CHAPTER 2: THE RULES OF TABLE TENNIS

WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THE GAME?

A game usually lasts 11 points (21 under the old tournament rules) and there are two exchanges per serve (5 per serve under the old rules). The receiver must see the serve all the way through, the ball must be tossed from an open palm, above the table, from behind the table. The ball that has already been tossed is put into play, so whoever does not hit it with the racket also loses a point. A player who touches a ball above the table loses a point if he does not return it correctly to the opponent's half of the court (tock). A regular serve touching the net (net) must be repeated, any number of times.

During a rally

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Don't touch the table!

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If the player touches the table with his free hand during the game, he loses a point. In a doubles game, when serving, you only have to hit the ball in the receiver's half of the field, "foreign" means a lost point. In doubles, players take turns serving. A two-point advantage is necessary for the winning game, so you have to continue playing after 11:10 (and then after 12:11), at which point the players take turns serving. After each game, the players change sides. The winner of the match is the one who wins three games. In the last, decisive game, when five points are reached (ten points according to the old rule), the players switch sides.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE GAME?

• The table is rectangular, 2.74 m long and 1.525 m wide, and is placed horizontally at a height of 76 cm from the floor. • The playing surface is divided into two halves of equal size by a vertical net running parallel to the baselines. Height of the net: 15.25 cm • For doubles table tennis, a 3 mm wide white central line running parallel to the side lines divides the court into two halves of the same size. The center line belongs to the right half of the field on both halves of the field.

Standard sizes

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Forrás: tabletennisarena.com

The ball

• A ping pong labda gömb alakú, 40,6 mm átmérőjű, tömege 2,6-2,7 gramm. A labda anyaga ABS műanyag, színe fehér vagy narancssárga, és matt.

• The ping pong ball is spherical, 40.6 mm in diameter, and weighs 2.6-2.7 grams. The material of the ball is ABS plastic, the color is white or orange, and it is matte. • The racket can be any size, shape or weight. At the start of the match and during racket changes during the match, the player must show the racket he intends to use to both the opponent and the umpire and must allow them to inspect the racket.

The bat

https://yumo.ca/blogs/table-tennis-info/how-to-choose-a-table-tennis-racket

Open palm

https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-serve-legally-in-table-tennis-ping-pong-4122899

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULES IN PRACTICE

The ball is in play: from the moment it ceases to be motionless in the palm of the free hand, from the moment it is started with the intention of serving, and it remains in play until the ball movement ends with a point or is interrupted.

• During the serve, the ball must be tossed from an open palm, approximately vertically, without any spin, so that it leaves the palm of the free hand and flies at least 16 cm high, and then falls down without touching anything before hitting it. The server must hit the downward ball in such a way that it first touches his own half of the court, then flies over or next to the net and bounces directly in the receiver's half of the court.

The serve

https://www.rookieroad.com/table-tennis/what-are-the-types-of-serves-in-table-tennis/

Legal serve

https://racketsportsworld.com/improve-table-tennis-serves/

• The order of serving, betting and choice of court is decided by lot, and the winner can choose to serve first, bet first, or which court to start the game on. • If the referee or the assistant referee is not sure about the legality of the serve, he may order a new ball session for the first time during the match and warn the serving player; but if the following serves of the player or partner are not completely clear, they shall be ruled irregular.

• After serving or receiving, the ball must be hit in such a way that it touches the opponent's court above or next to the net set, either directly or by touching the net set. • Obstruction of the ball, or "tock:" means that either the player or anything worn or held by him touches the ball as it travels over or in the direction of the playing surface and is not touched by his half of the square after the opponent has last hit it.

Tossing the ball

https://www.tabletenniscoach.me.uk/how-long-take-get-really-good-table-tennis/