Table Tennis: Rules of the Game

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) establishes the rules for all major table tennis events, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships, and its regulations are employed in matches at all levels. The standard playing table is a rectangle that is 8.9 feet long and 5 feet wide. The table is 2.5 feet tall. The net that divides the table is 6 inches tall.

  1. Service

    • When serving, a player tosses the ball into the air and strikes it before the ball hits the table. The ball must bounce on the server's side of the net prior to bouncing over the net to the receiver. The ball cannot touch the net during a serve. Failure to serve in this way two times in a row will result in a point for the other team. The receiver must hit the ball back over or around the net, and the ball must strike the opponent's portion of the court to be counted as a good return.

      Prior to the first game, the players will decide who serves first by lot, such as a coin toss. The winner of the lot may choose to serve or receive, or choose an end of the table to play from for the next game. The server will serve for 2 points and then the opponent will serve.

    Scoring

    • Points can be scored in a variety of ways. If a player fails to make a good serve or return, his opponent wins a point. Also, if a player strikes the ball twice consecutively, touches the table with his free hand, moves the table or allows his body or clothing to touch the net, his opponent is awarded a point.

    Games and Matches

    • The first player to score 11 points and have at least a 2-point lead wins the game. If the player does not lead by 2 points, the game will continue until the 2-point advantage is achieved. The ITTF does not designate how many games constitute a match; however, there must be an odd number of games in every match. The player who wins the most games wins the match.

    Expedite System

    • The expedite system goes into effect if there is no winner after 10 minutes of play and the players have each scored less than 9 points or if both sides request the system within the first 10 minutes of the game. At this point, the expedite system will be in effect until the end of the game.

      During the expedite system, the players will alternate serving after each point. If the receiving player makes 13 good returns, the receiver scores a point. This will continue until the end of the game, when the winning player scores 11 points with at least a 2 point advantage.