Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

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Wednesday I had group lessons with my coach and there's a player that I often a little tension with. I like to conserve my energy for the multi-ball drills and the footwork drills, and we got to a point where (there were 3 of us) coach doing multiballs with one player and the other 2 on another table practicing games. This player gets very frustrated with me because he's seen how I play people when I'm trying hard. The balls I was giving him were pretty weak, just returning it, sometimes high, knowing he struggles with highballs, as well as not giving him my real serves. He got pretty livid and I didn't tell him it was to conserve energy. I told him I play everyone differently and this is the kind of stuff that works on him. If it didn't work I would be trying something different.


So long story short after a bit of argument over facebook messenger later that night, he tells me that I think I'm a lot better than I am, and that on Saturday (today) he's going to bring some players from work who will kick my butt and put me in my place. I thought this was a pretty funny accusation since I consider myself only 1600-1700 level. Just a balanced player. I sometimes have good days where I play above my level, and sometimes I play at my level. (I only feel like I play below my level if I'm planning on the loss working on something in games that I wouldn't I'f I were truly trying to win.)


Lucky for me, I'm still peaking. Today I played his work friends... they were 1800'someting and 1950'something. I beat both of the 3-0 whilst not trying in a way that I would consider trying very hard.. The better of the players said "he's definitely legit, pretty even on both wings, I couldn't find a weakness".

I still think these players a better than me, maybe I had a good day and they had a bad day. Maybe it was just a matchup. But I think it finally got this guy to stop saying arguing with the way I play with him. Especially once he saw how I played each of these players so differently from each other.

You're probably overestimating them if you think they're better than you. They claimed they couldn't find a weakness, when you and me both know that you definitely have some. You also beat them in multiple games, winning 3-0.


I'm interested in where you got the ranks: did you evaluate them or do they have ranks? Technique is a pretty solid indicator of general level, but you can look pretty good yet be a bad player. The inverse is true as well.
 
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You're probably overestimating them if you think they're better than you. They claimed they couldn't find a weakness, when you and me both know that you definitely have some. You also beat them in multiple games, winning 3-0.


I'm interested in where you got the ranks: did you evaluate them or do they have ranks? Technique is a pretty solid indicator of general level, but you can look pretty good yet be a bad player. The inverse is true as well.

I don't think I'm overestimating them. Could be though. I listened to the ratings they said they had. Looked one of them up and he was truthful, although he only had one tournament under his belt it could easily be a fluke.



My club is odd rating wise. We have quite a few players at 1500 and below. Then we have me and 3 others in the 16-1700 range.

Then NO players between 1750-1900.

Then about 13 players I can think of off the top of my head that are between 1950-2050.

One player ESTIMATED 2100. (Coaches husband)

And one player fluctuating between 2200-2300 for the past 30 years (Parviz)


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As you guys have predicted i was confused today playing around with grips :)

Plus one of the guys in my club told me that i wasn't straigthening my arm before a loop. And i always thought that i am doing it >.< Now i have this to work on as well.
The chicken wing might be the reason that i was using so much shoulder on opening loops...

The hard thing about this is the different timing its ****ing me up right now :O
 
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Today I played some more players at my club. Two of which were over 2000. Lost in the 5th to the first one. I blame his superior service.

I beat the second player 3-0 convincingly. Good matchup for me though very fun set of games and I have super respect for him.

And then I played my practice partner/ doubles partner for this upcoming tournament. Why I can hardly ever beat him is a mystery to me. I would say he's just better than me but he doesn't play others to the same level that in playing others. I ripped some of my best shots of the night at great angles to him and he just sends them back right off the bounce like they're nothing. Top players at our club are amazed when they watch him obliterate me when I'm constantly varying my spin and attacking I'm consistently.

Then a higher level player plays him and is frustrated because they think he's better from watching him make me look foolish.

If I have to face him in singles at the upcoming tournament again I'm going to need some kind of new strategy...


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Today I played some more players at my club. Two of which were over 2000. Lost in the 5th to the first one. I blame his superior service.

I beat the second player 3-0 convincingly. Good matchup for me though very fun set of games and I have super respect for him.

And then I played my practice partner/ doubles partner for this upcoming tournament. Why I can hardly ever beat him is a mystery to me. I would say he's just better than me but he doesn't play others to the same level that in playing others. I ripped some of my best shots of the night at great angles to him and he just sends them back right off the bounce like they're nothing. Top players at our club are amazed when they watch him obliterate me when I'm constantly varying my spin and attacking I'm consistently.

Then a higher level player plays him and is frustrated because they think he's better from watching him make me look foolish.

If I have to face him in singles at the upcoming tournament again I'm going to need some kind of new strategy...


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You could video yourself playing him and other players. maybe we can design a strategy to beat your trainingspartner :)
 
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You could video yourself playing him and other players. maybe we can design a strategy to beat your trainingspartner :)

You're very right, to be honest though I think I know how but am just unwilling to do it because it's not one of my better strokes. Also the effort of camera is what stops me.



Today I drilled 3 hours with a good friend/tactic advisor thats only rated 2000 these days but was great when he was young.


I've also made the decision to sandbag my tournament next saturday. It's very cheap and only a 30 minute drive. I'm dropping my rating as low as possible because I'm an asshole who wants to participate in a tournament in late august that has cool looking trophy's for ALL events. Depending how low I get, is what will determine the events I play in for the august tournament.
 
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I don't know about others, I would strongly advise you against it. At the end of the day trophies should not matter. Its important that every time you walk up to the table you try to play with the best intensity possible for you on that given day at that given time. I have seen national level juniors who don't want to play somebody just because their ratings are 2100 and their serves are probably 2300 and they can't get the serves back or don't like their style of play. But I have never seen these national level juniors achieve what they were supposed to achieve , given the money and time their parents put into them , and believe me it was a stupendous amount. But again, its just my opinion that attitude is also a skill that you need to practice and in the longer run nothing else than attitude matter .... I know I am sounding preachy but hey why not ! You are a kid and I am just passing on some wisdom , even though unwanted :p
You're very right, to be honest though I think I know how but am just unwilling to do it because it's not one of my better strokes. Also the effort of camera is what stops me.



Today I drilled 3 hours with a good friend/tactic advisor thats only rated 2000 these days but was great when he was young.


I've also made the decision to sandbag my tournament next friday. It's very cheap and only a 30 minute drive. I'm dropping my rating as low as possible because I'm an asshole who wants to participate in a tournament in late august that has cool looking trophy's for ALL events. Depending how low I get, is what will determine the events I play in for the august tournament.
 
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I don't know about others, I would strongly advise you against it. At the end of the day trophies should not matter. Its important that every time you walk up to the table you try to play with the best intensity possible for you on that given day at that given time. I have seen national level juniors who don't want to play somebody just because their ratings are 2100 and their serves are probably 2300 and they can't get the serves back or don't like their style of play. But I have never seen these national level juniors achieve what they were supposed to achieve , given the money and time their parents put into them , and believe me it was a stupendous amount. But again, its just my opinion that attitude is also a skill that you need to practice and in the longer run nothing else than attitude matter .... I know I am sounding preachy but hey why not ! You are a kid and I am just passing on some wisdom , even though unwanted :p

Playing with best intensity isn't how I play normally. I plan on using this tournament to try and improve. once I win 2 out of the 5 games I'll throw the rest. The trophy's actually ARE what I want. All table tennis comes from my own income, I'm not young enough to become great. Life Goal is a solid 2000 someday which is still a few years out of the way.

I said in my prior post I'm pulling an asshole move and I'm aware of that.
 
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More power to you !!! Keep us posted on how many trophies you manage to win ...

Playing with best intensity isn't how I play normally. I plan on using this tournament to try and improve. once I win 2 out of the 5 games I'll throw the rest. The trophy's actually ARE what I want. All table tennis comes from my own income, I'm not young enough to become great. Life Goal is a solid 2000 someday which is still a few years out of the way.

I said in my prior post I'm pulling an asshole move and I'm aware of that.
 
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If not for anything, just for the sake of inspiration, a friend I know who used to be an international level cyclist , now in his 40s ( I suppose if not more ) , but still very atheletic and strongly built, picked up the paddle 4-5 years back and started learning table tennis . He has managed to achieve 2300 last month, some of which might be a little luck in terms of how he picked off really high rated players in the semis and final , nonetheless , he once told me he never participates in a tournament and in an event unless he has a specific plan of how to get into the finals . But you know different strokes for different folks , so keep enjoying the sport the way you like to enjoy to enjoy it , having fun is the most important thing ...
 
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So I played another tournament today. 2 hr drive, wasn't feeling perfect. Wanted to play as I was not sure I would have a chance to play this month. Learned a lot. Had 2 bad losses - one to a 1600 kid coached by Ernesto Ebuen and one to an 1800 blocker who scrubs his paddle after every match with rubber cleaner - the topsheet is now pretty dead - he is like an off the table version of Rich DeWitt. I will get my revenge in September when I return there.

So what did I learn? Well, a higher level player watching me play the blocker said I was not cocking my wrist back far enough on the backhand loops when rallying with the blocker. I found that pretty interesting. I have been playing around with my grips for a while now and what he said made me understand and realize why a grip I wanted to use but dropped 3 months ago was actually ideal for me. I will train with it tomorrow and talk about it in a video.
 
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Playing with best intensity isn't how I play normally. I plan on using this tournament to try and improve. once I win 2 out of the 5 games I'll throw the rest. The trophy's actually ARE what I want. All table tennis comes from my own income, I'm not young enough to become great. Life Goal is a solid 2000 someday which is still a few years out of the way.

I said in my prior post I'm pulling an asshole move and I'm aware of that.

Sandbagging is unethical. You are better than that. And 2000 is not beyond anyone per se. It just requires putting in the hours and building the skills and tactics. There are players who broke 2500 despite starting at age 21. It's just that starting younger always makes things easier especially if you have the right training. In my opinion, if you are a real athlete but come into the sport with no strokes, you are better off than someone who has basement strokes that need to be retrained.
 
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I've also made the decision to sandbag my tournament next saturday. It's very cheap and only a 30 minute drive. I'm dropping my rating as low as possible because I'm an asshole who wants to participate in a tournament in late august that has cool looking trophy's for ALL events. Depending how low I get, is what will determine the events I play in for the august tournament.

I say you show up to the tournament and try to play with a lollipop or a little racket. Well, no, I don't.

Come on Shuki, you are better than that. Just go and play. Expect yourself to improve between now and that tournament in August so you can win some trophies FOR REAL. But don't be a sandbagger. If you do that, the trophies will mean nothing and who wants a worthless piece of metal and marble that only reminds you that you are a dirt bag who cheated and stole the trophy from some kid who actually deserved it.
 
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As for me, I played for the first time in 3 weeks yesterday. From a physical standpoint I am out of shape. But once I was warm, it seems like things were good. I did 2.5 hours of training with PingPongHolic so it was great stuff. We did third ball attack drills for almost the whole time. I got him to work with me on a couple of other sticking points, like FH flip and returning a specific serve I have trouble with. But most of the time I was working on looping heavy push with my BH.
 
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I've also made the decision to sandbag my tournament next saturday. It's very cheap and only a 30 minute drive. I'm dropping my rating as low as possible because I'm an asshole who wants to participate in a tournament in late august that has cool looking trophy's for ALL events. Depending how low I get, is what will determine the events I play in for the august tournament.

Remember that you're not alone: the lower you get, the more likely you are to meet massively underrated juniors craving for the same ego trip :D
 
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Remember that you're not alone: the lower you get, the more likely you are to meet massively underrated juniors craving for the same ego trip :D

What's funny about this is that only a couple of months ago, Shuki was complaining about being in the U1700 event and says he should have played higher events. Now he is saying he needs to sandbag to win. Life is funny and sad like that.
 
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Shuki,
If you want a medal doubles is a great way to get one, without tanking your rating. I've seen some pretty big upsets where lower ranked teams that practice together beat much higher rated teams that hadn't.

Either way, good luck at your tournament this Saturday and when you come to the next Iowa tournament in August.
 
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