Can You Hit The Side Of The Table In Table Tennis?
Just like any other game, ping pong has guidelines and rules you should follow while playing, and penalties in case you miss the rules. Therefore, in order to avoid those penalties, you should be conversant with the rules. With that in mind, can you hit the side of the table in ping pong?
According to table tennis rules and regulations, there are no limitations on where the ball can land on your or your opponent’s side of the table. It can bounce twice or more on your opponent’s side (which earns you a point), bounce over the side, or even hit the table’s edge.
If you want to learn further about what happens when you hit the side of the table in ping pong, the objectives of the game, the ping pong equipment, how to get a ping pong game started, and serving and receiving in ping pong, keep reading.
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What Happens When You Hit The Side Of The Table In Ping Pong?
The point is still in play if the ball bounces up after striking the edge, so the player who did not hit the edge ball is forced to make their solid return. If they do not, the point is awarded to the player who hit the edge ball.
In the event that the ball bounces, it is not regarded as a good return if the edge ball is hit in a downside or neutral direction, and the player who hits the edge ball loses the point.
The challenge with making this decision is that the edge is defined as the point where the table’s top surface meets the table’s side. A good return in table tennis must land on the opponent’s top surface, according to the rules. Was it the top edge or the side edge that the return hit?
The umpire (or the two players if there is no umpire) must use reasoning and his or her observation of the ball’s flight path and subsequent rebound to reach that conclusion.
A ball that bounces upward is considered a good return since it signifies that the return made contact with the top surface. It’s not a nice return when a ball hits the table’s side and returns in a downward or level trajectory (rather than up or down). There are situations, though, when this isn’t the case.
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The Goal of Ping Pong
The objective of the game is to accumulate sufficient points to win more than half of the games you and your competitor have played.
When your opponent is unable to hit the ball over the net and onto the opposite side of the table, you win a point.
When an individual or team scores more than 11 points, the game is declared won. You must also be two points ahead of your competitors.
If the score is tied 10-10, each server will only serve one point before switching.
The servers will switch sides after the game. After one of the players reaches 5 points in the last game, the servers switch sides.
Ping Pong Equipments
Table Tennis Table
According to the official rules, table tennis is played on a 108×60 inch rectangular table made of fiber wood and split into two halves.
Because of the dark and glossy paint used on the table, it has a matte finish. A 0.78 inches (2 centimeters) thick line runs down the table’s edge, indicating the playing surface.
The table is divided into two sections by a net strung between two poles attached to the table. The table tennis net is 6 inches in height.
Table Tennis Racket
The bat, which is also known as a racquet or paddle, is approximately 6.5 inches long and 5.9 inches wide and is made largely of wood. On both sides, it includes a black and red rubber surface that helps players apply and negate ball spin.
Table Tennis Ball
The table tennis ball is generally orange or white, weighs roughly 2.7 grams, and is spherical with a diameter of 1.6 inches, according to rules and regulations.
Learn more: Full Table Tennis Equipment List
How To Get A Ping Pong Game Started
The first service is decided by lot, usually a coin toss, according to ITTF regulation 2.13.1.
One player (or the umpire/scorer) may also hide the ball in one or both hands, generally under the table, allowing the opposing player to guess whose hand the ball is in.
Depending on whether the guess was true or incorrect, the “winner” has the option of serving, receiving, or choosing which side of the table to use. (Playing the ball back and forth three times and then playing out the point is a typical but non-sanctioned strategy.) “Serve to play,” “rally to serve,” “play for serve,” or “volley for serve” are all terms used to describe this.)
Serving And Receiving In Ping Pong
During a service, the ball must remain behind the endline and above the table’s upper surface, also known as the playing surface.
The server may not block the opponent’s or umpire’s vision of the ball with his or her body or clothing; the ball must be visible to both the opponent and the umpire at all times.
The game may be interrupted and the server cautioned if the umpire has doubts regarding the legality of a service. The receiver receives a point if the serve is a blatant failure or the umpire doubts it again after the warning.
If the service is “excellent,” the receiver must return the favor by striking the ball before it bounces a second time on the recipient’s side of the table, passing through the net, and striking the opponent’s court, either directly or after passing through the net assembly.
The server and receiver must then alternate returns until the rally is completed. Returning the serve is one of the most challenging aspects of the game, as the server’s first move is frequently the least anticipated and thus most advantageous shot, due to the different spin and speed possibilities available.
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