Get Your Table Tennis
Questions Answered

Rackets & Rubbers

• Sandpaper rackets
  Is it legal to use a sandpaper covered racket?
  
  
• Penholder rackets
  I have a question regarding the validity of the racket used by penholders.
  
  
• Rubbers
  What's the difference between types and colours of rubbers used?
  
  
• Authorised Rubbers
  Can a player use any rubbers on his racket or can he only use authorised rubbers?
  
  
• Hitting the ball with no rubber
  Can I use the side without rubber (but with colour) to volley the ball?
  
  
• Hitting racket on table
  What happens if I hit the racket on the table?
  
  
• Changing the ball or racket
  Can I change the ball or racket during a match?
  
  

Service Rules

• Where to serve
  When you are serving, do you have to send the ball in between your opponent's corners of the table?
  
  
• Stamping
  I thought that there was a rule about not stamping when serving?
  
  
• Serving at game point
  When you have game point, is it automatically your opponent's serve or can you win a game by serving?
  
  
• Ball bounces twice
  Who would win the point if the ball bounces once on my court and two times on my opponent's court?
  
  
• Serve hitting lines or edges
  What happens when the ball hits the outside edge of white line or the edge of the table?
  
  
• Ball hits the net when serving
  How many times can you re-take the serve when the ball hits the net and bounces on my opponent's side of the table?
  
  
• Ball spinning back over the net
  Who wins the point when the ball spins back over the net without the other player touching it?
  
  
• Return of service position
  Can your opponent who is returning your serve have any part of his body over the white line or edge of the table?
  
  

During a rally

• Shouting
  Is there any rule which covers when a player calls out or shouts out during a rally?
  
  
• What is a Good Return
  Is my opponent allowed to hit the ball on my side of the net?
  
  
• Volleying the ball
  Can a player return the ball before it bounces on their court?
  
  
• Ball spinning back over the net
  Who wins the point when the ball spins back over the net without the other player touching it?
  
  
• Disturbance
  What happens when my opponent's glasses come off in the middle of a rally (at a crucial point in the game).
  
  
• Touching the table
  Am I allowed to touch the table during a rally?
  
  
• Ball hitting the net
  Is it OK if the ball hits the net post and then bounces on the opponent's court? Also, is it OK if the ball hits the top of the net twice?
  
  
• Ball hitting the edge or side of the table
  What happens if the ball touches the side (not the corner) of the table?
  
  
• Ball damaged during rally
  If the ball is damaged during a rally, does that constitute a let or is the winner of the rally entitled to claim the point?
  
  
• Game Point
  What are the rules for game point?
  
  
• Is there a time limit or score limit for deuce?
  Is there any maximum time limit or scoreline if the deuce stretches into say a 20-20 scoreline situation?
  
  

Match Conduct

• Calling the Score
  When should the umpire call the score?
  
  
• Injuries
  How will the umpire decide if a player injured the opponent?
  
  
• Continuous Play & Time Outs
  What are the rules about continuous play and time outs because I cannot find any reference to this in the rules?
  
  
• Offering Advice
  Can coaches give advice to players in a league match?
  
  
• Yellow and red cards
  When a yellow card is given, how long does it last for?
  
  

Competition Rules

• Group Matches
  If, in a group match, the losing player withdraws from the competition, does the winning player forfeit that game?
  
  
• Group Rankings
  How do you calculate the group rankings in a competition?
  
  

Equipment

• Rackets
  What type of racket and rubbers would you recommend for me?
  
  
• Rackets
  What type of racket would you recommend for a gift to someone?
  
  
• Tables
  What table tennis tables do you recommend?
  
  
• Tables
  Can I convert an indoor table to an outdoor table?
  
  
• Paint
  I wish to restore my 15 years old professional grade table tennis table. What is the specification of the paint and where can I buy it?
  
  

Playing

• Angle of racket while smashing
  I am a penhold player so what should my position be while smashing?
  
  
• Attacking a deep push
  How do I attack a deep push with the backhand?
  
  
• Looping or Pushing
  Once you reach a certain level, is it best to loop or try to drop it short if you're using smooth rubbers?
  
  

Match Officials

• Becoming a Match Official
  How does one become an official in international table tennis tournaments?
  
  
• Duties of Match Officials
  Can you please tell me who are the officials in table tennis and their duties?
  
  

Other

• Professional players
  What is the call that professional players make after winning a point? It sounds like "cho" or "choi". Is it Chinese and what does it mean/translate as?
  
  
• Room Height
  I would like to know what would be the minimum height for a home table tennis room.
  
  
• European Champion
  Who was the last English lady to win the title of European Champion?