Are you looking for the full official rules of table tennis or just the basic rules?
Well, I’ve got them both covered here.
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Let’s start by answering a common question…
Are there different rules for Amateurs and Professionals?
The basic rules of table tennis, or to give them their correct title –
The Laws of Table Tennis – are the same for both amateurs and professionals, BUT for higher levels of play there are many additional Regulations which supplement these basic rules.
How many of these additional Regulations are actually used will depend upon the standard of the competition being played, and whether the organisers have adopted all or any of them.
But for now, let’s just take a look at a few of the basic rules of table tennis which you’ll need to know in order to play a game with your friends.
(You may also need to know your table tennis terminology, so I’ve put together a table tennis glossary for you here).
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OK, let’s look at the most basic rule of table tennis…
Is a game up to 11 points or 21 points?
Up until 2001 a table tennis game was played up to 21 points. But in order to make the game more exciting, have more “crucial” points, and to make it more appealing to television viewers, the rules of table tennis were changed.
A game of table tennis is now played up to 11 points.
The winner is the player or pair who first scores 11 points, unless both players or pairs score 10 points (called deuce). Then a game will be won by the first player or pair to gain a two point lead.
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Start a game
Umpire tossing disc
Before you start a game, you’ll need to decide who’s going to serve first.
If you’re just playing a game with friends, you can use whatever method you like to decide this, but the
official rules of table tennis say that it’s decided by lot, usually by tossing a coin or disc having two distinct sides.
However, a common method used at lower levels of play is for one player (or the umpire) to hide the ball in one hand, then put both hands under the table or behind their back, and then ask the opponent to guess which hand the ball is in.
Although the winner of this often serves first, he does actually have three choices…
The winner can:
- elect to serve first or
- make his opponent serve first or
- decide which end of the table he prefers to play at first
If the winner chooses a particular end of the table, his opponent then has the choice of whether to serve first or to make his opponent serve first.
If the winner chooses to serve first, his opponent then has the choice of which end of the table he prefers to play at first.
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So what do you need to know about the…
Basic table tennis serve
The rules of table tennis have been changed many times in relation to the service law, but for a casual game of table tennis it remains very simple.
Before you start your service, the ball must be above the table surface and behind the server’s end line (or an imaginary extension of it). This essentially means that the server must stand behind the end of the table to serve.
The basic serve involves holding the ball in the palm of your non-playing hand and throwing it upwards.
The ball is “in play” from the moment that the server deliberately throws the ball upwards.
As the ball is falling, you must hit it with your racket (also known as a paddle or bat) held in your playing hand so that it bounces once on your side of the table, and at least once on your opponent’s side of the table.
If your opponent allows the ball to bounce more than once on their side of the table, they will lose the point.
If the server does not hit the ball after deliberately throwing it upwards, or makes any other error, the server will lose the point.
The ball may bounce anywhere on both sides of the table and, unlike tennis, you don’t have to serve to one part of the table – unless you’re playing doubles.
If the ball touches the net and still bounces on your opponent’s side of the table, the service must be replayed.
However, if the ball touches the net and does not bounce on your opponent’s side of the table, the server loses the point.
For a more in-depth look at the service rules, take a look at my article here.
For a more in-depth look at how to play a basic service, take a look at my article here.
Here’s a video which explains the basic table tennis service rules.
(If you have problems with the sound, there are captions/subtitles that you can turn on. Just click on the captions/subtitles button)
Here’s a video which explains the basic table tennis service rules.
(If you have problems with the sound, there are captions/subtitles that you can turn on. Just click on the captions/subtitles button)
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How many serves does each player have?…
How many serves?
Each player has two consecutive serves.
Service then alternates between opponents until one player scores 11 points, unless both players (or both pairs in doubles matches) score 10 points (called deuce).
If both players (or pairs) reach 10 points, then service alternates after each point, until one player (or pair) gains a two point lead.
Prior to 2001 when table tennis was played up to 21 points, the rules were essentially the same, but each player had five consecutive serves and deuce was at 20-20.
Note: The sequence of serving is consistent throughout a match. There are no different rules at game point or match point.
For a more in-depth look at the service rules, take a look at my article here.
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And here’s what you need to know about…
Returning the serve
Your opponent must hit the ball back over the net so that it bounces only on the server’s side of the table and the ball must bounce at least once on the server’s side of the table.
If you allow the ball to bounce more than once on your side of the table at any time, you lose the point.
When returning the serve, or during a rally, if the ball hits the net but does not hit your opponent’s half of the table, then a point is awarded to your opponent.
However, if the ball hits the net but still goes over and bounces on your opponent’s half of the table, the rally continues.
The receiver can stand wherever they want and can play their returns from any position. However, players are not allowed to touch the table with their free hand (the hand not holding the racket) and they are not allowed to move the table.
If the server imparts backspin on the ball which causes it to return back over the net towards the server after bouncing on the receiver’s side, the receiver must still hit the ball before it bounces on the server’s side of the table. This means that the receiver will need to go beyond the net to play a stroke. If the receiver does not hit the ball before it bounces back on the server’s side of the table, the receiver loses the point.
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And here’s what you need to know about…
During a rally
First, let’s be clear about terminology – A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.
Whilst a rally is taking place, and a point is in the process of being decided, both players can stand wherever they want and can play their shots from any position, including beyond the net on their opponent’s side of the table.
Therefore, if player “A” imparts backspin on the ball which causes it to return back over the net towards them (after bouncing on their opponents side of the table), player “B” must still hit the ball before it bounces on player “A’s” side of the table.
This means that player “B” will need to go beyond the net to play a stroke.
If player “B” does not hit the ball before it bounces back on player “A’s” side of the table, player “B” loses the point.
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Doubles play
When playing doubles, each player still has two consecutive serves and the service still alternates every two points between teams, but it also alternates between players on the same team.
At the end of every two points, the receiving player becomes the server, and the partner of the serving player becomes the receiver.
The service itself is exactly the same as in singles except that, rather than the ball bouncing anywhere
on the table, it must bounce only on the right half portion of the table for both the server and the receiver.
The receiver returns it, then the server’s partner must hit it next followed by the receiver’s partner and so on.
Play must continue in this sequence throughout the rally and if a player hits it out of turn he loses the point.
For a more in-depth look at table tennis doubles rules, take a look at my article here.
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Score a point
To score a point, you must keep the ball in play longer than your opponent.
A player loses a point if he:
- Fails to make a good serve
(eg. throwing the ball in the air and failing to hit the ball or failing to hit it onto his opponent’s side of the table) - Allows the ball to bounce twice on his side of the table
- Does not hit the ball after it has bounced on his side of the table
- Does not hit the ball onto his opponent’s side of the table
- Hits the ball before it has bounced (i.e. volleying the ball) unless it’s obviously not going to bounce on his side of the table
- Hits the ball twice in succession (i.e. a double hit)
- Puts his non-playing hand on the table or net or moves the table
- Obstructs the ball with any part of his body or clothing (unless it’s obviously not going to bounce on his side of the table)
- Hits the ball out of turn when playing doubles
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A Game
As we saw earlier, when one player has scored 11 points (or when one player has a two point lead if the score previously reached 10-10), he wins the game.
However, there is a time limit on how long a game can last. This is known as the Expedite rule and comes into operation after 10 minutes of play – unless 18 points have already been scored.
If at least 18 points have already been scored, the game continues to a conclusion – however long it takes.
The players then swop ends and the next game begins with the player who served second in the previous game.
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A Match
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MORE PAGES ABOUT
THE RULES OF TABLE TENNIS
For more information about the rules of table tennis, take a look at my other articles which explain the Official
Laws of Table Tennis and the additional Regulations (for higher level play) in more detail…
The Laws of Table Tennis
- The basic rules of table tennis
If you’re just starting to play and you need to know the basic rules of table tennis,
you’ll find them here… - The official rules of table tennis
The official rules of table tennis are known as
The Laws of Table Tennis …
so if you need to check the official wording, you can read them here… - Table tennis table dimensions
What size is a table tennis table? Do you know what the official rules say about the
size dimensions of a table tennis table? - What do the rules say about your racket?
Do you know what the rules say about your racket?
What size can it be? Which colours are allowed? When can you change your racket? Find out here… - What do the rules say about the serve?
The table tennis serve is one of the most controversial aspects of the game. Make sure you know the
service rules. Read them here… - Frequently asked questions about the serve
The service rules are very complex, so let’s answer some of the most
frequently asked questions. Read them here… - What is a good return?
What do the rules say about a good return?
Can you use your hand to play a shot? What happens if you touch or move the table? Find out here… - When is the ball in or out?
What do the table tennis rules say about the ball hitting the
white lines, net or edges of the table?
Is the ball in or out? Find out here… - What do the rules say about playing doubles?
Whether you’re playing singles or doubles, the rules of table tennis are essentially the same.
However, for doubles play
there are a few subtle variations. Read them here… - What do the rules say about volleying the ball?
Do the table tennis rules allow you to volley the ball?
No and Yes… Let me explain - Expedite system
How long can a game of table tennis last?
If both players keep the ball in play, can they continue playing forever? What do the rules say about this? Find out here…
Regulations (for higher level play)
- Table tennis room size
What table tennis room size do you need?
It’s probably more than you think! Find out here… - Racket testing
In 2008 the ITTF introduced new rules and regulations relating to racket (paddles/bats) testing, and
VOC-free glue. You can read them here… - Are players allowed to take breaks during matches?
What time limits are specified in the regulations? What happens if a player is
time-wasting? Find out here… - Yellow Cards and Red Cards
Yellow and red cards are a recent addition to table tennis.
But what do they mean? Find out here…
General
- Table tennis terminology
Do you know your table tennis terminology
or are you confused by your chops, pimples and twiddles? Here’s a table tennis glossary for you…
Frequently Asked Questions
Click Here For Details
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