Are rallies allowed in table tennis?
James Craig
Published Jan 20, 2026
Table Tennis Rallies. An average table tennis rally is between 4-5 strokes and each stroke is played from 0.2 to 0.5 of a second, in simple terms approximately 2 strokes per second.
Can you rally in table tennis?
A rally in table tennis is a point during which both players attempt to hit the ball. The player who hits the ball first, wins the rally and gains a point. The amount of time the ball is in play is defined as the amount of time the ball is in play. Until a point is scored, the two players will continue to swap hits.
What is not allowed in table tennis?
You may not touch the ball with your non-paddle hand for any reason. It will result in a point for your opponent. BUT if your opponent's hit sails over your side of the table without touching it, and hits any part of you or your paddle, that is still your point.
What is a rally called in table tennis?
A Let is a rally of which the result is not scored, and is called in the following circumstances: The ball touches the net in service (service), provided the service is otherwise correct or the ball is obstructed by the player on the receiving side.
When can a rally be called a let in ping pong?
A rally is a let: 9.1 If in service the ball, in passing over or around the net assembly, touches it, provided the serve is otherwise good or is obstructed by the receiver or his partner.
23 related questions foundWhat are the LET rules in table tennis?
A Let is called on points that don't count. When you serve a ball that bounces on your side, then hits the net, but continues over and bounces on the opponent's side of the table, that is a 'let' and does not count.
What is considered a let in table tennis?
A serve that touches the net assembly (the net, net posts, and net clamps) on the way, but still touches his side first and then the opponent's side on the second bounce, is called a let serve (or just let) and must be replayed, with no change to the score.
What is a smash in table tennis?
The forehand smash is a fast, hard and powerful stroke that aims to force the opponent away from the table or to win a point outright. However, the shot is not always about force and requires the player to use good timing, technique and precision simultaneously.
Is a rally which the result is not scored?
A let- Is a rally of which the result is not scored. A point- Is a rally of which the result is scored. The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket. The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket; the free arm is the arm of the free hand.
How do you get disqualified from table tennis?
The referee has the power to disqualify a player from a match, an event or a whole competition, for seriously unfair or offensive behaviour, whether it was reported to him by the umpire or not. He does this by holding up a red card.
Are you allowed to touch the table in table tennis?
The ONLY part of the body that cannot touch the table is your FREE HAND – i.e. the hand not holding the racket. The rest of your body can touch the table any time. You can even sit on the table, lay on it or stand on it while rallying – provided you don't move it – and still be legal.
Can you serve anywhere in table tennis?
You're free to serve anywhere, diagonally or straight, from any location. When you serve, the ball cannot fall off the side of the table. It must bounce twice or fall off the end, but not the side. I have no clue who made up this wacky rule, but there's nothing even remotely similar to this in the ITTF handbook.
Why do table tennis players yell?
“Cho-ing” has become the tradition and the culture in table tennis. Scream “cho!” is a means of self-encouragement and tension-relief.
What is the longest rally in table tennis?
The longest table tennis rally is 11 hr 50 min 36 sec, and was achieved by Chris Darnell and Will Darnell (both Australia) in Dubai, UAE, on 12 December 2020.
Do you have to let the ball hit the table in ping-pong?
You need to let the ball bounce on the table before you hit it. If you don't wait, you lose the rally. Besides hitting it with your paddle, you also lose the point if the ball hits your hand, arm, or anything you are wearing before it would have bounced on the table.
What is it called when the ball hits the net in tennis?
If you serve a ball that hits the top of the net before bouncing into the correct service box, it is called a let. You may take that serve again. If the ball hits the net and lands outside the correct service box, it's a fault. A served ball hitting the post is also a fault.
Is Smashing allowed in table tennis?
The forehand smash in table tennis is an attacking stroke which you can use whenever your opponent plays a shot where the ball bounces higher than normal. The intention of the forehand smash is to hit the ball as hard as possible, with minimal spin, in order to try and finish the rally and win the point.
How do you get smash in table tennis?
Here we discuss three steps to master the smash.
- Step 1: The Backswing. Like almost all shots in table tennis, the most critical element to the smash is the positioning of your feet and body. ...
- Step 2: The Strike. As the ball bounces off the table, swing your body back forward. ...
- Step 3: The Follow Through.
Is Ping Pong played to 11 or 21?
How long is a game? A game in table tennis is played until one of the players scores 11 points or if there is a 2 point difference after the score was tied (10:10). A game used to be played until 21, but that rule was changed by the ITTF in 2001.
What are the four factors that a good serve must have in table tennis?
This is a very good question that every player should understand. Because a serve (or service) is one of the most important shots in table tennis.
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A good serve must have these 4 factors:
- Predictable or not?
- Give advantage for the next shot or not?
- Deceptive or not?
- Safe and consistent.
Can you return a let serve?
The simple answer is no. While it may be tempting at times to take that first ball out of the air, this is not allowed. The servers ball must hit the ground inside the correct service box in order for the point to be started.
What is hidden serve in table tennis?
Hidden serve is the most common illegal serve in table tennis. The player uses his free arm or his body to hide the contact point. It's difficult to see if this was a topspin serve, a no-spin float serve, or a backspin serve. Hidden serve was allowed before but ITTF changed the rule.
Can you hit the ball before it bounces in ping pong *?
The only situation where you can still win the point by hitting the ball before it bounces is if you hit the ball after it already passed the end line of the table. In this case you would get a point, since your opponent failed to make the ball hit your side of the table first.