Introduction

Most of you have played table tennis at some time or other. Most of you have enjoyed your

playing! Because it is played indoors and requires relatively little equipment, it is an ideal

recreation for everyone. Although it has many similarities with tennis (mainly in the rules), the

comparison ends there. The lightness of the ball, the small area of the table, and the time of

the response make it a game of great delicacy requiring great agility, lightning responses and

of course a high level of physical fitness.

Equipment

Table tennis is played on thick wooden or composite wood, plastic and even metal varieties

table. The surface of the table should have a matt finish and it is usually dark green or blue.

The table is 274 cm in length, 152.5 cm in width, and 76 cm in height.

The table is divided by the net into two courts. The net is 15.25 cm height and extends 15.25

cm beyond each side of the table.

The racket consists of two parts: the rubbers and the blade. There are a lot of different kinds

of rubbers and blades. There are offensive, all-round and defensive ones. The player style will

dictate the kind of racket to use.

Scoring

A game is won by the first player or pair (in doubles play) to score 11 points, unless the score

reaches 10-10 in which case the player or the pair needs two clear points more than the other

in order to win the game. A match consists of the best of three games or in big tournaments,

like World & European Championships, the best of five games or best of seven.

You lose a point when:

You fail to make a good serve.

You fail to return the ball from the opponent.

You hit the ball before it has bounced on your side.

The ball bounces twice on your side.

In some special occasions when you execute the serve.

Good return

A good return is a single hit of the ball by the racket hand below the wrist, after it has bounced

on the player's side of the table, so that the ball returns directly on the opponent's side. Of

course the ball is permitted to hit the net during the return. However if the ball hits the net

during the serve, the serve is executed again.

Order of serving

The server changes every 2 points. This continues until the player wins the game. After the

end of the game the opponents change sides and the player who served first in the previous

game, serves first in the next. In doubles the rules of serving and changing ends are the

same as in singles except that the serve is executed from the right hand side. Each 2 points

the server changes corner with his partner so that the other will be ready to receive the

opponent's serve. In doubles play the ball is returned in a strict sequence. The server serves

and then his partner receives the ball from the opponent and so on.

Because of its deceptive simplicity most of the people who have played table tennis tend to

take it lightly. However excellence requires a mastery of a variety of factors. For example

there are a variety of technical strokes and spins which make the game more exciting but

more difficult to play. The best way to learn how this fascinating game is played is to start with

a qualified coach in a table tennis club. You can find more about clubs and national table

tennis federations in ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation).

by D.E. Messinis

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Definitions

2.5.1 A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.

2.5.2 The ball is in play from the last moment at which it is stationary on the palm of the free hand before being intentionally projected in

service until the rally is decided as a let or a point.

2.5.3 A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.

2.5.4 A point is a rally of which the result is scored.

2.5.5 The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket.

2.5.6 The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket.

2.5.7 A player strikes the ball if he touches it in play with his racket, held in the hand, or with his racket hand below the wrist.

2.5.8 A player obstructs the ball if he, or anything he wears or carries, touches it in play when it is above or travelling towards the playing

surface and has not passed beyond his end line, not having touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.

2.5.9 The server is the player due to strike the ball first in a rally.

2.5.10 The receiver is the player due to strike the ball second in a rally.

2.5.11 The umpire is the person appointed to control a match.

2.5.12 The assistant umpire is the person appointed to assist the umpire with certain decisions.

2.5.13 Anything that a player wears or carries includes anything that he was wearing or carrying, other than the ball, at the start of the rally.

2.5.14 The ball shall be regarded as passing over or around the net assembly if it passes anywhere other than between the net and the net

post or between the net and the playing surface.

2.5.15 The end line shall be regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions.

2.6 Good serve

2.6.1 At the start of service the ball shall be stationary, resting freely on the flat, open palm of the server's free hand, behind the end line

and above the level of the playing surface.

2.6.2 The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the

palm of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck.

2.6.3 As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his court and then, after passing over or around the net assembly,

touches directly the receiver's court; in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the right half court of server and receiver.

2.6.4 The ball and the racket shall be above the level of the playing surface from the last moment at which the ball is stationary before

being projected until it is struck.

2.6.5 When the ball is struck it shall be behind the server's end line but not farther back than the part of the server's body, other than his

arm, head or leg, which is farthest from his end line.

2.6.6 It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the assistant umpire can see that he complies with the

requirements for a good service.

2.6.6.1 If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service but neither he nor the assistant umpire is sure that it is illegal he may, on the

first occasion in a match, warn the server without awarding a point.

2.6.6.2 If subsequently in the match a service by that player or his doubles partner is of dubious legality, for the same or for any other

reason, the receiver shall score a point.

2.6.6.3 Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the requirements for a good service no warning shall be given and the receiver shall

score a point, on the first as on any other occasion.

2.6.7 Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a good service where he is notified, before play begins, that compliance is

prevented by physical disability.

2.7 Good return

2.7.1 The ball, having been served or returned, shall be struck so that it passes over or around the net assembly and touches the

opponent's court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.

2.8 Order of play

2.8.1 In singles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter server and receiver

alternately shall each make a good return.

2.8.2 In doubles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return, the partner of the server shall then

make a good return, the partner of the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter each player in turn in that sequence shall

make a good return.

2.9 Let

2.9.1 The rally shall be a let

2.9.1.1 if in service the ball, in passing over the net assembly, touches it, provided the service is otherwise good or the ball is obstructed by

the receiver or his partner;

2.9.1.2 if the service is delivered when the receiving player or pair is not ready, provided that neither the receiver nor his partner attempts to

strike the ball;

2.9.1.3 if failure to make a good service or a good return or otherwise to comply with the Laws is due to a disturbance outside the control of

the player;

2.9.1.4 if play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

2.9.2 Play may be interrupted

2.9.2.1 to correct an error in the order of serving, receiving or ends;

2.9.2.2 to introduce the expedite system;

2.9.2.3 to warn or penalise a player;

2.9.2.4.1 because the conditions of play are disturbed in a way which could affect the outcome of the rally.

2.10 Point

2.10.1 Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point

2.10.1.1 if his opponent fails to make a good service;

2.10.1.2 if his opponent fails to make a good return;

2.10.1.3 if, after he has made a good service or a good return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being struck

by his opponent;

2.10.1.4 if the ball passes beyond his end line without touching his court, after being struck by his opponent;

2.10.1.5 if his opponent obstructs the ball;

2.10.1.6 if his opponent strikes the ball twice successively;

2.10.1.7 if his opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface does not comply with the requirements of 2.4.3, 2.4.4

and 2.4.5;

2.10.1.8 if his opponent, or anything his opponent wears or carries, moves the playing surface;

2.10.1.9 if his opponent, or anything his opponent wears or carries, touches the net assembly;

2.10.1.10 if his opponent's free hand touches the playing surface;

2.10.1.11 if a doubles opponent strikes the ball out of the sequence established by the first server and first receiver;

2.10.1.12.1 as provided under the expedite system (2.15.2).

2.11 Game

2.11.1 A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when the game shall be

won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.

2.12 Match

2.12.1 A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.

2.13 Choice of serving, receiving and ends

2.13.1 The right to choose the initial order of serving, receiving and ends shall be decided by lot and the winner may choose to serve or to

receive first or to start at a particular end.

2.13.2 When one player or pair has chosen to serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end, the other player or pair shall have the

other choice.

2.13.3 After each 2 points have been scored the receiving player or pair shall become the serving player or pair and so on until the end of

the game, unless both players or pairs score 10 points or the expedite system is in operation, when the sequences of serving and receiving

shall be the same but each player shall serve for only 1 point in turn.

2.13.4 In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so and in the first game

of a match the receiving pair shall decide which of them will receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first server having been

chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to him in the preceding game.

2.13.5 In doubles, at each change of service the previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall

become the receiver.

2.13.6 The player or pair serving first in a game shall receive first in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a doubles

match the pair due to receive next shall change their order of receiving when first one pair scores 5 points.

2.13.7 The player or pair starting at one end in a game shall start at the other end in the next game of the match and in the last possible

game of a match the players or pairs shall change ends when first one player or pair scores 5 points.

2.14 Out of order of serving, receiving and ends

2.14.1 If a player serves or receives out of turn, play shall be interrupted by the umpire as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume

with those players serving and receiving who should be server and receiver respectively at the score that has been reached, according to the

sequence established at the beginning of the match and, in doubles, to the order of serving chosen by the pair having the right to serve

first in the game during which the error is discovered.

2.14.2 If the players have not changed ends when they should have done so, play shall be interrupted by the umpire as soon as the error is

discovered and shall resume with the players at the ends at which they should be at the score that has been reached, according to the

sequence established at the beginning of the match.

2.14.3 In any circumstances, all points scored before the discovery of an error shall be reckoned.