2. also called ping pong)
it is a sport in which two or four players hit a
lightweight ball back and forth using a table tennis
racket. The game takes place on a hard table divided by
a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow a
ball played toward them only one bounce on their side
of the table and must return it so that it bounces on
the opposite side. Points are scored when a player fails
to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and
demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its
trajectory and limits an opponent's options, giving the
hitter a great advantage. When doing so the hitter has
a good chance of scoring if the spin is successful.
4. The game of table tennis probably
descended from the game of “Royal
Tennis” also known as Real Tennis or Court
Tennis which was played in the medieval
era.
The game became popular in England
and the United States in the late 19th
century.
5. Some sources claim that the sport was
once known as indoor tennis, and was
played in the early 1880’s by British army
officers stationed in India and South Africa.
The game has its origin in England as an
after-dinner amusement for upper-class
Victorians in the 1880’s.
6. The popularity of the game led game
manufacturers to sell the equipment
commercially. Early bats were often pieces
of parchment stretch upon a frame, and
the sound generated in play gave the
game its first nicknames of “whiff-whaff”
and “ping-pong”. A number of sources
indicate that the game was first brought to
the attention of Hamley’s of Regent Street
under the name “Gossima”. The name
“ping-pong was wide in use before English
manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd
trademarked in 1901.
7. 1880’s – the game had become
fashionable among the upper classes in
England.
1887 – According to the ITTF website, the
first use of the name “table tennis”
appeared on a board and dice game
made by J.H Singer of New York.
1890 – the earliest existing evidence of a
table tennis game is a set made by
David Foster, patented in England, which
included table version of Lawn Tennis,
Cricket and football.
8. 1891 – John Jacques of London
introduced their “ Gossima” game,
which used drum-type paddles, a 50mm
web wrapped cork ball, and a 30cm
high net.
1890’s – Parker Brother began making an
indoor tennis kit which included a
portable net, a small ball covered in
netting, and paddles.
1900 – Englishman James Gibb is
credited with bringing hollow celluloid
balls back to England from USA,
although some other sources claim they
were plastic balls.
9. 1901 – Jhon Jacques registered ping-pong
as a trade name in England. The
American rights to the name are sold to
Parker Brothers.
1901 – On the 12th December 1909, the
table tennis Association was formed in
England.
1902 – Englishman E.C Goode is credited
with putt king pebbled rubber racket,
which will dominate table tennis until
1952.
10. 1903 – on the first may 1903, the Table
Tennis and the Ping-Pong Association”
amalgamate, forming “The United Table
Tennis and Ping-Pong Association”. This
association will later revert its name to
“The Table Tennis Association”, before
becoming defunct in 1904.
1920’s – in the early 1920’s the game
began to revive in England and Europe.
1926 – The International Table Tennis
Federation is formed.
11. 1935 – the American Ping-pong
Association, US Amateur Table Tennis
Association and National Table Tennis
Association merge to form the US Table
Tennis Association ( which wasrenamed
USA table tennis in 1994.
1938 – the ITTF lowered the net from six
and three quarter inches to six inches,
and band the fingerspin serves used with
devasting effect by American players,
1940-1946 – no World Championship
were held in World War.
12. 1950’s – there was the introduction of a new
stroke. It was really an exaggerated to spin
where there was a greater preparation,
follow-through and wrist action.
1952 – Hiroji Satoch of Japan becames
notorious for his use of a wooden racket
and spin rather than the conventional
pimpled rubber rackets. He wons the 1952
World Championships over Koczian of
Hungary, and begins a period of Asian
male domination in the sport which would
last until Sweden rose to supremacy from
1989 into the early 1990’s.
13. 1959-1960 – the ITTF standardized the
thickness of ordinary pimpled rubber and
sponge rubber.
1960’s- in the early 1960’s, the loop drive
was invented and became popular
around the world.
1960’s- in the early 1960’s, Xiang Xi Lin of
China used a “Yin-Yan” bat with normal
rubber on one side, and long pimples on
the other – the first recorded instance of
successful combination bat play
14. 1971- china returned to International
Competition at the 1971 World
Championships.
1971- the US Table Tennis Team took a
“Ping-pong Diplomacy” trip to china, in
a world’s first effort to use sport to
established and improved diplomatic
relations.
1971- Jean-Paul Weber of France used
the first anti-spin rubber in the World
Championships in Nagoya, Japan, and
enjoyed some success with its use.
16. The table is 2.74 m (9.0 ft.) long, 1.525 m (5.0
ft.) wide, and 76 cm (2.5 ft.) high with any
continuous material so long as the table
yields a uniform bounce of about 23 cm
(9.1 in) when a standard ball is dropped
onto it from a height of 30 cm (11.8 in), or
about 77%. The table or playing surface is
uniformly dark colored and matte, divided
into two halves by a net at 15.25 cm (6.0 in)
in height. The ITTF approves only wooden
tables or their derivate. Concrete tables
with a steel net or a solid concrete partition
are sometimes available in outside public
spaces, such as parks.
18. The international rules specify that the
game is played with a sphere having a
mass of 2.7 grams (0.095 oz.) and a
diameter of 40 millimeters (1.57 in). The rules
say that the ball shall bounce up 24–26 cm
(9.4–10.2 in) when dropped from a height of
30.5 cm (12.0 in) onto a standard steel
block thereby having a coefficient of
restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. The 40 mm ball
was introduced after the 2000 Summer
Olympics.
19. A 40 mm table tennis ball is slower and
spins less than the original 38 mm one.
The ball is made of a high-bouncing air-filled
celluloid or similar plastics material,
colored white or orange, with a matte
finish. The choice of ball color is made
according to the table color and its
surroundings. A white ball is easier to see
on a green or blue table than it is on a
grey table.
21. The net shall be suspended by a cord
attached at each end to an upright post
15.25 cm high, the outside units of a post
being 15.25cm outside the side line. The
top of the net along its whole length shall
be 15.25 cm above playing surface
along its whole length and the end of
the net shall be as close as possible to
the supporting posts.
22. A table tennis racket (also called a
"bat" or "paddle") is used by table
tennis players. The "racket" is usually
made from laminated wood
covered with rubber on one or two
sides depending on the player's
grip. The USA generally uses the
term "paddle" while Europe uses the
term "bat"
24. Inverted Rubber
This best suits for putting spin on a ball due
to its breadth of contact surface with a ball.
Short Pips-Out Rubber
This is not easily affected by the opponent’s
spin due to its narrowness of contact
surface with a ball. It will knock a ball away.
25. Long Pimples Rubber (with Sponge)
This will serve a ball with unexpected spin
due to the various movements of pimples
in hitting a ball
Long Pimples Rubber (without Sponge)
This is light and easy to handle. It doesn’t
have much elasticity, so you can shut the
power of explosive Top-spin balls down.
Anti Rubber
This is a kind of inverted rubber but has little
friction. It is not easily affected by the
opponent’s spin.
26. In top-flight competition, service is
decided by a coin toss. At lower levels it
is common for one player (or the
umpire/scorer) to hide the ball in one or
the other hand ( usually hidden under
the table), allowing the other player to
guess which hand the ball is in. the
correct or incorrect guess gives the
“winner” the option to choose to serve or
to choose which side of the table to use.
27. In game play, the player serving the ball
commences a play. The server first stands with
the ball held on the open palm of the hand
not carrying the paddle, called the freehand,
and tosses the ball directly upward without
spin, at least 16 cm (6.3 in) high. The server
strikes the ball with the racket on the ball's
descent so that it touches first his court and
then touches directly the receiver's court
without touching the net assembly. In casual
games, many players do not toss the ball
upward; however, this is technically illegal and
can give the serving player an unfair
advantage.
28. The ball must remain behind the end line
and above the upper surface of the table,
known as the playing surface, at all times
during the service. The server cannot use his
body or clothing to obstruct sight of the
ball; the opponent and the umpire must
have a clear view of the ball at all times. If
the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a
service they may first interrupt play and give
a warning to the server. If the serve is a
clear failure or is doubted again by the
umpire after the warning, the receiver
scores a point.
29. If the service is "good", then the receiver
must make a "good" return by hitting the
ball back before it bounces a second time
on receiver's side of the table so that the
ball passes the net and touches the
opponent's court, either directly or after
touching the net assembly. Thereafter, the
server and receiver must alternately make a
return until the rally is over. Returning the
serve is one of the most difficult parts of the
game, as the server's first move is often the
least predictable and thus most
advantageous shot due to the numerous
spin and speed choices at his or her
disposal.
30. Any hitting of the ball must be done such
that the ball passes over or around the
net. If the ball is struck such that it travels
around the net, but still lands on the
opponents side of the table, the bit is
legal and play should be continued. If
the opponent cannot return it over (or
around) the net and make it bounce on
your side, then you win the point.
31. Allowing the ball to bounce on one’s
own side twice.
Not hitting on g the ball after it has
bounced on one’s own side.
Having the ball bounce on one’s own
side after hitting it
Hitting the ball before it has bounced on
one’s own side of the table
32. Double hitting the ball. Note that the hand
below the wrist is considered part of the bat
and making a good return of one’s hand or
finger is allowed, but hitting one’s hand or
fingers is allowed, but hitting one’s hand or
fingers and subsequently hitting the bat is a
double strike and an error.
Allowing the ball to strike anything other
than the bat.
Causing the ball not to bounce on the
opponent’s half (i.e., not making a “good”
return)
33. Placing one’s free hand on the playing
surface or moving the playing surface.
Offering and failing to make a good
service ( i.e., making a service toss and
failing to strike the ball into play)
Making an illegal serve: (e.g., one
preceded by a player’s hiding the bail
or his failing to toss the ball at least 16
cm(six inch.) in the air).
Hitting the net with bat or any body part,
or moving the table.
34. Service alternates between opponents every two
points (regardless of winner of the rally) until the end
of the game, unless both players score ten points or
the expedite system is operated, when the
sequences of serving and receiving stay the same
but each player serves for only one point in turn. The
player serving first in a game receives first in the next
game of the match.
After each game, players switch sides of the table. In
the last possible game of a match, for example the
seventh game in a best of seven matches, players
change ends when the first player scores five points,
regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence
of serving and receiving is out of turn or the ends is
not changed, points scored in the wrong situation are
still calculated and the game shall be resumed with
the order at the score that has been reached.
35. After each game, players switch sides of
the table and in the fifth or seventh
game “for the match”, players switch
sides when the first player scores 5 points,
regardless of whose turn it is to serve. In
competition play, matches are typically
best of five or seven games.
36. Some recreational players may choose
to use a volleyball styles system of
scoring and play. Such variation include,
but are not limited to, allowing the let
serve, not requiring the server to hit the
ball on his half of the table first (but still
allowing it),
37. In addition to games between individual
players, pairs may also play table tennis.
Singles and doubles are both played in
international competition, including the
Olympic Games since 1988 and the
Commonwealth Games since 2002.[40]
In 2005, the ITTF announced that doubles
table tennis only was featured as a part
of team events in the 2008 Olympics.
38. Service
A line painted along the long axis of the
table to create doubles courts bisects the
table. This line's only purpose is to facilitate the
doubles service rule, which is that service,
must originate from the right hand "box" in
such a way that the first bounce of the serve
bounces once in said right hand box and
then must bounce at least once in the
opponent side's right hand box (far left box for
server), or the receiving pair score a point.
39. Players must hit the ball. For example, if A is
paired with B, X is paired with Y, A is the server
and X or Y is the receiver. The order of play
shall be A→X or Y & B→X or Y & vice versa. The
rally proceeds this way until one side fails to
make a legal return and the other side scores.
At each change of service, the previous
receiver shall become the server and the
partner of the previous server shall become the
receiver. For example, if the previous order of
play is A→X or Y & B→X or Y, the order
becomes X→B or A & Y→B or A or X→B or A &
Y→A or B after the change of service.
40. 3. In the second or the latter games of a
match, the game begins in reverse order of
play. For example, if the order of play is
A→X or Y & B→Y or X at beginning of the
first game, the order begins with X→A or B &
Y→A & B in the second game depending
on either X or Y being chosen as the first
server of the game. That means the first
receiver of the game is the player who
served to the first server of the game in the
preceding game. In each game of a
doubles match, the pair having the right to
serve first shall choose which of them will do
so. The receiving pair, however, can only
choose in the first game of the match.
41. If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play and
fewer than 18 points have been scored, the
expedite system is initiated. The umpire interrupts
the game, and the game resumes with players
serving for one point in turn. If the expedite system
is introduced while the ball is not in play, the
previous receiver shall serve first. Under the
expedite system, the server must win the point
before the opponent makes 13 consecutive returns
or the point goes to the opponent. The system can
also be initiated at any time at the request of both
players or pairs. Once introduced, the expedite
system remains in force until the end of the match.
A rule to shorten the time of a match, it is mainly
seen in defensive players' games.
42. When a pair reaches 5 points in the final
game, the pairs must switch ends of the
table and change the receiver to
reverse the order of play. For example,
when the last order of play before a pair
score 5 points in the final game is
A→X→B→Y, the order after change shall
be A→Y→B→X if A still has the second
serve. Otherwise, X is the next server and
the order becomes X→A→Y→B.
44. Competitive table tennis players grip
their rackets in a variety of ways. The
manner in which competitive players
grip their rackets can be classified into
two major families of styles. One is
described as penhold, and the other
shakehand. The Laws of Table Tennis do
not prescribe the manner in which one
must grip the racket, and numerous
variations on gripping styles exist.
45. Penhold styles have suffered in recent years
due to their inherent weakness on the
backhand side. This weakness makes it much
harder for penhold beginners to perform well
against their shakehand counterparts.
However, this has not stopped the top penhold
players from winning the World Championships,
the World Cup and the Olympic games
regularly, as the backhand weakness can be
covered adequately with excellent footwork,
or supplemented with the recent reverse
penhold backhand loop innovation.
46. The Shakehand grip is so-named
because one grips the bat way one
performs a handshake. The grip is
sometimes colloquially referred to as a
“tennis grip” or a “western grip.” the
shakehand grip is most popular among
players originating in Western nations.
48. An experimental style being developed in
China, it is held by forming a "V for victory"
sign and gripping the blade between the
forefinger and middle finger while having
the other fingers rest under and on top of
the handle; it requires a modified blade to
grip successfully. This grip produces a
noticeable spin benefit due to the longer
lever and mechanics utilized in the
forehand
49. A grip that was made by Danny
Seemiller, an American champion. This
grip is a variation of the shakehand grip.
In this grip the forefinger and thumb are
placed on the same side of the bat,
which allows the backhand and
forehoand shots to the same side of the
rubber. This grip also has a nickname
“windshield wiper” due to the motion of
the backhand and forehand.
50. In table tennis, the stroke break down
into generally offensive (producing
topspin) and defensive ( producing
backspin). Spin exceptions are the
smash, block, and lob. The types of
strokes include backhand and forehand.
51. Speed drive – the bat is primarily
perpendicular to the direction of stroke,
and most of the energy applied to the ball
results in speed rather than spin, creating a
shot that does not are much, but is fast
enough that it can be difficult to return. A
speed drive is used mostly for keeping the
ball in play, applying pressure on the
opponent and potentially opening up an
opportunity for more powerful attack.
52. Loop drive- it is essentially the
reverse of the speed drive.
That the bat is much more
parallel to the direction of the
stroke ( “closed” )and the bat
thus grazes the ball, resulting in
a large amount of topspin.
53. The loop- called as ultra-topspin. Produces
a more pronounced loopy are with a higher
trajectory and extreme topspin, but is
typically slower.
The rush- produced a flatter trajectory than
a typical “loop” but carries much stronger
topspin than a rectangular speed-drive.
The hook- similar to a regular loop, but
carries a tilted topspin or is referred as the
top-side.
54. Usually, a counter attack against drives
(normally high loop drives). You have to
close the bat and stay close to the ball.
Try to predict its path close. The bat is
held closed and near to the ball which is
hit with a short movement” off the
bounce” (before reaching the highest
point) so that the ball travels faster to the
other side.
55. When a player tries to attack a ball that has
not bounced beyond the edge of the
table, the player does not have the room to
wind up in a backswing. The ball may still
be attacked, however, and the resulting
shot is called a flick because the backswing
is compressed into a quick wrist action. A
flick is not a single stroke and can resemble
either a drive or a loop in its characteristics.
What identifies the stroke is the backswing is
compressed into a short wrist flick.
56. The offensive trump card is the smash. A player will
typically execute a smash when his or her opponent
has returned a ball that bounces too high or too
close to the net. Smashing is essentially self-explanatory—
large backswing and rapid
acceleration imparting as much speed on the ball as
possible. The goal of a smash is to get the ball to
move so quickly that the opponent simply cannot
return it. Because the ball speed is the main aim of
this shot, often the spin on the ball is something other
than topspin. Sidespin can be used effectively with a
smash to alter the ball's trajectory significantly,
although most intermediate players will smash the
ball with little or no spin. An offensive table tennis
player will think of a rally as a build-up to a winning
smash;
58. is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating
offensive opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice:
the racket cuts underneath the ball, imparting backspin
and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of
the table. While not obvious, a push can be difficult to
attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to
drop toward the table upon striking the opponent's
racket. In order to attack a push, a player must usually
loop the ball back over the net. Often, the best option
for beginners is to simply push the ball back again,
resulting in pushing rallies. Against good players, it may
be the worst option because the opponent will counter
with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive
position. Another response to pushing is flipping the ball
when it is close to the net. Pushing can have
advantages in some circumstances, such as when the
opponent makes easy mistakes.
59. A chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the
offensive loop drive. A chop is essentially a bigger,
heavier push, taken well back from the table. The
racket face points primarily horizontally, perhaps a
little bit upward, and the direction of the stroke is
straight down. The object of a defensive chop is to
match the topspin of the opponent's shot with
backspin. A good chop will float nearly horizontally
back to the table, in some cases having so much
backspin that the ball actually rises. Such a chop can
be extremely difficult to return due to its enormous
amount of backspin. Some defensive players can
also impart no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop.
60. The block is a simple shot, but nonetheless can be
devastating against an attacking opponent. A block is
executed by simply placing the racket in front of the ball
right after the ball bounces; thus, the ball rebounds back
toward the opponent with nearly as much energy as it
came in with. This is not as easy as it sounds, because the
ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct
angle of a block. It is very possible for an opponent to
execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to have the
blocked shot come back at him just as fast. Due to the
power involved in offensive strokes, often an opponent
simply cannot recover quickly enough, and will be
unable to return the blocked shot. Blocks almost always
produce the same spin as was received, many times
topspin. Depending on the spin of the ball, the block
may be returned to an unexpected side of the table. This
may come to your advantage, as the opponent may not
expect this.
61. The defensive lob is possibly the most impressive shot, since it
propels the ball about five metres in height, only to land on
the opponent's side of the table with great amounts of spin.
to execute, a defensive player first backs-off the table 4–6
meters; then, the stroke itself consists of lifting the ball to an
enormous height before it falls back to the opponent's side of
the table. A lob is inherently a creative shot, and can have
nearly any kind of spin. Top-quality players use this to their
advantage in order to control the spin of the ball. For
instance, though the opponent may smash the ball hard and
fast, a good defensive lob could be more difficult to return
due to the unpredictability and heavy amounts of the spin on
the ball. Thus, though backed off the table by tens of feet
and running to reach the ball, a good defensive player can
still win the point using good lobs. However, at the
professional level, lobbers will lose the point most of the time,
so the lob is not used unless it is really necessary.
62. High level players may use what is called
push block or active block, adding
speed to the ball (with a small topspin
movement). When playing in the
Penhold Grip, many players use push
block as they literally “push” their
backhand forward, instead of simply
blocking it.
63. This spin is alternatively used as a
defensive and offensive maneuver. The
premise of this move is to put a spin on
the ball either to the right or the left of
the bat. The execution of this move is
similar to a slice, but to the right or left
instead of down.
64. Is a high level stroke, used as another
variation for close-to-table . You have to
position the body close to the ball and
just let the ball touch the bat ( without
any hand movement) in a way that the
ball stays close to the net with almost no
speed and spin and touches the other
side of the table more than twice if the
opponent doesn’t reach it.