Table tennis is a
sport that requires a complex set of rules to be followed. Most casual
players are unaware of the regulations and serve illegally. To help you
resolve disputes and understand the essential rules of table tennis, we have
summarized the regulations from USA Table Tennis. The lower part of the net,
along its entire length, must be as close as possible to the playing surface
and the ends of the net must be as close as possible to the support posts.
A game is played with 11 points and must be won by two
points. Usually, one game is the best of three out of five games. If you’re
not very strict with the rules, you can play illegal serves in table tennis.
During a rally, if the ball hits the net but bounces off the opponent’s side
of the table, the rally continues.
However, if the ball
hits the net and doesn’t reach the other half of the table, the receiver
automatically receives a point. A return (not a service) that hits the
network (or any part of it) and lands on the opposite side of the table is
acceptable. During a serve, if the ball hits the net but still bounces off
the opponent’s side of the table, it is considered a let (meaning you have to
play it again). During intervals between games, players must remain less than
3 meters from the playing area under the supervision of a referee.
Each player alternately serves two balls at a time until
either the end of the game or until the score reaches 10-10.