones, there are two face-off dots per team zone where face-offs can happen. Face-offs also automatically begin in the penalized team’s defensive zone when it takes a penalty.

Face-offs occur when the referee drops the puck. The play clock resumes, whether to start a period or after a stoppage, only once the referee drops the puck at the face-off. The two centremen taking the face-off must keep their feet within the designated width and proximity from the face-off dot that is allowed by the markings surrounding the dot.

Their sticks also must not begin at a point further than the small marking that is cut into the red face-off dot. The referee will police the stick and skate the positioning of the two centremen.

If a centreman repeatedly violates these rules, the referee will kick them out of the face-off. At that point, one of the centreman’s teammates steps in to take the face-off. Centremen must also not go for the puck or attack their opponent’s stick until the puck has been dropped.

If a centreman attacks early, the referee may blow the whistle and drop the puck again with the centreman replaced for the new draw.

Why Are Face-Offs Important?

Face-offs happen dozens of times in a game. Each and every one of these face-offs functions as a puck battle that one team wins and the other loses. Teams that win more face-offs begin to play with possession of the puck.

Puck possession is a pivotal component of the game – without puck possession, you’re not going to get any shots or goals. In other words, puck possession wins hockey games. Face-offs contribute to puck possession.

Face-offs are always important, but they’re especially relevant when you are in either the offensive or defensive zone. A won face-off in the defensive zone means that you’re on your way to suppressing an offensive zone opportunity for the opposition. A won face-off in the offensive zone means you’re on your way to creating a scoring chance for your team. Each statement gains double importance when there’s a power-play.

A power-play face-off win can lead to more time for high-quality scoring chances for an offensive team. But a win for the defensive team means they can ice the puck quicker and kill off more penalty time.

How To Win A Face-Off

1. Have A Clear Goal.

Believe you can win every face-off and take enormous pride in it. You win a face-off when your team gets possession of the puck off the draw. A face-off is won if a centerman cleanly draws the pucks to a teammate and the team gets possession. Sometimes the two centremen scramble the face-off, and the puck is only recovered by one team in the scrum. This still counts as a face-off win for the centreman’s team.

2. Create A Face-Off Strategy.

A centreman may also technically “win” the face-off even if their team loses possession of the puck. This could occur if the center pushes the puck to their winger, but the opposing team’s winger jumps in and steals possession.

3. Learn How To Win At All Locations.

Keep in mind that centremen try to win the face-off to different spots in different areas of the ice. Most of the time, the center attempts to simply win the puck back to one of the defensemen. A face-off win to your defenseman is always the safest play because defensemen don’t line-up beside an opposing player like the wingers do on the face-off.

But especially when a team is in their defensive zone, the centreman will try to win the puck away from their own net. This means that for defensive zone face-offs, the center aims to win the puck to their winger on the boards or straight back to their defenseman behind them or in the corner.

4. Know Your Strength and Establish a Power Position.

It is also important to keep in mind your “strong side” when taking a face-off. Nearly all players will say that their strong side for face-offs is their backhand. This is because players have more strength when drawing the puck back rather than trying to dig it backward on their forehand.

Many centers also prefer to overturn their bottom hand on the stick for the face-off. This adds strength to the backhand face-off motion and puck battle on their strong side. This means that right-handed centremen are on their strong side for face-offs at dots on the right side of the ice. Left-handed shooters are on their strong side for face-offs on the left side of the ice.

Centre ice face-offs are neutral because the centremen can win the puck to whichever side they prefer. It is not uncommon to see NHL teams exclusively use players to take face-offs on their strong sides – especially in the defensive zone. This means that sometimes even wingers will substitute in just for the face-off to relieve centreman on their “weak side” face-offs.

Face-Off Win Tips

The act of taking a face-off can be a mix of strength,
speed, and hand-eye coordination. A combination of all three will make you the
best at taking face-offs, but all three aren’t necessarily required for success
in the face-off dot.

1. Hand-eye Coordination

Hand-eye coordination comes into play on the face-off because you’re timing your stick with the puck as the referee drops it. Centremen try to dig in for the puck with their stick just as it’s about to hit the ice. A face-off win can depend on this hand-eye coordination and how fast a center can touch the puck.

This timing and race method is the most standard approach to a face-off – though it is not always the best one.

2. Strength

Face-offs often aren’t as smooth as one center outracing the other to a clean win. This is why strength is a major factor in face-offs. Face-offs routinely become puck battles between the two centremen.

The puck may bounce as it hits the ice. Or, more commonly, both sticks will arrive at the puck at nearly the same time, causing a battle of strength with the sticks. Once the face-off becomes a puck battle, winning the draw may come down to the centreman who is stronger. Wingers may also converge on the face-off dot in support if the puck drop turns into a scrum.

How to Win a Face-Off with Strength

If a centerman knows that they’re not fast enough or skilled enough to win a clean face-off, they may deliberately turn the face-off into a battle of strength.

1. To do this, the center attacks the stick of the opposing centerman when the puck is dropped, rather than only going for the puck. This move can surprise a center who would’ve otherwise just tried to outrace you. This attack move can include lifting the stick of the other centerman or quickly trying to drive it out of the way with your stick.

2. The strength move is also largely foolproof because if you get the opponent’s stick, there’s no way they can entirely win the puck before a 50/50 battle ensues. Just make sure you don’t jump the gun too early, or you’ll get kicked out of the face-off.

3. However, if your opponent notices that you consistently use the attack method, they may lift their stick away from your attack and steal the puck when it’s dropped. So you may need to change things up if they catch on.

4. If you’re using this attack method, you can also work your skate into the technique. When the puck is dropped, you can cut forward with your stick and turn your body with your skate into the face-off dot. Your skate will be a stable force to either block your opponent’s stick or end up kicking back the puck to win the draw.

How to Take the Face-Off Forward

There are a few occasions when players can try to take the
puck forward right off the draw.

1. One is to try to take advantage of the opposing centreman. You can try to chip the puck just in behind the center as the puck is dropped and pick it up on the other side. This can be an effective move because you know you’re doing it as the puck is being dropped, while the other center is probably just trying to win the puck backward.

Good centremen won’t allow you to make this move, however, because they will also be mindful of keeping body position with you on the face-off. But not all will be ready for the move.

2. If there is very little time remaining on the clock for an offensive zone face-off, the center may try to shoot the puck on the net as the referee is dropping it. This is usually only attempted with a few seconds left in a period because it’s an unlikely — and desperate — scoring strategy.

3. Centermen can also try to ice the puck off of a defensive zone face-off while killing a penalty. This isn’t all that common of a move, but it can be mixed in to surprise the opposing center. If you’re trying to ice the puck off a penalty kill face-off, make sure you see a lane to clear the puck out of the zone. This strategy will also require good timing.

What Are Good Face-Off Statistics?

As a centerman, you should always aim to win at least 50% of your face-offs. A number above 50% is seen as successful, while anything below 50% is seen as ineffective. This type of stat can vary depending on the level of hockey that is being played. But for example, in the NHL, the very best centreman usually win up to 60% of their face-offs. But very few actually win 60% and above. Numbers in the high 50%-range do typically lead the league.

Players who especially struggle with face-offs can fall as low as 40% and below. However, if a regular centerman produces a face-off win percentage in the 30%-range, they will usually change positions, spend time practicing face-offs, or have a different linemate take their draws.

Every face-off in hockey is a chance for your team to get possession of the puck. If you’re a centerman, you should recognize the importance of face-offs and devise a strategy based on your abilities. A mix of strength, speed, and hand-eye coordination is a good skillset for taking face-offs.

But strength is often the most important aspect of face-offs. Speed can sometimes outrace strength, but most face-offs come down to puck battles and scrums.

Simon, the founder of Brave Stick Hockey, started playing hockey in 2003. He launched this website in 2018 to help new hockey players and fans learn more about the game and have more fun while learning.

Hockey Equipment Resource Center – Hockey Face-off Rules & Strategies

Game restarts are somewhat unique to ice hockey—no throw-ins or passes from out of bounds happen;
instead, to begin play hockey players go stick-to-stick to compete for the puck dropped by the referee or
linesman at the face-off spot. Face-offs begin the game and each period of play, restart the game following a
goal, and resume play after the action is stopped for blown whistle or when the puck goes out of play.

Where Hockey Face-offs Happen

Hockey face-offs aren’t random. When plays stops and a face-off is needed, the referee or linesmen organize the
restart at one of the designated face-off areas on the ice, five of which are seen as circles with dots in the
centers and the largest of which is at center ice; four dots with no circles around them are found in the
neutral zones just past center ice.

A hockey rink has a total of nine face-off spots. These areas are simply called “dots” or “face-off spots. ”
Four face-offs spots, those in the end zones, have hashmarks on the circles to indicate where players should
stand. The game starts at center ice, as do face-offs after a goal and at other times in a game as determined by
the referee.

All hockey face-offs take place at one of those nine face-off spots on the ice, as directed by NHL Rule 76.2.
This rule also stipulates that when two rules violations are called against one team, the face-off occurs at the
dot giving the least territorial advantage to the offending team. If the play is stopped for any reason “not
attributable to a specific team,” the rules say, the face-off should be at “the nearest face-off spot outside
the blue line.” When the referee can’t determine which spot is nearest, the advantage goes to the spot in the
neutral zone that favors the home team.

Face-off Regulations

Face-offs are intended to be fair contests of possession, so if a player tries to gain an unfair advantage the
referee may remove him from the face-off lineup, another player on the same team takes over, and the face-off
happens.

If a team makes two face-off violations, they’re assessed a bench minor penalty for delay of game. In hockey,
common face-off violations might include not getting into position when instructed to do so by the official,
moving the stick before the puck is dropped, not placing the stick properly when instructed to do so, not being
square to the face-off dot, or a teammate may encroach into the face-off circle.

A player taking part in the face-off (often the centerman on the team, but not always) has five seconds to get
in position, after which the referee or linesman will drop the puck; past that five-second count, the referee or
linesman may remove the player from the face-off.

No player can come within 15 feet of the face-off circle. Goalies may not participate in a
face-off—though with their large puck-stopping sticks and all their pads, the question comes to
mind—why would a coach want them to?

In the NHL, a visiting-team player places his stick on the ice first for the face-off at center ice. For all
other face-offs, a defending team player must place his stick down first. Once they establish position at a
face-off, players must hold that position until the puck is dropped.

The NHL rules also state: “The whistle will not be blown by the official to start play. Playing time will
commence from the instant the puck is faced off and will stop when the whistle is blown or a goal is scored.”

Face-off Strategies

In face-offs, communication is key. The team’s centerman should let other players know at the time of face-off
or in practice what the plan will be—a forehand push, sending the puck to the side with a backhand, a spin
move, or tying up the puck so another player can skate in and win it. Again: communication is key.

Hockey coaches will tell their players—get low, get balanced, and have a plan for winning the face-off. A
player in a face-off will typically orient himself to favor the forehand or backhand, keeping a low center of
gravity and shifting his weight to prepare to win the puck when it’s dropped.

Most coaches emphasize establishing solid defense when a face-off occurs in their defensive zone. That team is
already at a territorial disadvantage, so the strategy is to protect their goal above all else if they lose the
face-off. Of course, if the defensive team wins the face-off, they want to break out and attack the opposing
goal quickly.

When the face-off is in a team’s attack zone, the offensive team usually plans to orchestrate options for
scoring—after they win the faceoff. Coaches lose sleep over devising scoring options following an
offensive-zone face-off, because they have a tactical advantage. The set-play options all lead to getting that
all-important shot on goal.

NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Face-Off Rule Changes – LRT Sports – College Athletic News and Exclusive Coach Ratings

In late May of 2020, the NCAA Rules Committee voted to make significant changes to the face-off process of Men’s Lacrosse. The days of facing off where both specialists begin on their knees and engage in lengthy battles for leverage are over. The new changes include:

 1.  “Having both players start face-offs with only their feet, gloves and sticks touching the ground.” – This means no more kneeling during a face-off; instead, the players will have to assume a standing position and crouch. 

2.  No more motorcycle grip, rather players will have to use a “neutral grip.” (Alternating hand positions, I.E., Top hand = Palm facing up. Bottom hand = palm facing down.

3.  Stronger enforcement on anti-clamping, where players keep the ball trapped in the back of their stick for a prolonged period of time. Penalties will be called if this happens. (per NCAA and Inside Lacrosse.)

The face-off position is always undergoing NCAA rule changes and causing frustration amongst many in the face-off community. These rule changes will undoubtedly impact FOGO’s (Face off Get off) and their roles on a team. It seems the goal of these rule changes is to prevent a dominant face-off specialist from controlling a game by winning every possession through creating a higher likelihood of a 50/50 ground ball. 

Having a dominant face-off man can elevate a team’s status from good to elite. For example, the nation’s top face-off specialist, Yale’s TD Ierlan, claimed possession on a staggering 76.4% of battles at the X last season. In 2019 he was a Tewaarton Finalist, and in 2018 he set records for best face-off percentage (79.1%), ground balls (254), and faceoffs won (359). 

In games where possession after a goal is extremely likely to end up back with the team of the dominant FOGO, the chances for their opponents to compete for drops substantially. Anyone who has ever witnessed lopsided domination at the face-off X understands how important possessions are in the game of lacrosse and knows how frustrating it can be when their team is up against a faceoff juggernaut. 

It is an interesting move by the NCAA to completely change the dynamics of a position because some players are too dominant. No player has an unfair advantage when facing off beside their natural abilities. Just as in any sport or any field, the best will dominate and rise to the top. 

Top players are a result of hard work, training, and dedication. Is it fair that some teams have top players at the face-off position that the rules should be changed to prevent their success? It is an interesting thought. The NCAA does not thwart star defensemen by saying they cannot check, and it doesn’t stop elite offenses from setting pick plays. Here are some thoughts from current college faceoff specialists on the matter.

Boston University’s Sean Christman has been a dominant FOGO in the Patriot League and is now entering his senior year. He won 62.4% of faceoffs before the season was cut short in 2020 due to Covid-19. After three years at the Division 1 level, Sean must adjust to new rules yet again.  “As a player, it is definitely frustrating that the rules and mechanics around our position are constantly being debated. I’m hopeful that the committee will listen to the feedback they have gotten from the face-off community and reconsider aspects of their decision, but if they decide to implement the new rules, we will continue to adapt as best we can.” 

Photo by Boston University Athletics. Sean Christman scans his options after a face-off win.

I also spoke with Anthony Giuliani, a rising senior face-off player at the University of Pennsylvania. “So, my thoughts are initially it’s frustrating that the rules keep getting changed after face-off athletes spend countless hours perfecting their techniques just to have to rebuild that muscle memory completely because the committee doesn’t like how well certain players have gotten at gaining possession for their team. However, face-off guys are typically some of the most competitive guys on the team, and many people are excited about a new challenge. It’s unfortunate for guys like me who have spent the past three years as a backup perfecting my technique for that one shot my senior year to prove myself and all the work I’ve put in throughout my college career. This is the second or third major rule change to my very specific position during my lacrosse career that has forced me to completely change what I’ve been working on since I was 12 years old. It seems like they’re picking on the faceoff for what seems like no reason. I am excited about the new face-off because almost everyone is basically starting fresh, and it could be a very interesting year among face-off guys.”

Photo by the University of Pennsylvania Athletics. Anthony Giuliani (left) and Kyle Gallagher (right).

Although this new rule change is not the most welcome by some, new opportunities will open up for players who can dominate the wings and in the ground ball game. With the implementation of these new rules, wing play will undoubtedly become more important as teams battle to gain possession. 

Often ground balls come down to communication, speed, and physicality. Instead of one man dominating the face-off X, it will become more a 3v3 at the midfield. There is always an adjustment period to new rules, so it will be interesting to see how different teams navigate these unchartered waters. Double poles on the wings could become more common, or each team’s speedsters may win the spots. Teams may even start a pole on the X to keep the ball on the ground. Each coach has their tactics, and until players are back on the field, no one truly knows how everyone will move forward. 

However, one thing is sure. If these new rules do take effect, FOGO’s could become obsolete. Players will more likely be stuck on defense or offense, and transition opportunities will most likely decrease. 

Traditionally face-off guys do their thing then get off the field as fast as possible. The guys facing off may be expected to stay and play for a bit, especially with the recent implementation of the 90-second shot clock. 

Face-off players typically do not have fantastic stick skills because they spend most of their time practicing face-offs, and they spend less time working on-field skills. However, this is a generalization, and many face-off specialists are also talented all over the field.

The roles of teams are changing, and the increasing importance of wing play is undeniable. Here is what Gettysburg College LSM Liam Lacon had to say about the rule change: “I think that the new face-off rules are a little strange. I never was a fan of the motorcycle grip, but these new rules would make face-off guys work a little outside their comfort zone. As an LSM player, I am kind of excited about these new rules because I think it will make it more of a loose ball struggle where the wings come out to play more. In the past, good face-off guys have had the ability to control how the game goes, but these new rules might make wing play much more important and make face-offs more competitive. ”

As the sport continues to grow, the game evolves. It will be interesting to see if the professional lacrosse leagues like the MLL, NLL, and PLL will adopt these new face-off rules. There will likely be a time lag for these rules to be picked up by high schools and youth organizations across the country as well. 

The changes to the face-off rules were ultimately designed to make the game more competitive and more fun to watch. There is always pushback to change, and time will tell if those voices gain any traction. Otherwise, the elite will adapt, and players’ opportunities to make an impact will continue to grow. As a player, the only solution for uncertainty is preparation. Practice, practice, and practice some more. 

DC Comics Villain Face-Off: Who Is the Best of the Worst?

In celebration of the upcoming release of The Suicide Squad in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, which of course is focused on a group of villains, we thought it would be the perfect time to look back at the DC Comics that inspired the film and ask the IGN audience who the best DC Comics villain of all time is.

Is The Joker your favorite? How about Bane or King Shark? We’ve selected 152 of the most notorious villains from the pages of DC Comics to “Face-Off” against each other two at a time. Will you choose Darkseid over Doomsday? Or Lex Luthor over Brainiac? The choice is yours…

Click here to start voting in the DC Comics villain Face-Off!

What Is a Face-Off?

Like the name suggests, a Face-Off pits two things against one another and you decide which one is the superior of the two. In this case, you are voting to determine who the best DC Comics villain is. It’s possible to see certain characters multiple times so you can keep voting for your favorites to ensure they get ranked higher than the rest. IGN’s resident team of DC Comics experts pre-selected 152 wonderfully evil villains for you to choose from. These get randomly paired up and each time you pick a winner, it’s tracked.

How Is the Winner Determined?

When voting ends on August 2, we tally up the total number of “wins” and “losses” each DC Comics villain has, and create a ranked list based on your choices that will go live on August 3. The character that won the most matchups will be crowned the “winner,” and in the event of a tied number of “wins,” the villain with the least “losses” will take the top spot. If you continue to keep voting for your favorite character, they’ll have a better chance of ranking high on the list. You can vote as many times as you want until the Face-Off closes.

How Do I Know When I’ve Clicked Through Everything?

It’s difficult to know when you’ve seen every DC Comics villain included because they are matched randomly and there are so many possible match-ups. Playing until you vote for all your favorite villains or ensuring that certain characters don’t get in the winner’s circle are different options you can take with a Face-Off. By deciding the winner throughout all these match-ups, you’re ensuring that your picks for the best DC Comics villain will have a fighting chance to reach the top of the list.

Which DC Comics Villains Have You Included?

The list of DC Comics villains has been decided by IGN staff, and we’ve tried to include a wide variety of ne’er-do-wells to face-off against each other. Any villain was fair game and, although it may be obvious, these are not the versions of the characters featured in the DC Extended Universe. However, since these iconic characters inspired their big-screen counterparts, we thought it’d be the perfect time to celebrate their origins.

Click here to start voting in the DC Comics Villain Face-Off!

The Suicide Squad Who’s Who: Full Cast and Character Reveals

For more on The Suicide Squad, check out our exclusive trailer breakdown with director James Gunn, a look at who’s who in the latest iteration of this squad, and how the movie’s opening battle aims to be the DCEU’s Saving Private Ryan.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Officially Speaking: Faceoff Mechanics – Scouting The Refs

By Mark Lichtenfeld. Originally published at LetsPlayHockey.com:

Lots of officials have been grumbling about last month’s NHL player-linesman faceoff incident.

OK, for those readers who are unaware of what transpired, just check out YouTube for a clip of the outrage. Obviously, the NHL handled the situation, but a review of the play can assist the amateur hockey community, and centers in particular, with proper faceoff mechanics.

As the replay shows, the linesman was conducting a faceoff at a neutral zone dot. You can see the official ordering the players into position and it appears that after both centers had their sticks on the ice, the Anaheim center pulled up just as the linesman was dropping the puck. This caused the poor Duck to completely lose the draw, which naturally resulted in a beer league reaction – that being a slash to the back of the linesman’s leg.

Now ask any veteran Level 3 and he or she will concur that faceoff problems occur much more often than they should. And these problems are almost exclusively the result of player ignorance – that being, ignorance of the rules and subsequent refusal to abide by the official’s verbal instructions.

Look, OS is very busy today, so this column is going to be quick and concise.

Rule 613 | Face-Off Procedures

(a) Play shall start when one of the officials drops the puck between the sticks of two opposing players. 

For face-offs occurring at a designated face-off spot, the players facing-off will stand squarely facing their opponents’ end of the rink and clear of the ice markings. The stick blades of both players shall be in contact with the nearest white area of the face-off spot and clear of the center red area.

For face-offs occurring at the center ice face-off spot or in locations other than the designated face-off spots, the players facing-off shall squarely face their opponent’s end of the ice and stand approximately one stick length apart.

The attacking player shall be the first to place his stick on the ice, except for a center ice face-off where the visiting team player shall be first to place his stick on the ice.

OK. Fairly simple. The attacking player is almost always the one who must place his stick onto the ice first.

And if he doesn’t, Mr. OS? Then what?

Then we proceed to my favorite part of the USA Hockey face-off rule:

Situation 12

A player taking a face-off who is on-side, is deliberately delaying getting set for the face-off. Should the Official conducting the face-off, after a minimum of five seconds have elapsed, drop the puck with only one player ready?

Yes. Rule Reference 613(c).

However, the Official must manage the face-off with proper mechanics and communication in order to minimize this occurrence. The onus is on the player to be ready for the face-off in a timely manner and follow the instructions of the Official.

Got that, oh you lumberjacks and BLTs (Beer League Trainees)? The center has the duty to be prepared for the drop. So when the linesman tells you to place your stick on the ice, you best comply in a prompt, timely manner.

And for those travel league players, your coach should have already instructed you on these mechanics.

Face-off procedures. With about 30 face-offs in an average game (or less in a late-night men’s game with the 11:00 icing rule in effect), a center really has the opportunity to shine – to show the officials that he’s been well-coached. And like OS has mentioned in previous columns, a player can often get on the official’s good side by exhibiting a mastery of faceoff mechanics.

So for next month’s spring-league JV centers looking to display mental prowess over limited skating skills, here’s the opportunity to really show your stuff.

And that’s the kind of edge you expect from OS.

Follow Officially Speaking on Twitter (@OSpeaking).

Officially Speaking is originally published at LetsPlayHockey.com –
The online home of the longest-running hockey newspaper in the United States.

Reprinted with permission.

90,000 Person and number of the English verb. Determination of person and number by the form of verbs …

The English verb has two numbers (singular and plural) and three persons – the first (I / we), the second (you / you) and the third (he / she / it / them).

However, the verb can only express them in certain cases.

For example, the 3rd person singular of the present tense can be determined by the end of -s ( -es ):

I play golf. He plays basketball.
I play golf. He plays basketball.

The exceptions to this rule are:

He can swim faster.
He can swim faster.

He has many medals.
He has many medals.

• The verb to be , which has separate forms for the 1st and 3rd person singular. hours other than plural forms:

In addition, the verb to be in the past tense has the form was for the singular and were for the plural.

It may seem strange to a modern person why the verb to be has so many different forms. The fact is that in Old English they, in essence, belonged to three different verbs, sind , beon and wesan , which gradually merged into one.

In all other cases, the face and number of the verb can only be identified by context, for example, by the corresponding English pronoun. That is why it cannot be omitted without prejudice to the understanding of the sentence, as in Russian:

Why Tim and his friends came here? They wanted to borrow my car.
Why did Tim and his friends come here? (They) Wanted to take my car.

90,000 What is Apple Face ID and how secure is it?

This week has changed the iPhone almost beyond recognition. The most obvious innovation is the lack of a Home button. Since it is not there, it means that the new flagship smartphone Apple does not have a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. It will be replaced by a new system called Face ID.

If you watched Apple’s presentation, you already have a rough idea of ​​what Face ID is.But in any case, we will first analyze how it works, and then we will discuss our favorite topic – security.

What is Apple Face ID and True Depth Camera

In short, Apple Face ID is a system that uses facial recognition to unlock your smartphone and confirm payments. It compares the user’s face to a picture stored in the iPhone’s memory. And Phone X makes these pictures using a special True Depth Camera.

At the top of the front panel of the iPhone X there is a small island, not covered by a huge display and stuffed to the eyeballs with various electronics and sensors. In addition to the usual set (front camera, microphone, speaker, proximity and light sensors), there is an infrared camera, a flood illuminator and a dot projector.

In fact, this is what the True Depth Camera consists of. It takes a 3D picture of your face, and when you log in, it checks your face against the picture. This is how it works.

A backlight system is needed so that the camera can take better photos in low light conditions. A dot projector projects 30,000 invisible infrared dots onto your face, and an infrared camera takes pictures of you along with these dots.

They are used to highlight the characteristic features of your face, and together they form a kind of 3D map. When you set up Face ID for the first time, you’ll be asked to shake your head slightly so that the iPhone X remembers how your face looks from different angles.

After that, every time you try to use Face ID, the True Depth camera will take a picture. If your facial features are similar enough to a 3D card from your phone’s memory, you will be recognized as a legitimate user, that is, you will be allowed to sign in or confirm a payment with Apple Pay. If the match level is insufficient, you will be prompted to try again. The sequence and logic of work here is exactly the same as in the case of a fingerprint scanner, however, with one important difference.

Apple has built a special coprocessor into the smartphone, optimized for machine learning algorithms. With its help, the system will get to know you better over time – that is, firstly, the further, the faster it will recognize you, and secondly, changes in hairstyle, facial expressions or accessories will not embarrass it.Apple claims that the system recognizes you even if you wear a scarf or grow a beard.

Face ID security features

We figured out how Face ID works. How does it differ from standard face recognition technologies, which, as we wrote earlier, have nothing to do with security? Apple has made several improvements to make Face ID more reliable and secure than other systems.

First, Face ID cannot be fooled by ordinary photography: infrared points are projected onto a flat picture in a completely different way. This compares favorably with Face ID, for example, over Samsung’s Face Unlock technology used in the Korean company’s latest phones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Facial Recognition Test: pic.twitter.com/dVooMPMgfh

– Mel Tajon (@MelTajon) September 2, 2017

Secondly, Apple claims that it tested Face ID even on masks, which, in essence, were copies of faces, and the system was tested, being able to distinguish a mask from a person and not allowing unnecessary people to access private information.Apple’s Phil Schiller claims there is a one in a million chance of unlocking an iPhone X bypassing Face ID protection. Compared to a 1 in 50,000 chance for a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, that’s pretty good.

Apple representatives also said that the smartphone cannot be unlocked with closed eyes or without looking at the camera: Face ID requires concentration. As far as we know, the True Depth camera is not equipped with an iris scanner, but it probably relies on some kind of data about the eyes, for example, about the direction of the gaze in one way or another – most likely, this is what is used to ensure that the camera distinguishes between accurate casts of faces from the persons themselves.

Third, no one will steal a snapshot of your face. The image captured by the Face ID camera is stored in encrypted memory on a special Apple coprocessor called the Secure Enclave. Photos are processed only on the device and are not sent to Apple servers or anywhere else. All processing takes place inside the Secure Enclave, so applications will not receive them either.

Hacker Reveals Secure Enclave Decryption Key in iPhone

However, the Secure Enclave was already in the news when security experts found a vulnerability in it.It was, of course, patched up, but it’s not at all a fact that the vulnerabilities ended there. Perhaps the next hole will allow attackers to gain access to your data.

Schiller himself noted in his speech that there are no absolutely reliable systems. Based on the design of Face ID, the new facial recognition system will be more reliable than traditional systems with a simple two-dimensional front camera, and possibly more secure than the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. However, in the very near future, researchers from all over the world will begin to test this system for strength.Then we will find out how protected she is. Fortunately, the good old six-digit PIN is still there. Of course, a PIN is not the safest thing in the world – but at least because of it, your biometric data will not end up in the hands of hackers.

90,000 What is bitchy face syndrome and how to live with it

What is bitchy face syndrome

In 2013, a two-minute video Bitchy Resting Face appeared on YouTube. The video instantly became popular, scored almost eight million views and three thousand comments.The heroines of the video raise the problem of the “bitchy face” and tell how it ruins their lives. “I don’t want to hit you,” says one of the victims of the syndrome. “It’s just my face like that.”

This problem existed before, but after the video they started talking about it seriously. The essence of the syndrome is that the face of its owner in a relaxed state looks angry and unfriendly, although the person does not actually experience these emotions. Due to certain features of appearance, facial expressions can express both discontent, contempt and anger, as well as ridicule, irritation or sadness.

People with bitchy face syndrome come across as a snob, serial killer, or mean high school mathematician.

As a result, strangers often make a premature conclusion that it is better not to approach this person, and friends repeatedly pester with the question: “Are you okay?” The most famous victims of the syndrome are Anna Kendrick, Kristen Stewart, Victoria Beckham, Queen Elizabeth and Kanye West.

Why the face looks bitchy

Scientists-neuroscientists conducted experiment ^{, during which they scanned more than 10 thousand pictures of human faces using a special program.And we came to the conclusion that a face is never 100% neutral. The normal rate is 97% neutrality and 3% other emotions. However, in “bitchy” individuals, the level of neutrality is lower: it is only 94%. And the percentage of emotions, respectively, is higher – as much as 6%. And the predominant among them is contempt.}

Expression of negative emotions in a calm state is a consequence of the characteristics of the facial muscles. Here are the main ones:

Vera Beautiful leader

online schools of natural rejuvenation “The result is obvious”

Spasmodic muscles of the face and a slowdown in blood circulation and lymph flow are most often to blame. Another reason is poor posture, in which the entire muscle tissue of the face is displaced. The clarity of the oval is lost, ptosis appears, puffiness, the corners of the lips crawl down, and the nasolabial folds become deeper.

In addition, the external signs of the evil face syndrome can also be a consequence of poor vision: a person squints all the time, straining his facial muscles, and over time it becomes a habit.

Why women are the main victims of the syndrome

A study showed ^{that bitchy face syndrome is common for both men and women.This is a general problem not related to gender differences. Any person, regardless of gender, may have lowered corners of the mouth, frowned eyebrows and insufficiently open eyes, but the paradox is that men do not suffer from bitchy face syndrome.}

Scientists ^{explain this by the fact that the phenomenon is not associated with physiology, but with social norms. For men, a serious, stern or even angry face is in the order of things. In the mass consciousness, it is associated with strength, intelligence, determination and sexuality.}

No one calls men bitches if their face looks serious or dull.

Women with a serious or stern face are often accused of arrogance. And it’s all about gender stereotypes. There is a social construct in society: “A woman should be gentle.” It developed in the previous centuries, when a girl was assigned the role of a housewife and a “good wife” in society. She did not have financial independence and equality with men, and the smile on her face was a manifestation of humility.

Much has changed since then, but the social attitude has remained. Women with insufficiently good looks continue to suffer 90,183 due to gender stereotypes. They can easily be called bitches because of an unfriendly expression on their faces, refuse a job or dissolve a lot of gossip behind their backs.

Art project of American artist Tatyana Fazlalizade Stop telling women to smile, edition. cnn.com

How the syndrome spoils life

People judge others by their appearance ^{.And no matter how we try to change this, the first impression is formed in one tenth of a second – faster than a person has time to realize something. At the same time, the brain has stable reactions to certain facial features:}

• An outwardly attractive person seems to us ^{more competent and intelligent.}
• A pronounced chin, a large nose, and a narrow face are associated with imperiousness and a tendency to dominate.
• Big eyes or an open gaze mean kindness, naivety, humility.
• People with a wide face and chubby cheeks seem kind and open.

Scientists have compiled three types that illustrate the “reliability scale”: on the left – unreliable, in the center – neutral, on the right – reliable, journals.plos.org

Based on all this, a person with bitchy face syndrome will almost always make a bad first impression. Others may think that he is an arrogant snob and despises everyone, although in reality this is not at all the case. This can be a hindrance both at a party and when applying for a job or at a business meeting.It has been proven that people with good looks are more successful and earn ^{10-12% more.}

How to recognize the syndrome in yourself

Check your appearance using FaceReader. In the picture, the face should be full-face and in a relaxed, calm state. The higher the quality of the photo, the more accurate the result.

A significant disadvantage of the program is that it does not give the ratio of emotions as a percentage, so it is impossible to say for sure whether you have a syndrome. But if contempt is present or prevalent among the emotions, then there is a possibility that you still have it.Here are the results of the Lifehacker employees:

The face of the leading Lifehacker Irina Rogava is neutral, but expresses surprise, fear, disgust and contempt

The face of our videographer Olesya Shishko is neutral, but the prevailing emotion is happiness

The face of the author is calm in the author’s face surprise, anger and contempt

In addition, there are indirect signs of the syndrome:

• You do not recognize yourself in the photographs.
• You are constantly being told: “Don’t be sad” and asked to smile.
• You are often asked: “Are you dissatisfied with something?”
• You have a reputation for being tough, although you don’t know how you deserve it.
• They do not ask you for directions on the street, they do not get to know you and go around.

How to live with bitchy face syndrome

Do a facial massage

He is not able to remove wrinkles and rejuvenate. But the effect is still there: the procedure ^{helps to tighten the oval, cope with tight muscles and relax them.In addition, the face after the massage looks fresher and more rested.}

The massage can be done by a beautician or on your own. For this, there are many special devices that greatly simplify the process. Important: to get results, massage should be done regularly.

Work on facial expressions

In the company of friends and family you can be yourself, but if you want to make a good impression in public, you have to control your emotions.

For example, you want to look more welcoming during communication: try to smile a little, slightly straining and lifting your cheeks.The corners of the lips will also rise automatically. This half-smile looks natural and does not cause rejection from others.

Sometimes a contemptuous expression arises from an insufficiently open gaze: it seems that a person is looking at everyone arrogantly. In such a situation, you need to try to open your eyes a little wider: the gaze will become more wide open and not so depressed.

Correct your face with make-up

• The look may seem depressed or tired due to the impending eyelid.The problem can be corrected with makeup: draw arrows and lightly touch the inner corners of the eyes with light shadows or pencil. The “tail” of the arrow should aim upward. Do not lower it so that the look does not seem sad.
• To give your face a fresh look, apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend them.
• Do not use foundation that is too dense if you have pronounced wrinkles. The tone will gather in folds, emphasizing them.

Contact a beautician

Manifestations of the bitchy face syndrome can be removed with the help of cosmetics: smooth mimic wrinkles on the forehead and bridge of the nose with Botox, raise the corners of the lips with it, and fill the nasolabial folds with a filler based on hyaluronic acid.But this is an extreme measure. It may be worth working on self-esteem first, rather than giving injections.

Don’t take the problem too seriously

The syndrome was first discussed in the West, where a smile is a sign of politeness and an integral part of etiquette. People look welcoming and friendly, because it is so customary: this is a way to show your location to the interlocutor. And if a person does not smile, he violates social norms. And arrogance and contempt on the face even raise questions.

In Russia, the situation is different: it is not customary for us to smile for the sake of politeness, and the insincere smile of a stranger is alarming. We begin to think that he is a sycophant or a crook.

This feature of the mentality has evolved over the centuries: the life and everyday life of the peasants was a hard struggle for existence, so frowning has become a standard facial expression.

You need a reason to smile: a good mood, a pleasant companion or a funny joke. It is simply not accepted to do this in the same way.

Therefore, it is quite possible that you just made up a problem and everything is fine with you. And if you do not notice the consequences of the bitchy face syndrome in your life, forget about it and do not look for unnecessary reasons for suffering.

Read also ?

How face recognition works and is it possible to cheat this system

The technology is based on two neural networks:

The first is a network-“equalizer” (eng.aligner). It takes a picture that comes from a surveillance camera, detects all the faces that it can find, “cuts out” and “aligns” them.

This is how it looks:

Stage 1. The program cuts out faces

(Photo: wikipedia.org)

The program cuts out the detected faces (those that are close to each other, turned in profile, or just very small and indistinct, the system may not recognize).

Then it aligns them: detects the points of the eyes, nose and mouth on the face.

Stage 2. The program recognizes key points on the face

(Photo: wikipedia.org)

Finally, rotates and resizes the photo so that the points of the eyes, nose and mouth are in certain places.

Stage 3.The program brings the photo to a standard form

(Photo: Tsinghua University)

Some algorithms use more than seven points – that is, they outline the contours of the face. This may be needed, for example, to create deepfakes.

The second is a network “recognizer” .It accepts an aligned image at the input, which was transmitted by the first neural network, and at the output it gives out a face vector – that is, a set of numbers of fixed length. These vectors may differ for different networks, but most often they are some power of two. For example, 512:

How does the second neural network that recognizes faces work?

(Photo: KDnuggets)

The network generates similar vectors for similar faces and vice versa.

Take one photo of Angelina Jolie and two images of Brad Pitt and run them across the web. The output will be three vectors. Let’s measure the distance between the vector of Angelina Jolie and the vector of the first Brad Pitt, as well as between the vectors of the two Brad Pitt. In the first case, the distance will be large – these are different people, and in the second – small: this is one person.

How a neural network distinguishes one person from another

(Photo: KDnuggets)

Huge databases of human faces are used to train neural networks. At the input, neural networks tell who this person belongs to, and then, in the course of training, ensure that it produces the most accurate results. Having trained on millions of different people, the neural network begins to recognize new faces – those that were not in the database.

The Face ID technology in smartphones is arranged a little differently. The algorithm recognizes you not by a photo, but by infrared dots that are projected onto your face through the camera. After that, a 3D model is created and compared with the one that you have already entered earlier.

How FaceID technology works

90,000 Moscow competition Faces of the district

Gennady Shoshin

Actor, director, master
public speaking, business coach

Saniyam Koval

ONF expert, President of the “Give
sunshine “, member of the Public Council of the Ombudsman for the Rights of the Child of the Russian Federation

Tatiana Tolok

Chief Operating Officer,
Member of the Board of ANO “Parkran”

Ivan Raspopov

Russian TV and radio presenter, journalist, actor, presenter
of the author’s program and the face of the channel “Moscow 24”

Svetlana Astakhova

Trainer in the field of project management, expert of VKMP
Rosmolodezh, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Executive Secretary of the Moscow Council
vice-rectors

Svetlana Smolik-Popova

Coach in the field of project management,
expert of VKPM Rosmolodezh, candidate of psychological sciences, associate professor, director of science
Institute of Youth Policy

Ekaterina Avtushko

Business coach, certified team and personal
ICF standards coach, facilitator

Gleb Balakhonov

Speaker, game practitioner, expert

Yulia Zimova

ONF expert, member
Public Chamber of the Russian Federation

Ruslan Andreev

Business coach, game practitioner, facilitator, expert in
team management, game technology

Alexander Anapolsky

Business coach, coach, consultant. Systems Builder
corporate training

Daniil Osipov

Public speaking expert, moderator of major
city ​​events

Andrey Frolchenkov

Independent Social Welfare Specialist
media and personal branding

Anton Vasetsky

Communication expert, teacher of the First Academy
media (MIRBIS), creative director of IMA Digital agency

Olga Lukinova

Head of Marketing and Information Policy Department
Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences

Andrey Frolchenkov

Independent Social Welfare Specialist
media and personal branding

Anton Vasetsky

Communication expert, teacher of the First Academy
media (MIRBIS), creative director of IMA Digital agency

Olga Lukinova

Head of Marketing and Information Policy Department
Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences

Olga Vostrikova

Chairman of the International Union for Aid and Support
patients, expert of the Moscow Mayor Grant Competition, member of the Ethics Committee of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of National Medical Research Center
DGOI them. Dmitry Rogachev, Ministry of Health of Russia

Sergey Ivanov

Deputy Director of the Financial Development Association
literacy, expert in the field of education and development of SO NPO, expert ASI, platform
ANO “Russia – Land of Opportunities” and competitions of grants of the Mayor of Moscow

Yuzhakova Ilona Yurievna

General Director of ANO Quality Center OKNO, editor-in-chief
online publication “Quality of Social Services”, a member of the working groups for the preparation
SDG Report at the Analytical Center of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Frolova Elena Viktorovna

Doctor of Sociology, Professor of Finance
University under the Government of the Russian Federation, expert in public projects.

Rogach Olga Vladimirovna

Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Financial University
under the Government of the Russian Federation, an expert in the field of project management.

Matyukhina Elena Nikolaevna

Deputy Director of the Creative Programs Directorate, Moscow State Pedagogical University,
expert of federal design competitions.

Kolmagorova Zhanna Yurievna

Composer, poet-songwriter, member of the Writers’ Union of the Russian Federation, member
The expert commission for conferring the titles of the Department of Culture of St.Moscow, honorary
jury member of international competitions, producer of the International Festival-Competition “Two
cat “.

Demina Svetlana Vladimirovna

Project Management Expert, Senior Lecturer
RSSU for project and program management, head of the laboratory of state and
municipal purchases Sberbank-AST.

Smirnov Yuri Ivanovich

Author of the first book in Russia on customer focus:
“Customer focus as a way to generate additional profit.” Senior
Lecturer at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, author and leader
a unique advanced training program at the university – “The best domestic and
world negotiating styles “.Selected by General Director magazine as the leading Russian speaker on
business negotiations.

Vyakhirev Evgeniy Vladimirovich

Editor-in-chief, author and TV presenter of information and
educational programs on the Moscow educational TV channel under the Department
education and science of the city of Moscow.

How to use a face scrub

What is a face scrub?

Exfoliation is an important step in caring for your skin. This procedure is necessary in order to regularly free the skin of dead cells, stimulate the natural process of its renewal and help the active components of the subsequent care to penetrate deeper into the epidermis. If exfoliating is neglected, the complexion fades, blackheads and flaking may appear.Scrub is a cosmetic product that is necessary for accelerated skin regeneration.

The benefits of scrubs

There are other methods of cleansing the face, for example, acid peels, but unlike scrubs, they are not recommended for use in the summer because of the risk of provoking hyperpigmentation under the influence of UV. Also, peels can cause increased sensitivity of the skin to the sun’s rays.

Therefore, we can safely say that scrubs are the optimal solution for regular intensive cleansing of the facial skin.With proper use, the effect will be noticeable very soon: the skin will become smoother, more radiant, supple and firm. For example, the Clean Line Cleansing Scrub is able to cleanse pores, make the face smoother in tone and accelerate the processes of cell renewal.

What scrubs are there?

Scrub is a combination of base and abrasive particles. The base can be cream, gel, or even oil. The abrasives used – exfoliating particles – are of two types: natural and synthetic. Surfactants, acids or enzymes can be added to the scrubs to enhance the cleansing effect.Before choosing a product, be sure to pay attention to the size and softness of the particles. Your best bet is to ask a tester and try applying it to your wrist.

How to use scrubs?

The process of using the scrub itself is quite simple: apply to the skin, massage for a couple of minutes and rinse. But for the best effect, an additional set of actions and knowledge is needed.

How to use a face scrub correctly?

The scrub should only be applied to skin that has been previously cleansed of make-up.To do this, you can use the usual means: micellar water, milk or make-up remover lotion, and then wash with your favorite gel or foam. Then a scrub is applied to damp skin.

A good solution is to apply the scrub on the skin of the face steamed in the bath, at this moment the dead particles of the epidermis soften and are easier to remove. In addition, the pores of the steamed skin are opened and you can easily clean them of impurities. So, if you like to visit the steam room periodically, do not forget to bring a facial scrub with you.

How to massage?

For 1-2 minutes, distribute the product with light circular movements and gently massage your face – this will help to enhance blood microcirculation. Do not rub your skin hard to avoid injuring it. Do not forget to work out all zones: move from the middle of the forehead to the temples, then from the middle of the chin to the earlobes. In addition to the forehead and chin, apply the scrub to the nose and cheeks and massage gently.

How to wash off?

Gently rinse the product with water at a comfortable temperature, pat your face dry with a towel.Do not rub your skin to avoid causing redness.

How often to use?

It is worth using the scrub 1-2 times a week, depending on the type of skin. If your skin is normal or dry – once a week is enough, if combined or oily – you can use the intensive cleansing product twice. Owners of thin and sensitive skin should not use a scrub, an extreme option is to choose the most delicate cream-based product with a small amount of soft abrasive particles of the correct shape.

When to use?

It is worth cleansing the skin before going to bed, because at night it is less exposed to various influences. During the period of night sleep, the skin will completely recover, and by the morning, possible redness after a massage with a scrub will have time to disappear.

Additional care

After cleansing your face with a scrub, apply a moisturizing mask or your usual night cream. The exfoliation procedure helps the skin to better absorb all the beneficial ingredients.For example, the Clean Line 3-in-1 Smart Face Cream is perfect for a comprehensive facial.

What is worth remembering?

Use only special products for the face. You should not use a body scrub when exfoliating the face, because its large and rather coarse particles can severely injure the skin of the face, cause a negative reaction.

Important: if, when using the product, persistent redness remains on the face, accompanied by tingling, tingling, burning, the product should not be reapplied, it does not suit your skin.

90,000 Why do blackheads appear on the face?

Blackheads on the face look unaesthetic, and without attention to the problem, over time, inflammation joins them, which cannot be eliminated without medical help. Modern beauties, wanting to have perfect skin, use various methods. They do not always help, because you need to understand the cause of the appearance of blackheads and find an effective treatment.

What are black dots

Human skin is the largest organ that performs many functions.Among them are the protection of other tissues, respiration, thermoregulation, and the release of metabolic products.

The entire skin of the face is covered with glands. There are two types of sweat glands:

• eccrine – do not break down during the production of sweat, are evenly distributed over the entire face, except for the lips;
• apocrine glands – when sweat is released, cells are destroyed, they can be found on the skin of the forehead, eyelids, wings of the nose.

Apocrine glands are destroyed, are part of sebum, from where its unpleasant odor comes from.Most often, this type of gland reacts to stress and is not involved in thermoregulation. The ducts of the two types of sweat glands open into hair follicles.

There are a large number of sebaceous glands throughout the body, but most of them are on the face. In the area of ​​the lip contour, on the eyelids, they open freely in the skin. The ducts of the remaining glands exit into the hair follicle. It is their blockage that leads to the appearance of blackheads.

The number of sebaceous glands per 1 cm2 can reach 380 pieces.They produce sebum, or sebum, which is necessary for moisturizing and softening the skin, as well as forming a film that serves as a breeding ground for beneficial microflora.

In children, sweat and sebaceous glands are inactive. In adolescence, under the influence of increased production of testosterone and growth hormone in boys and girls, the work of the sebaceous glands is stimulated, they produce a large amount of sebum. Therefore, in adolescents, the face shines, especially the area of ​​the forehead, nose and chin suffers.

Epithelial cells constantly die and slough off naturally. But some of them are located in the ducts of the glands, from where they cannot always come to the surface. Thick sebum is not removed to the surface of the skin. It mixes with dead epithelium and clogs the ducts. It looks like a black dot on the face.

Due to the fact that the largest number of sebaceous glands and skin pores are located on the nose, forehead and chin, cheeks, lips, the area around the eyes is usually not affected by blackheads.

If at a young age it is possible to get rid of dots on the face, then in adulthood the edges of the skin pores are covered with dense keratinized cells. Therefore, it is no longer possible to remove pathological elements.

Reasons for the appearance of black dots

Blackheads on the face, which are otherwise called comedones, appear in most people, especially during the period of hormonal changes – in adolescence, in women – before menstruation, during pregnancy.With the onset of old age, the production of sebum and sweat decreases, so the rash goes away on its own.

The hormones androgens have the greatest influence on the work of the skin glands. In adolescents, there is a physiological jump in blood concentration, both in boys and girls, even before the onset of the first menstruation. But not all adolescents develop pronounced cosmetic defects. Sometimes there is an increased sensitivity of the sebaceous glands to androgens, then even a normal level of the hormone will lead to skin defects.

Hormonal causes of blackheads in women are associated with gynecological diseases. With polycystic ovary syndrome, the maturation of the follicle in the ovaries is disturbed, so the concentration of androgens in the blood increases. Skin pores secrete a lot of sebum, so the face looks permanently oily.

The appearance of black dots is associated with other factors:

• Violation of personal hygiene – in case of a tendency to comedones, it is necessary to properly cleanse the face. If dirt and dust particles are not removed at the end of the day, they will clog the pores even more, create conditions for the growth of bacteria and the appearance of inflammation.
• Improper diet – blackheads occur in people who eat large amounts of fatty, sweet foods and starchy foods.
• Disruption of the digestive tract – the condition of the skin reflects the health of the intestines and stomach, in chronic pathologies, the production of sebum may change.
• Unsuitable cosmetics – if the skin looks oily, special non-comedogenic creams must be used for it, which do not clog the pores.

Cosmetics can worsen the condition of the skin with blackheads, increase the number of clogged pores or cause their inflammation.When choosing a cosmetic product, it is necessary to avoid the composition of mineral oils. Lanolin, squalene and red coloring pigments are dangerous for the skin. It is also necessary to read where the cosmetics came from and the expiration date.

Propionic bacteria may be the cause of blackheads. They are conditionally pathogenic microflora of the skin, but they are able to penetrate the ducts of the glands, increase their activity and the volume of sebum secreted. The pores become clogged with secretions, and bacteria stimulate excessive keratinization of the pore edges.Therefore, black comedones are constantly present on the face, and after they are squeezed out, enlarged pores remain.

Comedones on the face are formed with the development of hyperkeratosis. This is a condition that develops under the influence of unfavorable external factors, lack of vitamin A. Intoxication during work in hazardous production, contact with oil products, industrial dust leads to hyperkeratosis.

Sometimes it is impossible to establish why black dots appear. They can be associated with a hereditary factor.But it is not comedones themselves that are transmitted, but an increased sensitivity to sex hormones or the peculiarities of sebum production.

Cosmetic procedures

To look attractive and restore healthy skin, you need to find the root cause of blackheads. A doctor who deals with skin diseases is called a dermatologist. You may need to visit an endocrinologist, gynecologist and gastroenterologist.

Special cosmetic procedures help to effectively remove blackheads.They can be used as a stand-alone treatment or as a complement to mainstream therapy.

People with problem skin first of all undertake to squeeze comedones on their own. But it is better to consult a beautician. This procedure is called mechanical cleaning in professional language. The face is pre-steamed, the points are removed with special tools, after which anti-inflammatory and pore-narrowing agents are applied.

In beauty salons, comedones are disposed of with the help of phototherapy.The procedure is so called because of the use of short flashes of light, which destroy disease-causing bacteria and regulate the sebaceous glands. Phototherapy removes points on the face, as well as freckles on the nose and rosacea on the cheeks in a course of 5-7 procedures.

Chemical peels also help get rid of comedones. For its implementation, substances are used that soften the horny scales, help open the skin pores. After application and light rubbing, you can achieve a reduction in grease and get rid of rashes.

It is possible to remove points on the face using the biodermabrasion procedure. For her, several types of peeling are taken, which prepares the epidermis for mechanical stress. Biodermabrasion removes superficial and deep blackheads, relieves inflammation and oily skin.

Remedies for blackheads

In uncomplicated cases, you can try to remove comedones at home. But before buying a remedy, it is better to consult a dermatologist.

Get rid of blackheads with medical cosmetics.Doctors prescribe drugs that include:

• retinoids are vitamin A, normally it is taken from food, but with blackheads it is necessary to increase its dose;
• benzoyl peroxide – has antimicrobial effect, suppresses inflammation;
• azelaic acid – regulates the sebaceous glands, keratinization processes;
• antibiotics – inhibit the growth of bacteria.

If blackheads become inflamed, wounds, scars or spots may appear in their place.To avoid such consequences, use means that accelerate the healing of the skin. These include zinc ointment, dexpanthenol cream, or salicylic acid.

For complex treatment at home, you can do the steaming of the skin. To do this, take a small pot of water and brew medicinal herbs in it. Chamomile, calendula, linden have anti-inflammatory effect, mint invigorates and tones the skin. Some people add essential oils of eucalyptus, tea tree or conifers to steaming.

For women with acne and inflamed blackheads on the forehead and cheeks, after consultation, a gynecologist may prescribe combined oral contraceptives. The drugs suppress androgen sensitivity and reduce sebum production. Drug names vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and may have different concentrations of the estrogenic component.

In severe cases of blackheads, the doctor prescribes oral antibiotics and retinoids. They are also necessary for gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection.This condition also interferes with the production of skin secretions and causes blackheads to appear.

In order for comedone remedies to give a more pronounced effect, it is necessary to cleanse the skin with special lotions or tonics at least 2 times a day. It is also recommended to adhere to a diet that excludes spicy, fatty, sweet, chocolate, nuts, cheese and alcohol.

It takes a long time to get rid of blackheads. Even cosmetic procedures in one go will not make the skin smooth.There are no remedies that will remove the defect permanently either. Sebum production is a natural process. Therefore, to maintain health, it is necessary to adhere to hygiene rules, eat right and periodically carry out deep cleansing procedures.

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