However, for doubles play there are a few subtle variations to the rules of table tennis. Introduced at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, table tennis initially had competitions in the singles and the doubles category. However, each player must remain in their own half, otherwise they will lose the point. Table tennis rules 2.13.06 and 2.13.07 state that... "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. Rule 2.10.01.11 states that a team loses a point... "If a doubles opponent strikes the ball out of the sequence established by the first server and first receiver". Player B must then play the next shot and player Y must play the next shot. However, these adverts and affiliate links do not influence the advice and recommendations given on this web site. "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 or her in the preceding game.". These links are identified by having an asterisk (*) by its side. That's why we came up with a list of top 11 most frequently asked questions about ping-pong rules.Let's dive in. The other main difference for table tennis doubles rules is the order in which the players have to play. Table tennis as well as being fully organized is also extremely popular as a recreational game and is so played in all types of sports clubs, social clubs, and game rooms, in the home, and even out-of-doors when conditions are reasonably calm. For example, let's imagine two teams ... A&B and X&Y. Once it has been decided which team will serve first at the beginning of the match, that team will decide which player in their team will serve first. It shall be supported so that its upper surface, termed the playing surface, shall lie in a horizontal plane 76 cm. Table tennis, also called (trademark) Ping-Pong, ball game similar in principle to lawn tennis and played on a flat table divided into two equal courts by a net fixed across its width at the middle. In 1901, John Jacques registered “Ping-Pong” as a trading name in England, then the rights were sold to Parker Brothers. Player A will then restart the sequence all over again and the sequence will repeat itself until the end of that game. Finger spin was universally banned in 1937. Doubles Rules. Home The service still alternates every two points between teams, but it also alternates between players on the same team. Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, with singles and doubles competition for men and women. Early celluloid objects have become collector’s items and museum artifacts, valued as specimens of an artificial plastic based on naturally occurring raw materials.…, Deng Yaping, Chinese table tennis player, who won six world championships and four Olympic championships between 1989 and 1997. Strategies •  » In the mid-1950s Asia emerged as a breeding ground of champions, and from that time the men’s team event has been won by either Japan or China, as has the women’s event, though to a lesser extent; North Korea also became an international force. This imparts backspin to the ball. » Some players have posted on theguardian.com that “Table tennis and ping pong are exactly the same game”. The object is to hit the ball so that it goes over the net and bounces on the opponent’s half of the table in such a way that the opponent cannot reach it or return it correctly. The player, standing in a square-on position, swings downward while "brushing" or grazing the lower half of the ball with an open racket face (the top of the blade tipped away from the net). ServeThe ball and racket must be behind and above the table during the serve. The game is popular all over the world. So for players who are in wheelchairs, table tennis doubles rules are slightly different. This means that if during the course of a game you discover that you are not playing in the correct sequence, you must stop the game and resume playing in the correct sequence. This means that you must follow the correct sequence for serving and receiving in doubles throughout the match. Some players enjoy the “team” aspect, as well as the faster movement involved and the emphasis on ball placement. This web site receives thousands of visitors every day and therefore, to keep it completely free to use, advertising and affiliate links appear on this web site. Contact Me  |   The original association had broken up about 1905, though apparently the game continued to be played in parts of England outside London and by the 1920s was being played in many countries. (2 ft. 6 in.) A table tennis match at the Asia-Europe All Stars Series event in Beijing, 2010. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the governing body for all national table tennis associations. A point is scored when the server fails to make a good service, when either player fails to make a good return, or when either player commits a specified infraction (e.g., touches the playing surface with a free hand while the ball is in play). Play is now restricted. Rules of Table Tennis (9 ft.) in length, 152.5 cm. Led by representatives of Germany, Hungary, and England, the Fédération Internationale de Tennis de Table (International Table Tennis Federation) was founded in 1926, the founding members being England, Sweden, Hungary, India, Denmark, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Wales. But this is no longer true!. Site Map  |   The only restriction is during the service, when the ball must be behind the server's end line (the same as in singles play). "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". Affiliate links are links to other web sites who sell related table tennis products. by courtesy of the ITTF. The table is rectangular, 9 feet by 5 feet (2.7 metres by 1.5 metres), its upper surface a level plane 30 inches (76 cm) above the floor. Worldwide, the women’s game is comparable in organization to the men’s, and women take part in world championships and all other organized events. Techniques •  Ohio SQT - Columbus Table Tennis Club, Jan Lie. However, the table tennis doubles rules are slightly different when one or more players are in wheelchairs... Rule 2.08.03 states: "In doubles, when at least one player of a pair is in a wheelchair due to a physical disability, the server shall first make a service, the receiver shall then make a return but thereafter either player of the disabled pair may make returns." By the mid-1990s more than 165 national associations were members. This was not always so. You enjoy an occasional game of table tennis, but don’t have enough time to explore the vast world of ping pong rules? Privacy policy. The player, in a half-turn stance, swings downward while "brushing" or grazing the lower half of the ball with an open racket face (the top of the blade tipped away from the net). The net is 6 feet (1.8 metres) long, and its upper edge along the whole length is 6 inches (15.25 cm) above the playing surface. From the upturned palm of the server's motionless free hand, the ball is tossed upward and struck as it falls so that it first hits the server's half of the table, travels over (or around) the net, and then hits the opponent's half of the table. A quick, smooth follow-through is desirable. Claim your FREE membershipand join me at theTOP TABLE, You'll receive regularTop Tips, Strategies, TechniquesTactics, Rules, News & much more, You Are Here: AATT cannot identify any user who clicks on an advert or affiliate link. Rules •  Interest to the spectator lies in observing the ability of one player to defeat another by well-thought-out strategy. The lightweight hollow ball is propelled back and forth across the net by small rackets (bats, or paddles) held by the players. At the Olympic Games, table tennis is organised in two categories for men and women -- team events and singles competition.The matches in a team event is a best-of-five affair, while the singles have best-of-seven encounters. AllAboutTableTennis.com (AATT) is completely free to use. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/sports/table-tennis, Table Tennis - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Study the psychomotor coordination required to execute a successful table tennis serve, Notice how the table tennis player drives through the shot to achieve spin over speed, Study how the table tennis player imparts topspin by brushing the ball's upper half with a closed racket face, Observe the open racket face required to execute a forehand chop in table tennis, Study how to execute a downward graze to impart backspin with a table tennis backhand chop. This means that in order to play doubles, the table tennis doubles rules state that you must have a table which has a centre line marked on it. Table tennis at the Olympics. Why is table tennis called ping pong? Player B will then play his two serves to Player Y and then player Y will play his two serves to Player A. Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small rackets.The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Tennis, game in which two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) use tautly strung rackets to hit a ball of a specified size, weight, and bounce over a net on a rectangular court. Omissions? In the next game, X & Y will decide whether X or Y serves first. There are some specific rules for how to serve a ball that you will need to follow in table tennis. At the start of the match, player A elects to serve first and player X elects to receive first. Whatever combination is used, each of the two sides of a paddle must be different in colour. This means what it says ... if you hit the ball out of sequence, the table tennis doubles rules say you lose the point. The player swings upward while "brushing" or grazing the upper half of the ball with a closed racket face (the top of the blade tipped toward the net). She is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. In this post, I will clearly explain the most important rules of table tennis and in doing so, put an end to the countless arguments occur each day across the globe. "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". Take a look at this fully up-to-date downloadable book. above the floor.1.2 It shall be made of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce of about 23 cm. These work in the same way as normal links, but when you click on it, the link is tracked to AATT and, if you make a purchase, may generate a small payment to me. A post entitled Table Tennis Rules and Regulations might sound boring, but it isn’t! In serving, no spin may be imparted to the ball by the fingers. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Their opponents will then decide which player in their team will receive first. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. At least, I hope it won’t be. Adverts appear automatically on my site, provided by third parties, and are not directly controlled by me. The object is speed instead of spin, so the player hits through the ball, which is directed slightly downward over the net in a low arc. Finger spin, especially in the United States, reached a stage where the experts could produce untakable services and the game became farcical.