Playing the Game

Starting a Game

In top flight competition, service is decided by a coin toss. At lower levels it is common for one player (or the umpire) 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 guess gives the "winner" the option to serve first or have their opponent serve first. A player may optionally choose which side they will defend giving their opponent choice of serve.

In recreational play, service may be decided by one of many popular methods. The two opponents may "rally" for the right to serve, in which the ball must bounce upon the table at least three times. Whoever does not make a subsequent mistake is the one to serve. Or, players may place their paddles on the centres of their respective base lines and take turns bouncing the ball across the table by hand. The server in this method is the first who can make their ball hit the opposite paddle without the opponent immediately landing a matching hit.

Service

In game play, a point is commenced by the player serving the ball by releasing the ball (behind and above the edge of the table) palm up and tossing it vertically without spin at least six inches and then hitting it such that it bounces once in the half of the court closest to them, then bounces at least one time in the opponent's half.

If a serve hits the net, but goes over, it is a let, and must be served again.

The opponent must then make a "good" return - hit it back before the ball bounces a second time in such a way that it bounces first in the server's half (not bouncing in his own half) of the court.

The players then alternate playing the ball and having it bounce on the opponent's side of the table until a player fails to make a good return.

Service Errors

• Offering and failing to make a good serve. That is, making a service toss and failing to strike the ball fairly into play.
• Making an illegal serve (one deemed outside the rules - hiding the ball, etc.) A warning is usually offered on the first occurrence, a point awarded subsequently.

Alternation of Service

Essentially a player must make a "good" return as described above. Failure to do so results in the other player being awarded the point. Serves alternate every two points (regardless of the winner).

Typically, games are played to 11 points and a player must win by at least a two point difference. Should each player reach 10 points a "deuce" game comes into effect; players serve alternately after each point and the game is won by the player who gains a lead of 2 points.

In doubles, service alternates every two points between sides, but also rotates between players on the same team. For example, 'player A' serves the ball twice then service alternates to the opposing team and 'player B' takes position to receive service. After two points served by the opposing team and received by 'player B', 'player B' becomes the server. Service continues rotating between team members in this manner until the end of the game.

In addition to rotating service between players of the same team during a game, service also alternates between server-receiver with each new game. If 'player A' on 'team 1' serves the first game to 'player A' on 'team 2' (A1-A2), the next game 'player A' on 'team 1' serves to 'player B' on 'team 2' (A1-B2). Thus, doubles play is more evenly matched between teams and neither team has the advantage by order of play.

In the old 21 point game, service alternated every 5 points. If both players reached a score of 20 then service would alternate every point until one player had a 2 point advantage.

Series of Games

After each game, players switch sides of the table and in the 5th or 7th, 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.

Before 2001, players alternated serves every 5 points and games would be played to 21 points and had to be won by at least 2 points. This is also true in recreational play.

Pairs Game

In addition to games between individual players, table tennis may also be played by pairs. In doubles all the rules of single play apply except for the following. The table is bisected by a line painted along the long axis of the table to create doubles courts. 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). Play then continues normally with the exception that players must alternate hitting the ball. For example, after a player serves, the receiving player make their return, the server's partner returns the ball and then the service receiver's partner would play the ball. The point proceeds this way until one side fails to make a legal return and the point is then awarded to the other team.

Singles and doubles are both played in international competition, including the Olympic Games since 1988 and the Commonwealth Games since 2002.