Table Tennis Rules

General Rules Adapted for Intramural Play.

1. Choice of end or service: The choice of end and the right to serve or receive is decided by

tossing a coin (or some other random method). If the winner of the toss decides to serve or

receive first, the loser has the choice of end or vice versa. The winner of the toss may

require the loser to choose first.

3. Serving: The ball is placed on the palm of the free hand, which must be stationary, open,

and flat, with the fingers together and thumb free. Keeping the free hand above the level of

the playing surface, the ball is then thrown, without imparting spin, so that it rises within 45

degrees of the vertical. The ball is considered in play when it ceases to be stationary on the

palm of the hand. On descent, the ball is struck to touch the server’s court first and then,

passing directly over or around the net, to touch the receiver’s court. At the moment of

striking, the paddle must be behind the end of the table or imaginary continuation of it. If, in

attempting to serve, a player fails to strike the ball while it is in play, his/her opponent will

receive one point.

3.) The ball bounces in such a way as to return to the side of the net where it was last hit

and is then hit directly to touch the opponent’s court.

A return is not considered good if:

1.) The ball is allowed to bounce twice before the return is made.

2.) The ball is volleyed, struck before it touches the playing surface of that player’s court

and is still in play.

3.) The ball is struck so it touches the striker’s court before passing over or around the

net.

4.) The ball passes over or around the net but fails to touch the opponent’s court.

5.) The ball becomes out of play once it has touched any object other than the net, net

every odd serve. From the score of 10 all, the order of serving and receiving is unchanged,

but each player serves for only 1 point in succession until the game ends. The player who

served first in one game receives first in the next game. Any error in serving or receiving

order must be corrected as soon as it is noticed; all points scored since the errors are

counted.

6. Scoring: A “Competitive” level match consists of the best of 5 games, and a “Recreational”

level match consists of the best of 3 games. Play must be continuous throughout a game,

although a player may claim a one-minute rest between successive games in a match. A

game is won by the first player scoring 11 points, unless both score 10 points; then the

touched the playing surface on that side.

4.) His/her opponent touches the net or its support or moves the playing surface while

the ball is in play.

7. Let: A let is a rally from which no point is scored. It occurs when:

1.) The ball touches the net or its supports in service, provided the service is

otherwise good or has been volleyed by the receiver.

2.) A service is delivered when the receiver is not ready to play.

3.) A rally is interrupted to correct a mistake in playing order or ends.

4.) A disturbance in conditions of play is likely to affect the outcome of a rally.

decide which one of them will receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first

server having been chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to him in the

preceding game. In doubles play, the service shall touch successively the right half court

of the server’s and the right half court of the receiver’s. At each change of service the

previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall

become the receiver.

Example of serving order: A-1 serves to B-1, B-1 serves to A-2, A-2 serves to B-2, B-2

serves to A-1.