Questions tagged [table-tennis]
Questions about the sport of table tennis. Also referred to by many as "ping pong".
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Why are transparent table tennis balls not used?
Transparent table tennis balls are less visible and would be suitable for training purposes; the eyes require more effort to catch the ball.
Transparent means that they are not opaque or a cloudy ...
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how to serve (start of the rally) prediction in table tennis
I am working on a problem where I need to find the moment of service (start of the rally) in a table tennis game.
start and end of a rally in a game - the moment when a player serves the ball and the ...
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How do I participate in ITTF events as a player?
I looked through all the ITTF events but I couldn't find a way to register for any of these events. I am a new table tennis player and my objective is to play in official matches.
On the ITTF events ...
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Jumping ropes for table tennis?
I am new to table tennis and I really would like to improve my footwork. Can jumping ropes be beneficial for my footwork, or are there better ways to improve footwork?
My initial goal was to use jump ...
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How does the new table tennis ranking system work? Any examples?
I am new to table tennis and my objective is to be able to play in official competitions. I read the ITTF rules and the ranking system but it didn't make any sense to me, maybe because English is not ...
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Was there ever a rule requiring diagonal serve in table tennis singles games?
When I was a kid (born in the mid-70s, in Sweden) and we played (for fun), we required that the serve was diagonal in a table tennis singles game. I've spoken to people all over Europe that applied ...
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Why don't ping pong players hit the ball lightly when opponents are far away?
Let's say player 1 is slamming, player 2 is receiving.
I've seen professional players hit the ball so high when receiving slams (player 2), and they step back so far away from the table to receive ...
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Where can you serve from the sides in table tennis?
Rule 2.6.4 from the ITTF handbook says:
From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above
the level of the playing surface and behind the server's end line, and
it shall not be ...
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What is the fairest point system for league table for a group friends playing a 1v1 game amongst each other every once in a while?
For context, me and my colleagues want to set up a point system for a 1v1 table tennis league table in our office which would get updated every time people play each other. We want to award points for ...
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Ball spins back over net not touched by opponent in Table Tennis
We’re having some discussion here if an opponent is obliged to hit the ball in tabletennis before returning.
I’ve hit some backspin balls which would drop just over the net on the opponents side, ...
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What is Donic-Schildkröt's "QRC system"?
As I know from official page,
With the QRC (Quick Rubber Change) rubbers you can simply stick on the new or higher-class coverings. The unique Schildkröt QRC system is designed to replace and upgrade ...
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Table Tennis Edge Protectors
I'm getting ready to purchase a table tennis table.
Some of the tables have plastic edge protectors that extend anywhere from an 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch off the corners of the table.
They are angled ...
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Why do racket-sport games end with an odd number of points?
Why do the rules for several sports dictate that a player has to score an odd number of points to win the game?
Table tennis: 11 points (previously 21)
Badminton: 21 points (previously 7, 11 or 15)
...
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Why would hitting the ball with the leading edge generate more spin?
I have often heard it said that when brushing the ball, you should hit the ball with the leading edge of the bat for maximum spin. To make this clearer, let's assume we are doing a heavy backspin ...
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What cleaning agent is safe to use for ping pong paddles?
I just got a new ping pong paddle, and I want to be able to clean the rubbers without damaging them or affecting their tackiness. On Amazon I see lots of expensive little spray bottles for cleaning ...
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Missing the ball after throwing it up to serve in table tennis
Do you lose a point if you throw the ball up during a serve but miss while trying to hit it?
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Table Tennis Doubles Rules [duplicate]
I've heard of people playing court rules where the two players on the same side in doubles play sides rather than alternate shots. Is this legal and if so what are the rules please.
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Can my free hand touch the table in table tennis?
Can my free hand touch the table when hitting a ball in play in table tennis?
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Why do table tennis players inspect each other's rackets?
I was reading up on some table tennis rules, and there seems to be a lot of regulations regarding the racket/paddle/bat. One of the regulations is that the players inspect each other's rackets before ...
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Table tennis rubber not showing brand or model
Is it legal to use a rubber cut in a way that it doesn't show the brand or any other information?
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When is the ball on the correct side in double table tennis serve?
I know that you must serve from server right side to receiver right side and all that. But when exactly is the ball counted as 'in' regarding the middle line. Is it the center of the ball or is it ...
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What is the name of this table tennis equipment?
What is the name of the board/wall/plank that keeps table tennis balls from running too far away from the table? In this image, it is the purple and red board/wall/plank around the playing area that ...
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Table tennis change of hand
Can I change my playing hand anytime in the game? What is the specific rule for hand change in table tennis? Is it allowed to play using one paddle by holding it any of the hands?
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Time limit to serve
Is there a time limit within which you have to serve the ball?
I experienced a strange game where one of the players just turned his back (as he was about to serve) to his opponent and said you ...
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Proper grip of blade for shakehand
When holding the paddle, where should I grip the most tightly?
I've been told to hold the paddle loosely because it makes it easier to switch from various stance. Are the main pressure points around ...
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How can I prevent my table tennis paddle's rubber to come off?
I was playing table tennis the other day. Little did I know at the time, my rubber was slowly coming off with every stroke of my paddle.
When I was about to close out the game, I attempted to smash ...
user15462
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In Table Tennis, does a 7-0 lead mean that set is won?
Suppose we are playing a match/set for 11 points with 2 serves each. If one team get a lead of 7-0, does that mean that the team won that match/set?
What is the case for a match/set for 21 points? 11-...
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Is the ball allowed to hit the receiver's side more than once in a table tennis serve
Upon making a legal serve over the net in table tennis, can the ball hit the receiver's side more than once?
And, if so can it spin back and hit the net on the receiver's side?
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How do I counter my opponent's wide angle topspin loop shots?
I regularly play against an opponent who has a very aggressive style.
He waits a few exchanges then hits the ball from under the table and gives it a lot of topspin, which causes it to arc and land ...
user14614
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Are you allowed to change paddles mid game?
In table tennis, can you change paddles mid game to adjust to the opponents play style?
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How does one become ranked by ITTF?
I was playing table tennis and met someone who was ranked 250 worldwide by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to ask him how he went about doing ...
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Doubles serve rules in table tennis
In doubles table tennis does the rules allow you to serve to the side of the table (red line) or only to the end of the table (green line)?
Player B is serving.
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The effect of various rubbers on table tennis ball
How does different rubbers effect the table tennis ball?
What is the purpose of pimpled rubber,or bouncy rubber, or tacky rubber?
How does thickness of rubber come into play?
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Can the angle of the paddle offset a spin?
Can the angle of the paddle offset a spin?
Say you wanted to push the ball rather than spin, can you angle the paddle in a certain way such that it will offset the spin, and able to push the ball at ...
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How much bigger than the blade is the rubber allowed to be?
How much bigger can the rubber be than the blade?
Watching some of the professional table tennis players, I noticed that the rubber attached to their blades, is slightly bigger than the blade itself. ...
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Understanding the concept of spin
For each spin in table tennis, there seems to be a spin to counter the opponents spin.
At the moment I have been countering the opponents spin with the same spin.
Backspin for backspin, top spin for ...
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Is it a let in table tennis if the serve lands on the opponents side, but hits the net on it's way back towards the server?
Imagine this, you serve in table tennis with a lot of backspin. So much backspin, that the ball (when served) bounces once on your side then once on your opponents side, but hits the net on it's way ...
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Serve deflected to the left hand court in a doubles match, is it a let?
In a doubles match, is it a let if a serve goes to the left hand court after touching the net?
What if the ball was heading for the right hand court and there was enough spinning to deflect it to ...
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Is it allowed to throw the ball and then catch it again in a table tennis serve?
Suppose a table tennis player goes to serve. They throw the ball but for whatever reason decide not to play it. Instead they catch it with their hand.
Is this a service fault and therefore a point ...
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In table tennis, can you serve from the side of the table provided the ball is being hit from outside of the playing surface
Now I know that in TT, you have to serve the ball from behind the table and above the playing surface. My question is, can I stand sideways to the Table and make the serve provided my ball is still ...
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In table tennis, ITTF rules, what constitutes moving the playing surface (table)?
You lose a point if you move the table. but what does "moves" constitute?
Is it rolling/moving leg? or as small as a vibration.
2.10.1.9 if an opponent, or anything an opponent wears or carries, ...
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Can you throw a table tennis paddle?
I was playing with a friend (neither of us are particularly good) and on a shot that hit the net and went over my friend threw his paddle and managed to hit the ball back on my side and score.
I can'...
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Ball hit too far, opponent hits back on the full: who loses the point?
If I hit the ball and it travels beyond the surface line of the table, where my opponent takes the ball directly on their bat, who loses the point?
me, for not returning the ball to their side of the ...
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Alternative to table tennis glue?
The rubber of my table tennis bat is starting to peel off one "corner".
Are there any household products I can use to stick it back that will not damage the rubber too much?
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What is the difference between ping pong and table tennis?
I'm reading on the internet that ping pong and table tennis are different things and one is considered a sport and the other is not. I honestly don't know if people are just making jokes or if the ...
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Is it legal to use two rackets in Table Tennis?
I've looked on Google, the official rules for Table Tennis, and on this website
but found nothing telling me whether it's illegal to use two rackets to play
table tennis. I understand there are rules ...
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How do rankings in competitive table tennis work?
I've often heard of 2000 rank or 1250 rank in competitive table tennis. What does this mean? How far do ranks go? How do you attain a rank? I live in the USA so the governing body is the USATT.
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Serving Changes in Table Tennis [duplicate]
In table tennis, the serve changes after every 5 serves. But I don't understand that rule.
If A wins a rally, A get 1 point. After that, if B wins a rally, B get 1 point. Now, who should do the next ...
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In singles table tennis, is it considered bad sportsmanship to intentionally serve deceptively, even if following the ITTF rules?
According to the ITTF Handbook, the rule about diagonal serves only applies to doubles:
As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his or her court and then, touches ...
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What are the rules if the receiver isn't ready for the serve in table tennis?
I cannot find mention of anything about the receiver being ready or not when the serve takes place.
I have known a lot of players that hustle the speed of the game somewhat, repeatedly serving when ...
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