How is table tennis played

Professional players generally stand a little farther back from the table, and as you begin to get into faster rallies, you may find this is a good technique as well.

The ball is coming so fast and so hard, standing farther back is the only way to continue the rally. And if your opponent favors a side, you should favor the same side as well. There are a wide variety of ping-pong paddles available, and while the cheap ones at your local sporting discount store are just fine for beginners, as you get more advanced you may want to get your own custom paddle.

Pick your strategy. Once you've been playing for a bit, you'll automatically notice what your strengths and weaknesses are. Then, you'll pick a strategy that plays up your strengths and plays down your weaknesses.

Just like their name says, they like to have control at all times and thus rarely take risks. They don't smash all too often and keep it traditional. Defensive players. This type of player tries to make their opponent make mistakes as opposed to focusing on their own game.

They tend to chop and push balls more rather than getting into topspin rallies. Offensive players. This player is generally pretty aggressive, focusing on topspin and consistency. They can place the ball very well and clearly understand spin.

Power players. No fooling here, power players rely mainly on speed to trip their opponents up. Know who you're playing. As you play your opponent, you'll be able to get a read on what kind of player they are. They'll generally prefer a certain type of stroke and always come back to a default way of play. Here are some things to look for: [18] X Research source The counter driver stroke is when solid contact is made with the ball little to no spin at the top of the bounce.

A player who favors this is best defeated by a mid-table shot -- where they have to quick decide between their forehand and their backhand.

The chop stroke is when the underside of the ball is cut during its descent. The amount of spin can vary. To combat this, work the middle and above all, be patient.

Alternating your shots will keep them from becoming comfortable. Blockers are defensive players. They don't like attacking, so force them to.

Vary between short and long shots, and switch up your style. Don't use all your power so they have to. The "loop" is a shot that starts in your legs with your shoulders dropped, ending up in a strike that forces the ball slightly upward and giving it underspin. If you run into this player, be aggressive. Get them playing defense, which is generally not their forte.

Players who grip the paddle in the penholding position generally have very strong forehand strokes and weaker backhand strokes. However, knowing this, they usually have very good footwork.

You'll have to force their backhand out quite wide and keep it varied so they don't know to stay on the edge of the table. Additionally, there are also penhold players who now utilise the RPB grip Reverse Penhold Backhand which eliminates the backhand weakness that the penhold grip traditionally has. Have a few varied tactics under your belt. Regardless of who you're playing, it's a good idea to have a few ideas brewing in that cranium of yours.

The element of surprise is incredibly important in this game. Latch onto it and a win will be yours. Good players will be able to read you like a book and know exactly what you're going to do next. They see how you like to hit the ball, where you like to hit the ball, and how you handle different set-ups.

To avoid this, vary up your style. Vary your spin, the height you give the ball, and the speed you use in your strokes. Keep 'em on their toes. Be able to place the ball outside of your opponent's "power zone.

Playing in the middle and out wide purposefully can zero in on your opponent's weaknesses. But don't take this guide's word for it -- look for weak spots yourself! Do some background work. Ping pong is taken very seriously in some circles. If you're looking for a bit of inspiration, look to online videos -- tutorials, tournaments, or otherwise. Maybe your next stop will be the Olympics! Ping pong is a sport that requires hours of practice.

Look for clubs or leagues in your area, or find a group of interested friends that are looking to get competitive. Since it requires very little initial skill, it's usually not hard to find people willing to play.

If you do take this seriously, you'll play your best when you're energized and alert. Because of this, always get plenty of sleep and eat well! Each player must only hit the ball after it has bounced on his side of the table.

If the ball is hit before it has bounced, it is considered a "volley" and the point will be awarded to the opposition. Not Helpful 18 Helpful If you are playing doubles, the serve must be diagonal. If you serve straight, you lose the point. In singles play, you can serve anywhere. Not Helpful 19 Helpful There are two ways to get points. You get a point when you hit the ball to your opponent, who fails to return the ball to you.

You can also get a point when your opponent hits the ball out of bounds. The paddles, also known as rackets or bats, are normally about 15 centimeters across and made of rubber-coated plywood, although the rules do not actually specify a particular size. The 40 millimeter diameter ball is hard, lightweight, and made of cellulose. Play is fast and demands the fastest possible reaction time of any sport. A skilled player can impart spin to the ball which makes its bounce difficult to predict or return with confidence.

The winner is usually the first to score 21 points, although the international rules were changed in to make the winning score 11 for international competition. The point game is still widely played at recreational level. Errors can be:. It is hard to return this kind of stroke, but is usually played to keep the ball in the game.

The paddle is perpendicular to the direction of stroke. A lot of acceleration and accuracy is needed to deliver this stroke. It is a combination of backswing and high-speed. The main objective of smash is high speed and bounce, so that the opponent is unable to hit the ball. The racquet is parallel to direction of stroke. When the ball is hit immediately after it bounces on the table, it results in counter-hit.

To achieve this stroke, bat should be very close to the ball. This stroke is usually played to return a serve and when there is no much room for backswing. This could resemble loop in the way it is played. This attack is popular by name slice in Asia.

The first to 11 points is declared the winner. If the points are tied at , a player then has to strive for a two-point lead to win the game.

A match is won by winning games. The number of games per match varies across competitions and categories. By changing pace and angle, players can extend their range and variation of shots. This helps improve their game significantly. Here, the player glides the bottom side of the paddle, while holding it in a degree angle, over the ball to push it ahead.

The ball spins after bouncing, making it relatively difficult for the opponent to execute a timely return. Standing square of the table, the player holds the paddle with an open face, returning the ball using the paddle side facing the table. Staying away from the table, here, the player uses the top side of the paddle, pushing it downwards at a degree angle while making contact with the bottom half of the ball. At the Olympic Games , table tennis is organised in two categories for men and women -- team events and singles competition.

The matches in a team event is a best-of-five affair, while the singles have best-of-seven encounters.