What’s Better: Playing Hard or Playing Smart?

[spinreversal]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share something that happened to me this weekend and get your thoughts on it. I was playing a league match against a team full of young, fast players. Normally, I trust my forehand attack a lot, and in long topspin-to-topspin rallies I usually feel comfortable. But this time, even though I was hitting hard, I was losing those exchanges.

From the bench, my teammate told me: “Stop trying to hit so hard. Place the ball and move your opponent.”
So I took the advice, changed my approach, focused on placement instead of power—and I ended up turning the match around and winning.

Some points on the match:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

This really made me think about the whole “placement vs. power” debate. Is it better to hit hard, or to play smart and use the opponent’s weaknesses? I’d love to hear your opinions and experiences.

 

[PoppaChubby]

Ask Waldner: first ever to achieve a Grand Slam without having to play hard, the master of block, spins in all dimensions, serve, and ball placements. Koki Niwa was that style of player too. Never played that hard, but always smart.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

This seems like a loaded question - it is obviously better to focus on placement if it means that you will definitely get the ball on the table and if hitting hard means that you will definitely miss. But in real TT it isn't so simple.

And on the internet you will probably get an overwhelming response that "placement and smarts always beat power" but in reality it is more complex and situation dependent than that. Really depends on you and your opponent. There are different blends of risk and reward trade off that lead to winning and you can't really pick one way over another.

 

[boretennis]

i know you need social media engagement, but maybe you could embed your videos here as well?

 

[Snek]

- Hard or smart?
Short answer:
- Both.
Long answer:
Both, but if that isn't possible, which one you are better/which one is best in current situation

 

[Yuomay]

Sometimes it’s definitely smart to play hard

 

[PhoenixTT]

Porque no los dos?

(Contextual cultural sidenote: Everyone in Australia knows this Spanish question)

 

[lodro]

of course whenever a ball comes towards you that has just about written on it : Please hit me, then you hit it. Getting into big hitting duel with players that are known FH smashers is kinda suicidal so playing smart, often short and soft and well placed will win. The big Smasher also really detest the short/soft game with lots of backspin. 😂
Wagner and Koki Niva were mentioned, may i add VladimirSamsonov ?

 

[joshmak10]

It always depends. Either can be effective or ineffective depending on the opponent's playstyle,

 

[Dr Evil]

...on the internet you will probably get an overwhelming response that "placement and smarts always beat power" but...

...off the internet in real life many players undervalue placement.

 

[NextLevel]

This seems like a loaded question - it is obviously better to focus on placement if it means that you will definitely get the ball on the table and if hitting hard means that you will definitely miss. But in real TT it isn't so simple.

And on the internet you will probably get an overwhelming response that "placement and smarts always beat power" but in reality it is more complex and situation dependent than that. Really depends on you and your opponent. There are different blends of risk and reward trade off that lead to winning and you can't really pick one way over another.

No I don't think on the internet you will get that placement and smarts beat power and I suspect you wouldn't get it in real life either, though if you did and I was wrong, the obvious explanation is that for most people saying that, quality is already at a high baseline at their level. It is hard to place a statement in context when you dont have access to the context.

The reason why I encourage adult amateurs to work on spin and placement is not because I think it wins points easily but because I think aggressive play taxes footwork, timing and spin reading. Consistency allows you to build a profile pf the opponent when your immediate nuclear weapons are failing. But even Consistency usually means an offensice Consistency, so that as you point out, as one gets better, shot selection becomes a meaningful statement. For most players below a certain level, they don't have enough skills developed to make shot selection tangible and meaningful.

 

[blahness]

It helps when the opponent pushes almost all long balls on the BH and doesnt punish them

 

[passifid]

Both, whatever wins points is the one.
Yeah against players who practise looping every day then looping at them isnt as good as moving them around but against old savvy men who tie you up with pushes but slow reactions its better to play hard.

Whatever wins points is best but past a certain level (im not there yet) you have to have both at all times because which one depends on shot rather than player

 

[NextLevel]

Both, whatever wins points is the one.
Yeah against players who practise looping every day then looping at them isnt as good as moving them around but against old savvy men who tie you up with pushes but slow reactions its better to play hard.

Whatever wins points is best but past a certain level (im not there yet) you have to have both at all times because which one depends on shot rather than player

Yes. Tactics are based on the ability of both players. Playing "smarter" is really about trying to matchup your strengths with your opponents weaknesses. This might require you to play harder to be smarter. Some players are too strong against slow tempo smart play.

 

[Egon]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share something that happened to me this weekend and get your thoughts on it. I was playing a league match against a team full of young, fast players. Normally, I trust my forehand attack a lot, and in long topspin-to-topspin rallies I usually feel comfortable. But this time, even though I was hitting hard, I was losing those exchanges.

From the bench, my teammate told me: “Stop trying to hit so hard. Place the ball and move your opponent.”
So I took the advice, changed my approach, focused on placement instead of power—and I ended up turning the match around and winning.

Some points on the match:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

This really made me think about the whole “placement vs. power” debate. Is it better to hit hard, or to play smart and use the opponent’s weaknesses? I’d love to hear your opinions and experiences.

You are very lucky to have people who can give you good advice. It means a lot, appreciate it.

 

[NetProphet]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share something that happened to me this weekend and get your thoughts on it. I was playing a league match against a team full of young, fast players. Normally, I trust my forehand attack a lot, and in long topspin-to-topspin rallies I usually feel comfortable. But this time, even though I was hitting hard, I was losing those exchanges.

From the bench, my teammate told me: “Stop trying to hit so hard. Place the ball and move your opponent.”
So I took the advice, changed my approach, focused on placement instead of power—and I ended up turning the match around and winning.

Some points on the match:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

This really made me think about the whole “placement vs. power” debate. Is it better to hit hard, or to play smart and use the opponent’s weaknesses? I’d love to hear your opinions and experiences.

From the old Pirelli marketing campaign 'Power is nothing without control'.
What you are describing is a basic change in tactics to turn a match.
I guess in it's most simple description the game is about putting the ball on the table so that the opponent cannot return it.
Whatever works to achieve this based on tbe opponents strengths and weakness is the advisable prescription so there is clearly room for both and sometimes both are needed together to win a point.
Personally I find most decent players can block, fish or sometimes even counter powerful shots if they go anywhere centrally on the table, so placement usually has to come into it before I can hit a winner, just as you found out in this match.
There is no debate for me, placement is key, often even when power is used. If just one is enough to make the match easy then your opponent is most likely a weak (or at least not very well rounded) player.

 

[PoppaChubby]

Yes. Tactics are based on the ability of both players. Playing "smarter" is really about trying to matchup your strengths with your opponents weaknesses. This might require you to play harder to be smarter. Some players are too strong against slow tempo smart play.

Yeah sure, tell that to Timo when Waldner was casually walking while blocking him...

 

[Lungfish]

My entire struggle when I play TT is to balance this. I believe that most players focus too much on power and consistency with power. Few of the players I know focus of placement and spin.

I used to play closer to the table Harimoto sorta style but flatter. I tried to drop all the time and never strayed more than a foot or two away from the table.

I was then advised by a coach to step back and loop more. This led to a big increase in level for me!
However, I noticed weaknesses where I had once had more strength. Rallies that I should have and would have won.

I believe that striking a balance that surprises opponents is best. If you play with the same type of shot too often, your opponent figures you out more easily.

As a chinese coach once said (I can't remember who) "coaching someone to play against Waldner is impossible because you never know which Waldner will be playing your player"

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

against lower level players, getting the ball on will win you points and the match.
against higher level players, getting the ball on with low quality will cost you points and the match

 

[Lungfish]

against lower level players, getting the ball on will win you points and the match.
against higher level players, getting the ball on with low quality will cost you points and the match

very true.