Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[OldschoolPenholder]

Just when I am super happy with my blade and ready to take a break from EJ, (if no mistake was made) I get a free Nexy Arche to review from MyTT. Oh well...

LOL cool! Enjoy!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Received the Christmas Contest prize from NextLevel yesterday. Keen on trying out the shakehold blade, went to the club. My regular hitting partner showed up late. Didn't get to try out the SH paddle.

Hit with a member that I have not played in quite a long time. Mainly been practicing and not playing matches, ended up playing with this partner... I played horribly ... didn't feel 100% ... NYC weather has been warm one day and the next day like a 20 degree F. drop! But the main reason was that I had a hard time picking up the ball against the white wall. Lost 3-0, 3-0, and won 3-2 ... he lost steam in 3rd match, i jumped to 2-0 lead, miraculously winning one while facing the white wall... somehow he got 2nd wind and came back to win 2 and forced a game 5 --- i somehow jumped to a 5-1 lead despite facing the wall... i'm leading 3-1 and get back-to-back net and edge balls. I apologized profusely. Also I insisted on the changing of sides at 5 and was leading 7-1 when he came back with 4 points. Serving at 7-5, i won 2 to make it 9-5, he came back with 1 to make it 9-6 but lost his 2nd on missed serve ... serving at 10-7, i missed a serve lol and won it 11-8.

Of my losses and wins, vs this partner, they were all at 8 or 9 and 3 games at deuce. He is a lobber, instead of me working on stuff I have been working on - close-to-the-table short stroke loop and RPB, i tried my old dinosaur game of punch, block and smash. What a mistake! I should've continued with what I've been working on. Bottom line though, we both had a LOT of fun ... i punched/blocked side to side and smashed ... he plays steady and lobs ... i served nospin short, or short, not much rocket as he wasn't close to the table ... bottom line, we spent so much time laughing at our shots ... he lobbed with some sidespin he imparted under the table and i misjudged and i looked like a silly old fool missing badly ... i had him moving side to side and caught him flat footed at times... i laughed so hard i literally saw stars in my eyes!

Some of the others saw me playing a match and was surprised because outside of once or twice here and there, for the past 6 months or so, i have only been practicing.

Played for 2 hours the whole night and left a bit feeling a little under the weather but not quite.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Went to the new club last night. 1 friend was there earlier than me and had a private lesson with our coach friend.

I hit with a gentleman who only blocked. So i wanted to work my close to the table loop but not making them. Not used to the new club yet. Lighting is very bright but the colors on the walls not used it. I also was feeling a cold coming on... trying to fight it off. So I was 'off' last night. Resorted to just flat hitting. Hit with him ~30 mins. Then my friend finished his private lesson and was tired and went home.

Our coach friend hit with me ~30 mins. He believes I shouldn't be using tensor rubbers and/or the blade. I am not precise in placement or super steady with it yet. We hit FH to FH and i punched to his BH. Was going to start on close to the table when the lady i hit with 2 weeks ago during my first visit to this club wanted to hit with me. Coach called it a night and left. I hit with the lady for 15 mins before she asked to play a set. I neglected to eat my banana and granola bar ... should've taken a fast break. Just kept on hitting instead ... so 'into' the hitting.

Jumped out to a 2-0 lead, losing steam, she tied it. Was 5-5 in 5th game, and she won it 11-6 LOL

Not feeling my loop at all last night, resorted to side to side pushing and TPB punching down the line.

After the match, she mentioned she rushes herself during games and generally doesn't do well. I told I'm the same LOL

Bottom line, i had fun, still feeling like a cold is trying to win. 2 family members are sick so yeah, i'm fighting it.

Plan to go tonight to my regular club. Will see how i feel when i leave work.

May all the net and edge balls go your way DTT CCers!

p.s. didn't try out the SH blade i got as a prize from NextLevel's Christmas contest. Aim to try it out tonight.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

The 80 or 81 yr old chopper at my club ... last year he had hip surgery or knee/double knee surgery. Out for the year. I remember him from the 1980's Chinatown TT club in an old firehouse. He used to chop down all the club's good players (Steven Mok, Fu-lap Lee, Ray Domingo, Alex Tam, etc) ... he vaguely recalls me ... think he was easily 2000 back then, think he may even be 2200. Now, not sure what his rating is, but 80 yrs old!

George Braithwaite is probably the oldest at our club at 83 or so. Back in the 1980's Braithwaite generally won the all the Over 40 tournaments. IIRc, he was the USA's ambassador to China or table tennis ambassador to China during he 1970's.

i digress, here's a short video of an 80 yr old chopper

 

[42andbackpains]

Guess who came to my club to play today?......drumroll please...Its forum member songdavid98. It was great meeting him and we chatted for a little bit. He is highly energetic and loves Table Tennis. He asked me to hit with him, but i just got over a cold and was saving my energy to play a match on the other table, so i said no. Besides, he is way above my level. He could give OSP 10 points and still wipe the floor with him.



Here is a update on my latest EJ adventure. I put on a sheet of Tibhar K1 Hybrid Pro that i got two weeks ago. This rubber has the new thick sponge and thin topsheet that all the manufacturers are producing these days. Right out of the package i felt the rubber to be overall hard but when i started to play, it was very playable. I had a horror story dealing with the Joola Ultra Tango being harder than a rock. I have played with K1 Plus and the K1 Pro is much faster and bouncier. If i had to compare the bounce, it would feel like your Esn/tensor rubber or a well boosted H3 Neo. It has a light tack and good spin with a arc comparable or a bit lower to a boosted H3 Neo . Since i have been using slower rubbers lately, i had a bit of trouble controlling the rubber initially due to the extra bounce and speed i was getting. I dont know how to describe the feel of the rubber. It has characteristics of European rubbers and Chinese at the same time. At times it felt like the rubber was grabbing the ball like a softer ESN rubber but giving you the spin of a Chinese rubber. I guess the Hybrid name is definitely right on when Tibhar marketed this baby. As of now my month long journey of looking for a boosted H3 Neo replacement is over. The winner is the Tibhar K1 Hybrid Pro. Hope this baby does not shrink like MXP. Please note, i bought this in Max thickness and one of my coaches was fiddling with the DHS thickness tester on the side. The Tibhar K1 Hybrid Pro failed the test with 4.12, i did put on 2 light layers of Donic Vario glue on the wood and the rubber. Maybe 4 layers was a bit too much and i will go with 1 layer on my next sheet. So if you get tested and fail, dont ever say i never warned ya.. Please note, one of the Chinese coaches did mention that a lot of Max thickness rubbers brand new right out of the package fail the the thickness test.

 

[songdavid98]

So I met 42andbackpains today at NYISC. Apparently, he's there every Saturday. I found it shocking that he tried and tested 4 rubbers in such a short time. Are all EJ's like that?

I played at NYISC where I met a bunch of players I haven't seen in a long time. Many members from CCCF, NYITTC, and the old Flushing Mall club.

I played and won all my matches except for one. It was a fisher. I wasn't ready at all for that kind of style of play and I wasn't able to win points consistently.

After thinking it over a little bit and taking some advice about playing the angles, I played him again and won (still wasn't an easy win)

I learned that I am too reliant on the fact that most people can't block my attacks, so much so that I didn't really know what to do after that except keep looping. So, now, I understand that I've got to have a good follow-up plan in case my standard looping doesn't work.

Also, I learned that I not that confident in smashing deep-highish blocks. I usually loop them (I usually don't miss those). Other players were telling me to smash and that he wasn't that hard to beat. I remember smashing and missing those in the past, so I didn't try, but I guess around now is a good time to face my fears try again.

*****

Overall, playing at NYISC today brought back the feeling of playing matches all day that I've experienced in the Flushing Mall Club days. I learned a lot of things about myself today, and met new and old friends. I might considered playing there in the long term.

 

[42andbackpains]

Yes, i was trying my hardest to get him to join our club...our club does serve beer...wait this kid isn't even 21 yet. Ha ha

Our club does have a high amount of penhold players, so maybe that will entice him even more...

Where is the Goon Squad when i need there brainwashing techniques.

 

[42andbackpains]

So I met 42andbackpains today at NYISC. Apparently, he's there every Saturday. I found it shocking that he tried and tested 4 rubbers in such a short time. Are all EJ's like that?

If and whenever Butterfly releases the Tenergy 05C or 05N, i will be the first in line!!!

 

[songdavid98]

Yes, i was trying my hardest to get him to join our club...our club does serve beer...wait this kid isn't even 21 yet. Ha ha

Our club does have a high amount of penhold players, so maybe that will entice him even more...

Where is the Goon Squad when i need there brainwashing techniques.

Penholders are the norm in the clubs that I have played at. More shakehand players would be a change.

The only way to entice me is with good players

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

The 80 or 81 yr old chopper at my club ... last year he had hip surgery or knee/double knee surgery. Out for the year. I remember him from the 1980's Chinatown TT club in an old firehouse. He used to chop down all the club's good players (Steven Mok, Fu-lap Lee, Ray Domingo, Alex Tam, etc) ... he vaguely recalls me ... think he was easily 2000 back then, think he may even be 2200. Now, not sure what his rating is, but 80 yrs old!

George Braithwaite is probably the oldest at our club at 83 or so. Back in the 1980's Braithwaite generally won the all the Over 40 tournaments. IIRc, he was the USA's ambassador to China or table tennis ambassador to China during he 1970's.

i digress, here's a short video of an 80 yr old chopper

The Chief (George Braithwaite) isn't just a chopper. I saw Chief beat Edmund Suen in the under 2200 at FIT a few years ago. Maybe it is 3 or 4 years ago at this point. But he was looping on that day. He was a coach. So coaches, often chop to help their students improve. Perhaps as he is getting older, he needs to chop now. But he was a very versatile player.

 

[NextLevel]

The Chief (George Braithwaite) isn't just a chopper. I saw Chief beat Edmund Suen in the under 2200 at FIT a few years ago. Maybe it is 3 or 4 years ago at this point. But he was looping on that day. He was a coach. So coaches, often chop to help their students improve. Perhaps as he is getting older, he needs to chop now. But he was a very versatile player.

He didn't call chief a chopper, he was trying to place how good the chopper was in the context of his contemporaries (people of the same age)...

 

[Michal_Z]

Guys, I have to share, I managed to beat a player that I never beat before
Great match this Friday, we lost, yes, but I played well and not just me..

So this is my match:

And this is our best player against the same player, that I beat, very very good match!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Congratulations Sir!

Guys, I have to share, I managed to beat a player that I never beat before
Great match this Friday, we lost, yes, but I played well and not just me..

So this is my match:

And this is our best player against the same player, that I beat, very very good match!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

He could give OSP 10 points and still wipe the floor with him.



View attachment 15352

Coolness! Nice pic too!!

LOLOL - i'm telling everyone here, no one believes me, i cannot play matches anymore ... hence me asking for 9 points or more!!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

The Chief (George Braithwaite) isn't just a chopper. I saw Chief beat Edmund Suen in the under 2200 at FIT a few years ago. Maybe it is 3 or 4 years ago at this point. But he was looping on that day. He was a coach. So coaches, often chop to help their students improve. Perhaps as he is getting older, he needs to chop now. But he was a very versatile player.

NL beat me to it, video is not of THE CHIEF. I mentioned Chief cos he is one of 3 players in their 80's still actively playing TT at Lost Battalion! The Chief, the chopper, and Tomas N. are in their 80's and amazing and inspirational!

 

[ttmonster]

Thanks for posting the video OSPH ! ... he does not look his age at all ... very inspirational ...

NL beat me to it, video is not of THE CHIEF. I mentioned Chief cos he is one of 3 players in their 80's still actively playing TT at Lost Battalion! The Chief, the chopper, and Tomas N. are in their 80's and amazing and inspirational!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Last Thurs, I hit for 2.5 hrs with ~30 mins as pure SH with the prize from NextLevel's Christmas Giveaway Contest.

~28 mins raw video of me playing with a SH blade - my first time playing SH for such an extended time period!

Despite the SH grip i felt some discomfort when hitting FH. Perhaps I don't have the optimal grip vs my wrist being weak or perhaps both factors are involved. Stroking just BH, my wrist felt ok.

Noticed my index finger rides up a little on FH, but on BH, my index finger is where it should be.

Apologize for the bad camera angle. Was tired and getting late, but wanted to capture something to video.

Eternal gratitude to NextLevel for the prize/gift!

p.s. you can see the chopper in action in the background.

FH-FH 0:00-12:50 (with some attempted short stroke close to the table FH topspin shots and attempted FH blocking partner's FH loops)

BH-BH 12:50-17:22

Partner serves downspin, i push to his FH for him to 3rd ball loop 17:22-24:50

I serve some 24:50-27:43

 

[Shifu]

Bumped into my bathroom door with my knee, feels like a so called bone bruise which I had over a year ago (confirmed by MRI then), back then I had to stop playing for 4 months or so... Was a horrible time and now again :/

 

[suds79]

Noticed my index finger rides up a little on FH, but on BH, my index finger is where it should be.

That's your hand sliding the head more down in that natural penhold FH as that's what you're use to. I had the same thing happen when I toyed with the idea of Shakehand in the past.

As your penhold brother, I command you to stop this nonsense right now and come back to where your heart is.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Despite the SH grip, felt the blade was too heavy ... not used to it after ~6 months of continuous use of the smaller and lighter hinoki CPen. It was a total jedi mind trick to try out SH for fun!

That's your hand sliding the head more down in that natural penhold FH as that's what you're use to. I had the same thing happen when I toyed with the idea of Shakehand in the past.

Ah, very interesting! Thank you suds!

As your penhold brother, I command you to stop this nonsense right now and come back to where your heart is.

LOLOLOL - I may convert to SH at some point, but only tried it to try the racket as well as a change of pace to clear cobwebs and get back to PH refreshed.