THE OBJECTIVE

• Hit the ball over the net and onto your opponent’s side.
• Win a point when your opponent cannot return the ball correctly.

THE SERVE

• Hold the ball in your open palm and toss it upwards.
• Hit the ball so it bounces on your side first, then your opponent’s side.
• Singles: the serve can go anywhere on the opponent’s side.
• Doubles: the serve must go diagonally.
• Change server every 2 points. At 10–10, change server every 1 point.

SCORING

• A game is normally played to 11 points.
• You must win by 2 points.
• Example: 11–8 = game over. At 10–10, continue until someone leads by 2.
• A match is usually best of 3, 5, or 7 games.

DURING THE RALLY

• After the serve, each player lets the ball bounce once on their side before returning it.
• The ball must go over the net and onto the opponent’s side.

YOU LOSE THE POINT IF…

• You miss the ball.
• You hit the ball into the net or off the table.
• You hit the ball before it bounces on your side.
• You hit the ball twice.
• You touch the table with your free hand.
• You touch the net or move the table.

IN OR OUT?

• Top edge of the table → IN.
• Vertical side of the table → OUT.

BALL TOUCHES THE NET

• During a rally: if it touches the net and still lands correctly, play continues.
• During a serve: if it touches the net but the serve is otherwise correct, it is a LET and the serve is replayed.

CHANGE ENDS

• Players change ends after each game.
• In the final possible game, players change ends when one player/team reaches 5 points.

⭐ THE GOLDEN RULE

• LET IT BOUNCE → HIT IT OVER THE NET → KEEP THE RALLY GOING!
• First player/team to 11 points, with a 2-point advantage, wins the game.

Note that the above details are generic Table Tennis rules. The rules for each specific league may differ.