Scoring

The player, or doubles team, who first scores 11 points, wins the game. However, you must win by two points so a game could go on indefinitely before being decided. A match is usually the best three out of five games, and in international championships, it is best four out of seven games. In other words, if you lose the first game it's not the end of the world; winning the next two games can make you the winner.

Choice of Ends and Service

Who starts serving and which player gets to stand at which end? You can flip a coin... if you win the flip you can choose to SERVE or RECEIVE from the end you like. After each game you will alternate the ends. Should there be a tie, for instance, one game to one game, the players will change ends after the first player reaches 5 points in the final game.

The Serve

Stand behind your end of the table. Hold the ball in the palm of your free hand and throw the ball straight up in the air 6 inches. As the ball falls, hit it so it lands on your half of the table, makes one bounce, and lands on the other side of the table. If the serve touches the net, it is a let, and you must serve again. If it touches the net and fails to hit the table, you lose a point. If the serve goes into the net, you lose the point.

You serve until two points have been scored, and then the other player gets to serve for the next two points. At 10 to 10 (you must win by two points), you alternate the serve after each point.

Receiving

If you are the receiver, remember: The ball cannot bounce twice on your side of the table. If it bounces twice, the OTHER player wins the point, even off the serve.

If your return touches the net and goes over, it's okay. If it goes into the net, it is bad news! You lose a point. If your return goes over the net but misses the table, bad news again! You lose another point. Should your returning ball touch the edge of the table on your opponent's side, that's great! It's very hard to return an edge ball. As long as the ball hits the edge while dropping, it counts. Should the ball hit the side of the tabletop, it is not considered an edge ball and will not count.

Win a Point

If the opponent fails to return your shot. Your shot can hit the boundary lines (white lines) on your opponent's side or even the edge of the table and it is legal. Your serve can also hit the edge and it is legal.

Lose a Point

If when attempting to serve or make a return you miss the ball.

If you hit the ball into the net, including the top of the net, and it comes back to your side of the table.

If you hit the ball wide or too far so the first bounce hits the floor or the wall.

If you hit the ball before it bounces on your side of the table (assuming the ball WOULD have hit your side of the table). No volley is allowed. (see clarification below *)

If the ball bounces twice on your side of the table before hitting it.

If you move the table or touch the net during play.

Legal Point

It is legal to hit the ball around the side of the net to land the ball on your opponent's side.

Other

*If YOU hit the ball off the table but it lands on you opponent's paddle before it touches the floor or wall, it IS NOT your point. Your opponent still wins the point (because you failed to hit the table), so long as when he contacted the ball, your shot was OBVIOUSLY going to miss the table.

If your serve bounces twice on your opponent?s side of the table, the SERVER wins the point.

The server is allowed to serve from anywhere BEHIND his side of the table, to ANYWHERE on his opponents side.

If you put your hand on the table, you lose the point.

To hit the ball back, you may only contact the ball ONCE. If the ball hits your racket twice (a double hit), you lose the point. If the ball hits your finger and goes on your opponent?s side of the table, the point is still "good" and play continues, however, if it hits your finger and then the racket, it is a "double hit". Your hand IS considered has part of the racket WHILE THE RACKET IS IN YOUR HAND.

You may contact the ball with any part of your hand ABOVE YOUR WRIST, so long as the racket is in that same hand. If you drop your racket, you may not "substitute" your hand. You must pick up your racket.

2005-2006 International Rules

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If you have any questions on the rules, please contact the M.T.T.A and we will be glad to answer any questions you may have.