The Basics of Playing Ping Pong

Ping pong / table tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world. Two or four people can play the game. Learning how to play table tennis is incredibly easy as it is a simple sport to pick up without lots of complicated rules. As straightforward as it is, though, it still offers plenty of opportunity to develop and master a variety of skills.

ping pong table top

Before you learn how to play, you have to know the basics of the game. The game involves hitting a small, lightweight ball across a large table with a table tennis racket. Two (or four, in case of a doubles game) players are positioned across each other at opposite ends of the table. A small net divides the table into two halves.

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Normally the players will toss a coin, and the winner will serve the first game. Each serve lasts for two consecutive points, after which the players switch serves.

To serve, the player stands at their end of the table, holding the ball in the palm of their hand. The ball is then thrown upwards and hit as it falls. On the service shot the ball must bounce once in the server's half of the table before bouncing on their opponent's side. If the ball hits the net and falls onto the opponent's side, the serve is taken again. If the ball hits the net and does not go over then the point goes to the player receiving serve.

Assuming a good serve, the player receiving then hits the ball back over the net with the intention of bouncing on the server's side. Play continues in this manner until the ball bounces twice on a side, a player misses the ball, a player hits their own side with the ball or racket, the ball does not land in the opponent's side, or it is caught in the net. The opponent of the player at fault wins a point.

The first person to reach 11 points in this manner wins the set, provided there is a difference of at least 2 points between the players. Each game consists of 5 or 7 sets (though one can technically have any odd number of sets).

Table tennis is very flexible in terms of its equipment requirements, though it is recommended that you practice on the best quality table you can afford. The better your equipment the better you can play, although table tennis is a sport that does not require an enormous financial outlay, as all manufacturers produce ranges of affordable tables.

Ping pong is a suitable game for people of all ages. For casual players, it is easy to pick up and a good form of exercise. For more committed players it is a competitive and physically demanding sport that tests one's reflexes and agility. Skill and speed rather than power are the physical characteristics required for table tennis, and mastery of these crafts is the first step to becoming an expert player.

Best of all, it works wonderfully well as an indoor as well as an outdoor sport. Moreover, it can be played even in a confined space, making it one of the most versatile sports one can play.

The Basics of Playing Ping Pong

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