Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[JeffM]

Waiting a year to change your rubbers is kinda criminal . Makes me wonder how much use you give the rubblers.

More seriously, unless you think you are seriously losing grip, wait it out. After you change you can tell if it was worth waiting this long. Because new rubber does play differently and you have to decide whether you aren't adapted to the older rubber already. I don't think you can blame your worse play in the next month kn what happens to the rubber in that time. But definitely change more frequently than waiting a year, especially on forehand.

Yeah you are right.. I really haven't been playing much.. I seem to either be playing very rarely or bouts of lots of tt, then just lately, infrequently.

Yeah I am still winning my matches, but I can imagine if my forehand rubber were fresh, the spin I get on it would be so much stronger.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

@blahness thanks . Yes I’ve been also told to push long more often when receiving. Or chiquita.

Those are shots that I can do in training but in match play I have difficulties reading spin and trajectory. The ball is a bit deeper than I thought ? I will miss the chiquita. I want to push long ? But there is more under spin than I thought or ball is no spin and I didn’t see it…

Sometimes there is side spin or it’s a kick serve and I am not vigilant and I even miss the ball !!!

In practice if server tells me I’m going to to that kind of serve here, I’d be able to produce (very) good receive with reasonable consistency

——
@NextLevel thanks for the elbow tip. Maybe someone told me before but I forgot it ? I’ll try it again

 

[NextLevel]

Yeah you are right.. I really haven't been playing much.. I seem to either be playing very rarely or bouts of lots of tt, then just lately, infrequently.

Yeah I am still winning my matches, but I can imagine if my forehand rubber were fresh, the spin I get on it would be so much stronger.

Yea, but if you block heavy spin, you might not like the results as much - it is a balancing act for sure, you know your game better.

 

[NextLevel]

@blahness thanks . Yes I’ve been also told to push long more often when receiving. Or chiquita.

Those are shots that I can do in training but in match play I have difficulties reading spin and trajectory. The ball is a bit deeper than I thought ? I will miss the chiquita. I want to push long ? But there is more under spin than I thought or ball is no spin and I didn’t see it…

Sometimes there is side spin or it’s a kick serve and I am not vigilant and I even miss the ball !!!

In practice if server tells me I’m going to to that kind of serve here, I’d be able to produce (very) good receive with reasonable consistency

——
@NextLevel thanks for the elbow tip. Maybe someone told me before but I forgot it ? I’ll try it again

The mistakes you make on serve return are normal for everyone. The goal is to work on reading serve better and in general anticipation. It is my current project so for me, some things that have worked.

1. Deep breathing to relax before the point starts if I am nervously tense so that time slows down and I can focus om the serve.
2. Taking a mental photo of the contact and acknowledging when I failed to do so. Because failing to do so either means you need to breathe and focus or that your opponent is hiding the serve so you need to take it later.
3. Watching the first bounce aggressively and using it to estimate serve depth.
4. Adjusting your racket angle to reduce the impact of sidespin, and never pushing completely underneath a ball that has sidespin.
5. Getting your head close to a short backspin ball to be sure it doesn't have no-spin and to have the control to adjust.
6. Waiting for and spinning the long serve, especially on down the line serves.
7. Attacking short sidespin and topspin serves with a relatively open racket angle.

I would add going in and out but my right knee makes it a work in progress. But watching serves aggressively and trying to use the information to take the ball patiently is what I am working on. The brain shuts off when you play the same people too often, so you have to find ways to make your brain truly aware.

 

[Der_Echte]

Bumped into TTD Member @Wrighty67 at a local tournament here on Bristol today 🏓

Great chat! Small world 😁🌎

View attachment 25030

DDDDAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMNNNN !!!!!!! Good.

 

[Dan]

DDDDAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMNNNN !!!!!!! Good.

We have to get a meet up sometime 🔥🔥🔥

 

[Dan]

How did Timo pull this shot off?? Its just ridiculous!

 

[TensorBackhand]

How did Timo pull this shot off?? Its just ridiculous!

View attachment 25048

Probably with the power of Dignics 09c. The extra tackiness helps him guide the ball.

Dan when will you switch to tacky rubbers?

 

[Der_Echte]

How did Timo pull this shot off?? Its just ridiculous!

View attachment 25048

In the ARMY, we would say he "Pulled it outta hiz azz"

 

[Der_Echte]

That quaint saying means it was as improbable as pulling the thing outta you know where. What a shot.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

How did Timo pull this shot off?? Its just ridiculous!

View attachment 25048

It is ridiculous indeed but this video has been already around for years too…

 

[NextLevel]

So I thought really hard about it that who should I model my game after. Well, he is left handed, but other than that, this is the guy my game is most similar to and I will look really hard at his games for strategies.

 

[blahness]

@blahness thanks . Yes I’ve been also told to push long more often when receiving. Or chiquita.

Those are shots that I can do in training but in match play I have difficulties reading spin and trajectory. The ball is a bit deeper than I thought ? I will miss the chiquita. I want to push long ? But there is more under spin than I thought or ball is no spin and I didn’t see it…

Sometimes there is side spin or it’s a kick serve and I am not vigilant and I even miss the ball !!!

In practice if server tells me I’m going to to that kind of serve here, I’d be able to produce (very) good receive with reasonable consistency

——
@NextLevel thanks for the elbow tip. Maybe someone told me before but I forgot it ? I’ll try it again

I think most of us have this problem especially against good servers who vary spin/placement well. What I try to do is to make my strokes a lot more "adjustable". For eg there is a gradual sliding scale between my chiquita and a full blown BH loop, they're not 2 completely different strokes. So I can easily "chiquita" a half long or even long serve if I judge the length bad, albeit with worse shot quality, but at least it's not a complete disaster. Not using any arm backswing has this advantage in adjustability because you're not "locked into a stroke" too early and have the time to watch the ball.

The other thing is taking more steps which is a work in progress for me too. If you take 1 big step, chances are you may judge the ball trajectory wrong and you're locked into a bad position. But if you take 3 smaller steps, you can adjust as the ball comes to you (even if your initial step is wrong, you can still adjust using the remaining 2 steps). I'm still working on incorporating the intermediate step back after receiving a short serve currently which we were talking in another thread by turbozed.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Yesterday being a Sunday, my regular club is closed. Hence I went to my old club that I had not been to for many a moons.

Met an old club mate who was playing. This old club mate of mine is an elderly woman in the mid-sixties, a diminutive figure. Typical Asian auntie ( 師 奶 / See Lai / housewife ) physique.

I used to lose to her, she is the quintessential typical club push-blocker type player.

Her super-powers:
1. Superb blocker with great touch. Rubber is almost dead has not change even after more than 2 years of using. I know coz it is the same rubber I saw her play with two years ago.

2. Great placement, can place the ball very close to the edge as well as drop shot near the net.

3. Uncanny ability to win points with edge ball & net ball. No kidding, it is her unique skill.

Weakness:
a) Can't spin even if her life depends on it

b) 100% BH, no FH at all unless block.

c) No strength, the ball is 99% drop shot type even if she tries hard to drive. If the ball goes deep, it is due to her opponent's strength.

Surprisingly we played two rounds of best of seven and one round of best of five, needless to say, I won all of the rounds. So what has changed?

1. Varying the degree of spin. Her kryptonite is slow-archy-spinny loops. Her blocks will fly to the moon. Contrary to popular belief, Gozo can FH spin, given the right conditions.

2. Do not ever do fast drive at her, she is like a Wally Rebounder Board, i.e., all your drives will come back to you at great speed and you will lose. This is her major strength.

3. Do not engage in a push rally with her, she can push all day and will most likely win the rally with her uncanny ability to win points with edge ball and net balls.

4. Spin is your ally. Use it spuriously.

5. Fast drive to her far / deep BH is another kryptonite for her. Somehow, her BH blocks is worse than her FH block and most of her BH blocks either fly out of the table or hits the net. Her FH block is deadly.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

So I thought really hard about it that who should I model my game after. Well, he is left handed, but other than that, this is the guy my game is most similar to and I will look really hard at his games for strategies.

I have a serious question. Might be controversial, but please bear with me and help me satisfy my innate curiosity,

Is it a good idea to look at these old footage of players from yesteryears other than for nostalgic / entertainment reason?

During those yesteryears, the ball used were smaller and hence the technique employed would be different from the current 40++ mm ball era. From a technical perspective I opined that they are useless to watch other than for nostalgia / entertainment purpose.

What does players her say? Is my assertion correct or incorrect?

P/s Gozo is putting on a flame retardant suit.

 

[JeffM]

Yesterday being a Sunday, my regular club is closed. Hence I went to my old club that I had not been to for many a moons.

Met an old club mate who was playing. This old club mate of mine is an elderly woman in the mid-sixties, a diminutive figure. Typical Asian auntie ( 師 奶 / See Lai / housewife ) physique.

I used to lose to her, she is the quintessential typical club push-blocker type player.

Her super-powers:
1. Superb blocker with great touch. Rubber is almost dead has not change even after more than 2 years of using. I know coz it is the same rubber I saw her play with two years ago.

2. Great placement, can place the ball very close to the edge as well as drop shot near the net.

3. Uncanny ability to win points with edge ball & net ball. No kidding, it is her unique skill.

Weakness:
a) Can't spin even if her life depends on it

b) 100% BH, no FH at all unless block.

c) No strength, the ball is 99% drop shot type even if she tries hard to drive. If the ball goes deep, it is due to her opponent's strength.

Surprisingly we played two rounds of best of seven and one round of best of five, needless to say, I won all of the rounds. So what has changed?

1. Varying the degree of spin. Her kryptonite is slow-archy-spinny loops. Her blocks will fly to the moon. Contrary to popular belief, Gozo can FH spin, given the right conditions.

2. Do not ever do fast drive at her, she is like a Wally Rebounder Return Board, i.e., all your drives will come back to you at great speed and you will lose. This is her major strength.

3. Do not engage in a push rally with her, she can push all day and will most likely win the rally with her uncanny ability to win points with edge ball and net balls.

4. Spin is your ally. Use it spuriously.

5. Fast drive to her far / deep BH is another kryptonite for her. Somehow, her BH blocks is worse than her FH block and most of her BH blocks either fly out of the table or hits the net. Her FH block is deadly.

There are so many of these players around, after reading your section about her super-powers, the older lady from a club that I played at years ago quickly came to my mind. She has been playing for long time so she knows where to block etc to get the point but mobility is a big issue for her.

Only that I have bad memories of her as she was often mean to us uni students (years ago). I would try my best to not go to that club just not not see her back then. She would always accuse us of not wanting to play with her and that it was because we think we are better than her, but mainly it is because of her character.

Not a problem anymore as since then, there has been so many more table tennis clubs around.

 

[SamTheMan]

I have a serious question. Might be controversial, but please bear with me and help me satisfy my innate curiosity,

Is it a good idea to look at these old footage of players from yesteryears other than for nostalgic / entertainment reason?

During those yesteryears, the ball used were smaller and hence the technique employed would be different from the current 40++ mm ball era. From a technical perspective I opined that they are useless to watch other than for nostalgia / entertainment purpose.

What does players her say? Is my assertion correct or incorrect?

P/s Gozo is putting on a flame retardant suit.

This game is not with the 40+ ball but it's with the 40 mm celluloid ball. But I do think it makes sense to copy some strategies and technics from Kara. More so then copying from Ma Long, most of us on this forum are physically more like Kara then Ma Long or Fan Zhen Dong.

Here are some more recent clips with Kara playing with 40+ balls.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[SamTheMan]

Some regulars here have been advocating me to go back to a slower set-up. So, I took out my old bat and try playing with it. It is the Darker Speed 90 with Acuda S1 & Bluefire M1 on each side.

No can't do. It is just not the same. Even my club-mate commented, this DS90 does not offer the same feel for him. He said that he cannot feel the usual power from my drives. Usually he feels the vibration from my drive and today it is missing he further commented. The same comment also came from my coach, he said ( in Uncle Roger accent ) Haiyah! Why today you no power? I don't feel your usual 500 lbs/sq-inch force. Today I no play Gozo, today I play with little kindergarten kid.

I guess my technique has adapted to the 10.5mm. With a 9mm, due to the lacking in power, I had to swing harder and that messes up my technique. My ball control became even worse.

This leads me to my main point, fast or slow set-up, with time our hand adapts. I guess mine has adapted to a fast set-up.

With a slower setup we didn’t mean that you should go from off++ to off+ ! 🤯
That is still a far too fast setup for most beginners. We meant something around allround to really learn the basics and so that you can feel confidence in learning and doing all the different strokes and techniques.

Try something like Yasaka Sweden Extra and don’t try it for one session, because you WILL play worse with it in the beginning. Play with it for 6 months and I’m sure you will improve more then you have during your latest 6 months.

 

[NextLevel]

wwwww

I have a serious question. Might be controversial, but please bear with me and help me satisfy my innate curiosity,

Is it a good idea to look at these old footage of players from yesteryears other than for nostalgic / entertainment reason?

During those yesteryears, the ball used were smaller and hence the technique employed would be different from the current 40++ mm ball era. From a technical perspective I opined that they are useless to watch other than for nostalgia / entertainment purpose.

What does players her say? Is my assertion correct or incorrect?

P/s Gozo is putting on a flame retardant suit.

Why the suit? Your question is quite reasonable and well motivated.

Technique has changed with the new ball, equipment has changed, and even (some) rules have changed, but did the best players really change across eras as all these things changed? As SamTheMan pointed out, Karaksevic has recent matches. And when you watch them, you might see slight technical modifications if you have a good eye for technique, but he is actually older, slower and craftier. In Nigeria, many players are still learning ancient technique, though some are modernized. Many of those players with ancient technique will beat me easily because in the end, the goal is ball quality in response to many incoming spins and placement combinations. Technique is just how to achieve it optimally, which may or may not be what you need for what you do at the level you play at.

So from a ideal technical perspective, you are right, but practical reality says that since the top players didn't change, it wasn't as big a deal as people make out.

 

[NextLevel]

Because of my grip, other candidates are Truls and Jorgen Persson but their games are much more athletic.

Anyone think they will beat this legend because of his outdated technique?

Or this one? Does anyone here think they stand a chance against either of these guys with your modern technique against their outdated technique?