The International Table Tennis Federation Rules

ITTF Rules page from pongworld.org

Simple Table Tennis Rules

In singles, the center lines serve no purpose, so ignore them.

Scoring

A match is played best 3 of 5 games (or 4/7 or 5/9). For each game, the first player to reach 11 points wins that game, however a game must be won by at least a two point margin.

A point is scored after each ball is put into play (not just when the server wins the point as in volleyball).

The edges of the table are part of the legal table surface, but not the sides.

Flow of the Match

Each player serves two points in a row and then switch server. However, if a score of 10-10 is reached in any game, then each server serves only one point and then the server is switched. After each game, the players switch side of the table. In the final game (ie 5th game), the players switch side again after either player reaches 5 points.

Legal Service

The ball must rest on an open hand palm. Then it must be tossed up at least 6 inches and struck so the ball first bounces on the server's side and then the opponent's side.

If the serve is legal except that it touches the net, it is called a let serve. Let serves are not scored and are reserved.

Equipment

The paddle should have a red and a black side. The ball should be either orange or white and 40 mm in size. The table should be 2.74 meters long, 1.525 m wide, and 0.76 m high.

1. You may challenge the player one or two positions above you on the ladder. When you join the ladder you may challenge any player at any position other than the top 20% for your first challenge.

2. All games should be played within 7 days of a challenge being made (unless there are extenuating circumstances) otherwise the challenger wins.

3. You should play your game at a mutually convenient time. If your timings do not coincide and you CANNOT agree, then you MUST play your match on a weekday commencing between 5pm and 10pm. This will be known as a 'compulsory match time'.

4. If the person being challenged offers 3 different 'compulsory match times' (on different days) and the challenger cannot make any of them, then the CHALLENGE is VOID.

5. If the person being challenged cannot offer 3 different 'compulsory match times' (on different days) then the CHALLENGER WINS by default.

6. If either party is more than 20 minutes late in attending an agreed match then the late or non attender loses the match.

7. If you make a successful challenge you swap your name with the person you beat. Therefore you may jump (or drop) up to two positions at a time.

8. The match must be out of a best of 3 games. Please also decide what will happen if the lights go out during the game.

9. Please check with your opponent any 'local rules' prior to playing.

10. If no result has been recorded by two thirds of the way through the challnege period a reminder is emailed to both parties.

11. If no result has been recorded by the end of the challenge period a warning is sent to record the result within a 3 days given 'grace period'.

12. If no result has been recorded by the end of the grace period the challenger automatically wins.

13. If the challenger wishes to cancel the challenge they may do so within the challenge and grace period with no consequences.

14. If the challenged person (challengee) wishes to forfeit the challenge they can record this within the challenge and grace period and the game is won by the challenger by forfeit.

You will have noticed a points score appear next to player names on the rankings page (if logged in). This is a trial points rating system based on the classic Elo system. Players will be awarded points for winning and lose points for losing depending on how difficult the system calculates your opponent to be. It will take a few games to settle down the scoring system. Currently the rating is displayed for information purposes only but in future it will be possible to arrange the ladder ranking system around this points score.

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Technical Information