Moral Question Here…

[joshmak10]

I was in a tournament once and for some reason some little tiny 5 year old was drawn against me. He started with illegal serves not even throwing the ball up and I found myself down 5-1 in game 1. Then my grandfather, who was in my corner, told me to do short serves all the time since he couldn’t reach them. I ended up winning 3-0 (11-5, 11-0, 11-2) after doing this and adjusting to his illegal serves. Now my question is, is this morally right? I felt really bad that I was winning so many cheap points just because this 5 year old kid could not reach the served at all.

 

[z0uLess]

Depends on so much more than the information you have provided or will ever be able to provide. Why is a 5 year old playing a tournament with grown ups?

 

[latej]

It's good you worry, I appreciate that highly, really...

But don't worry, he'll CRUSH you next time ;-)

Regardless of your grandfather... Peace to him too ;-)

 

[\_Kairos_/]

...Why is a 5 year old playing a tournament with grown ups?

True. The kid very likely didn't sign up for this tournament himself. Someone else was responsible for that...
Whether or not that was a smart decision is not the problem of OP.

...Now my question is, is this morally right? I felt really bad that I was winning so many cheap points just because this 5 year old kid could not reach the served at all.

As mentioned: That's not your problem. I would have chosen the same strategy as you.

 

[joshmak10]

Depends on so much more than the information you have provided or will ever be able to provide. Why is a 5 year old playing a tournament with grown ups?

I will never know tbh

 

[Jslick89]

I have a rule in table tennis- NO MERCY. Especially at a tournament. Doesn’t matter if you’re a child, in a wheelchair, or a senior lol.

 

[blahness]

I was in a tournament once and for some reason some little tiny 5 year old was drawn against me. He started with illegal serves not even throwing the ball up and I found myself down 5-1 in game 1. Then my grandfather, who was in my corner, told me to do short serves all the time since he couldn’t reach them. I ended up winning 3-0 (11-5, 11-0, 11-2) after doing this and adjusting to his illegal serves. Now my question is, is this morally right? I felt really bad that I was winning so many cheap points just because this 5 year old kid could not reach the served at all.

Hahahahah you did great... short serves are part and parcel of the game and if he cant reach it that is on him, not you!

 

[NetProphet]

I was in a tournament once and for some reason some little tiny 5 year old was drawn against me. He started with illegal serves not even throwing the ball up and I found myself down 5-1 in game 1. Then my grandfather, who was in my corner, told me to do short serves all the time since he couldn’t reach them. I ended up winning 3-0 (11-5, 11-0, 11-2) after doing this and adjusting to his illegal serves. Now my question is, is this morally right? I felt really bad that I was winning so many cheap points just because this 5 year old kid could not reach the served at all.

This story is pretty hilarious to me 😂
I think you know the answer to this and I think you are asking the question because you still feel bad.

What's most hilarious to me is that you felt you couldn't beat a 5 yr old without resorting to a shitty tactic. A FIVE year old 😂
Sorry for laughing, kind of...
I'm guessing you were stunned at what was happening and pride kicked in and the thought of being humiliated by this child was too much to bear so you chose a tactic to win at all costs.

In my opinion it was wrong. I think it's unfair to choose a tactic like that against a child with the courage to take part. If everyone played like that against children how would they learn? They'd play rallys only on their own serve. Or games against other children would go on forever until someone misses a serve?

I think if you could have held it together mentally you would have figured it out and beaten him.
But fear took over so I think the real issue is that you acted in a cowardly manner instead of taking the kid on in a fair game, mano y mano as it were.
Put it this way, what would you advise your own son to do if (for example) he was a teenager and faced this situation?
I think the real answer for you lies there.

 

[NetProphet]

Hahahahah you did great... short serves are part and parcel of the game and if he cant reach it that is on him, not you!

Are you saying that to ease his conscience or is that how you would also play V a 5 yr old child?

 

[joshmak10]

This story is pretty hilarious to me 😂
I think you know the answer to this and I think you are asking the question because you still feel bad.

What's most hilarious to me is that you felt you couldn't beat a 5 yr old without resorting to a shitty tactic. A FIVE year old 😂
Sorry for laughing, kind of...
I'm guessing you were stunned at what was happening and pride kicked it and the thought of being humiliated by this child was too much to bear so you chose a tactic to win at all costs.

In my opinion it was wrong. I think it's unfair to choose a tactic like that against a child with the courage to take part. If everyone played like that against children how would they learn? They'd play rallys only on their own serve. Or games against other children would go on forever until someone misses a serve?


I think if you could have held it together mentally you would have figured it out and beaten him.
But fear took over so I think the real issue is that you acted in a cowardly manner instead of taking the kid on in a fair game, mano y mano as it were.
Put it this way, what would you advise your own son to do if (for example) he was a teenager and faced this situation?
I think the real answer for you lies there.

Hey i just did what my coach told me to do…🤣

 

[blahness]

Are you saying that to ease his conscience or is that how you would also play V a 5 yr old child?

Perfectly within the rules. There is no rules saying that you cant do short serves.... short serves are part and parcel of the game, and if he doesnt want to encounter them he should not compete in a tournament.

 

[joshmak10]

Are you saying that to ease his conscience or is that how you would also play V a 5 yr old child?

Game is game

 

[joshmak10]

Perfectly within the rules. There is no rules saying that you cant do short serves.... short serves are part and parcel of the game, and if he doesnt want to encounter them he should not compete in a tournament.

A little petty but within the rules…it’ll prolly make him better even if i feel a little guilty about it 🤣

 

[NetProphet]

Perfectly within the rules. There is no rules saying that you cant do short serves.... short serves are part and parcel of the game, and if he doesnt want to encounter them he should not compete in a tournament.

Absolutely. You are correct here if course. I'm not questioning that.
I'm more interested in what people think they actually would have done in the same situation.
It's obvious why the OP is telling the story and asking the question, the rules don't cover everything and morally, an adult V 5 yr old is a question for each individual.
I'd rather be the guy who lost to a 5 yr old that was better than me rather than the practicing my short serves to win guy because I didn't feel I could rally with a 5 yr old. 😂
Ethically the rules are different V a child or this question wouldn't exist

 

[blahness]

Absolutely. You are correct here if course. I'm not questioning that.
I'm more interested in what people think they actually would have done in the same situation.
It's obvious why the OP is telling the story and asking the question, the rules don't cover everything and morally and adult V 5 yr old is a question for each individual.
I'd rather be the guy who lost to a 5 yr old that was better than me rather than the practicing my short serves to win route because I didn't feel I could rally with a 5 yr old. 😂
Ethically the rules are different V a child or this question wouldn't exist

I dont understand - do you not serve short serves against everyone else?

He is not even talking about super short ghost serves which btw one kid used to reach the final in a recent Chinese national junior tournament.

Why would you intentionally dumb down your normal game so that the kid can adapt?

 

[NetProphet]

A little petty but within the rules…it’ll prolly make him better even if i feel a little guilty about it 🤣

What age were you when this happened?

 

[latej]

The 5y kid may not even be able to do a serve properly according the rules...

But as I tried to convey, that is less important, than the fact, that the OP made this thread in the 1st place ;-)

The kid will recover. He'll crush him next time. The OP will be fine too...

All is well ;-)

 

[joshmak10]

What age were you when this happened?

This was about a year ago so I was 17

 

[K.K]

i am on the same side as @Sims there would have been many ways to find spots to pull in your game against a five yea old. no need for something where your opponent is not able to do anything against.
also the score you posted didn't seamed like you had any problems with the serve, so why just not have a fair game against each other and have fun?

 

[Lazer]

If you are 5 years old you may not be tall enough to do a normal serve so shame on you… 😡

Cheers
L-zr