Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 26, 2019

Takkyu_wa_inochi said:
Final result, the Korean guy whom I beat, finished 1st, because he beats the short guy and my teammate (who lost the short guy). short guy is 2nd, my teammate 3rd, and I'm 4th....

Thats TT ... :-/ but I'm happy overall with my performance.

Sir, sorry you didn't finish 1st, but ecstatic you are happy with your performance!

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 26, 2019

I knew this day would come, I just didn't if it would be sooner or later.

My overall play has improved ... instead of playing like a 1300 USATT, I'm about 1500 now. After a year of forced RPB training/drilling, neglecting my FH looping and rushing my shots, I have slowed down a bit, gaining confidence in my FH looping which may not be ideal form but it's coming back and my RPB has helped me get deeper into the point.

I used to have no confidence in my FH looping and lost the point on 2nd or 3rd ball from failed RPB shots or missed FH loops.

I am so in the moment of playing, do not remember to video myself like Boogar many a time LOL (sorry Boogar!)

Lately I have 2 friends I play against. One is a 65 JPenner who just returns the ball and plays steady. He is the source of the quote in my signature. On high balls, he will attack, if not, he is content with returning the ball. I used to lose at 4 or 5 to him in 3 straight games. That gap has closed, I have been losing 3-1 or 3-2 mostly at 8,9 or deuce. I have won 2 matches recently when I was super-focused at 3-0 and 3-1. I have been playing him so long that I generally don't have the heart to beat him. LOL at me. But i know i can beat him. My strokes are still not totally grooved in yet, but making 60% to 75% of my shots now vs him.

Vs another friend, a 70 yr old JPenner, his overall game is 1 or 2 levels better than me, and I didn't play him that much in the past. When I did, mostly losses at 6 points and in 3 straight. He has conservative serves, plays steady, has a killer FH smash, good steady FH loop, and a BH smash. I am able to open up with a 2nd ball RPB loop most times. And the tactic that wins the most points for me is my RPB punch moving him side to side. Mostly I am able to keep him from using his 3 main weapons. Now I lose 3-0 or 3-1, but now the losses are at 8,9 pts or at deuce.

These 2 friends are my 'barometers' in measuring my improvement and am happy to report I have improved ... LOL at me!

ttmonster · Mar 26, 2019

no more points for you !!!

but to be honest , unless you do a few tourneys its very difficult to judge your playing level ... sometimes you just adapt to the play of a couple of guys you are playing against and it seems like you are improving but may be you have some more holes to fill which you will know when you play unknown opponents .. .

OldschoolPenholder said:
I knew this day would come, I just didn't if it would be sooner or later.

My overall play has improved ... instead of playing like a 1300 USATT, I'm about 1500 now. After a year of forced RPB training/drilling, neglecting my FH looping and rushing my shots, I have slowed down a bit, gaining confidence in my FH looping which may not be ideal form but it's coming back and my RPB has helped me get deeper into the point.

I used to have no confidence in my FH looping and lost the point on 2nd or 3rd ball from failed RPB shots or missed FH loops.

I am so in the moment of playing, do not remember to video myself like Boogar many a time LOL (sorry Boogar!)

Lately I have 2 friends I play against. One is a 65 JPenner who just returns the ball and plays steady. He is the source of the quote in my signature. On high balls, he will attack, if not, he is content with returning the ball. I used to lose at 4 or 5 to him in 3 straight games. That gap has closed, I have been losing 3-1 or 3-2 mostly at 8,9 or deuce. I have won 2 matches recently when I was super-focused at 3-0 and 3-1. I have been playing him so long that I generally don't have the heart to beat him. LOL at me. But i know i can beat him. My strokes are still not totally grooved in yet, but making 60% to 75% of my shots now vs him.

Vs another friend, a 70 yr old JPenner, his overall game is 1 or 2 levels better than me, and I didn't play him that much in the past. When I did, mostly losses at 6 points and in 3 straight. He has conservative serves, plays steady, has a killer FH smash, good steady FH loop, and a BH smash. I am able to open up with a 2nd ball RPB loop most times. And the tactic that wins the most points for me is my RPB punch moving him side to side. Mostly I am able to keep him from using his 3 main weapons. Now I lose 3-0 or 3-1, but now the losses are at 8,9 pts or at deuce.

These 2 friends are my 'barometers' in measuring my improvement and am happy to report I have improved ... LOL at me!

NextLevel · Mar 26, 2019

So today I play league for the first time in over a year and later this week, a tournament as well. Trying to kill my expectations. Just hoping for no injuries.

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 26, 2019

NextLevel said:
So today I play league for the first time in over a year and later this week, a tournament as well. Trying to kill my expectations. Just hoping for no injuries.

Good luck Sir! Have fun, no whammies, no whammies!

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 26, 2019

ttmonster said:
no more points for you !!!

but to be honest , unless you do a few tourneys its very difficult to judge your playing level ... sometimes you just adapt to the play of a couple of guys you are playing against and it seems like you are improving but may be you have some more holes to fill which you will know when you play unknown opponents .. .

I've improved... instead of 9 points from you I should ask for 8 now.

Seriously though, I know what you mean about playing regular partners. The 70 yr old Jpenner is 1700 to 1800 maybe. There is another friend that I've not played in some time. He is another barometer/litmus test. He's 1900 or so. He is 50/50 vs the 70 yr old Jpenner. Good consistent FH/BH loops.

RidTheKid · Mar 26, 2019

Best of luck! And have fun!

NextLevel said:
So today I play league for the first time in over a year and later this week, a tournament as well. Trying to kill my expectations. Just hoping for no injuries.

Takkyu_wa_inochi · Mar 26, 2019

@OSP good job, I'm crossing fingers for you. Is it a veteran competition or will you be facing youngsters as well

ttmonster · Mar 26, 2019

Play with no expectations ... just be be excited that you are going to have a ton of fun and you will do just fine ... good luck !

NextLevel said:
So today I play league for the first time in over a year and later this week, a tournament as well. Trying to kill my expectations. Just hoping for no injuries.

ttmonster · Mar 26, 2019

I am not being ageist .. but you need to play against players of different age as well ... even if older players have a higher rating they will normally play in a style where they slow down the game to their advantage ... sometimes its good to get some games in against players who go boom boom off the bounce .. just so you can figure out your tactics , strengths and weaknesses against that style ...

OldschoolPenholder said:
I've improved... instead of 9 points from you I should ask for 8 now.

Seriously though, I know what you mean about playing regular partners. The 70 yr old Jpenner is 1700 to 1800 maybe. There is another friend that I've not played in some time. He is another barometer/litmus test. He's 1900 or so. He is 50/50 vs the 70 yr old Jpenner. Good consistent FH/BH loops.

Der_Echte · Mar 26, 2019

NextLevel said:
So today I play league for the first time in over a year and later this week, a tournament as well. Trying to kill my expectations. Just hoping for no injuries.

Just be sure to kill any unsuspecting spectators courtside if you miss... much like my first week of real serve practice where I was a certified public safety hazzard.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 27, 2019

Takkyu_wa_inochi said:
@OSP good job, I'm crossing fingers for you. Is it a veteran competition or will you be facing youngsters as well

Thank you but sorry Sir. No competition. I probably won't enter one. Just into TT at this point of Life as exercise and fun.

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 27, 2019

ttmonster said:
I am not being ageist .. but you need to play against players of different age as well ... even if older players have a higher rating they will normally play in a style where they slow down the game to their advantage ... sometimes its good to get some games in against players who go boom boom off the bounce .. just so you can figure out your tactics , strengths and weaknesses against that style ...

My "club" is a NYC Department of Parks Recreation Center. Senior membership fee is $25/year. 18 and younger are free. Everyone else is $100/year. Fridays are Kids TT only.

There are more seniors in my club than other age groups. The 1900 SH friend I mentioned is in his early 30's. He is one of my toughest challenges. I have not played him in some time. Still getting my game together before trying to play him. He is definitely BOOM BOOM.

Another is 'Shorty' - a TPB looper with no BH, just a punch and a block. He may be in his late 50's. I think Shorty is ~2000. But he hasn't come to the club in some time. He also is definitely BOOM BOOM.

Some of the 'kids' are in their 20's but not that good. I've hit with some of them before. There is a teenager whom I've tried to help, claims his father is 2200, and is getting a PH getting coached by a few people, mostly SH. I mentioned this kid a few posts back, standing with feet parallel instead of a bladed body.

Despite your concerns which I understand, my 2 regular partners are 65 and 70. I've shown improvement against them. Once I can steadily beat them means my game has improved and is consistent. Then I will seek out others.

But sometimes you know how clubs and human nature is ... cliques form. Some players won't hit with me or play me for whatever reason.

If i can have a decent performance with the 1900 SH, I'll wait one night for my turn against the 'good' players. I will lose, but want to test myself against them if I ever have a decent game vs the 1900 SH.

EDIT: when my game has improved and is consistent, will make time to go to 42andbackpains club to play him and others there. Also, will make a trip into NJ with 42&bp to play our friends, our old TT crew from when we were teens. Just bragging rights at stake LOL

NextLevel · Mar 27, 2019

Went 3-2 as the top seed in group 2, which is a reasonable result. Lost to a father and his son, the son 0-3 in the first match. My movement to my forehand has pronounced issues, but it is good to know. It was partly because the floor at the league is very grippy, so some of my new forehand footwork is too hard to implement there.

Then I played practice matches with my buddy and lost 2-3, 0-3.

Will upload the video of the matches.

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 27, 2019

NextLevel said:
Went 3-2 as the top seed in group 2, which is a reasonable result. Lost to a father and his son, the son 0-3 in the first match. My movement to my forehand has pronounced issues, but it is good to know. It was partly because the floor at the league is very grippy, so some of my new forehand footwork is too hard to implement there.

Then I played practice matches with my buddy and lost 2-3, 0-3.

Will upload the video of the matches.

Given your challenges going 3-2 or even 2-3 IMO is very respectable. Looking forward to your video Sir.

ttmonster · Mar 27, 2019

Don't get me wrong , I was not trying to belittle your improvement or anything ... I have experienced this myself .. I play against mostly one or two people regularly and its difficult to quantify the improvement ... what I have experienced is that if you are playing just one or two people , its better to do drills than play matches ... meaning play a few matches once in a while but mostly focus on drills ... which I feel is logical considering we have so many holes in our game at our level , if we focus on just matches, its like trying to cover your head with a small blanket and the feet coming out .. anyways .. I am genuinely happy to hear that you are improving .. hopefully we will meet at some point ...

OldschoolPenholder said:
My "club" is a NYC Department of Parks Recreation Center. Senior membership fee is $25/year. 18 and younger are free. Everyone else is $100/year. Fridays are Kids TT only.

There are more seniors in my club than other age groups. The 1900 SH friend I mentioned is in his early 30's. He is one of my toughest challenges. I have not played him in some time. Still getting my game together before trying to play him. He is definitely BOOM BOOM.

Another is 'Shorty' - a TPB looper with no BH, just a punch and a block. He may be in his late 50's. I think Shorty is ~2000. But he hasn't come to the club in some time. He also is definitely BOOM BOOM.

Some of the 'kids' are in their 20's but not that good. I've hit with some of them before. There is a teenager whom I've tried to help, claims his father is 2200, and is getting a PH getting coached by a few people, mostly SH. I mentioned this kid a few posts back, standing with feet parallel instead of a bladed body.

Despite your concerns which I understand, my 2 regular partners are 65 and 70. I've shown improvement against them. Once I can steadily beat them means my game has improved and is consistent. Then I will seek out others.

But sometimes you know how clubs and human nature is ... cliques form. Some players won't hit with me or play me for whatever reason.

If i can have a decent performance with the 1900 SH, I'll wait one night for my turn against the 'good' players. I will lose, but want to test myself against them if I ever have a decent game vs the 1900 SH.

EDIT: when my game has improved and is consistent, will make time to go to 42andbackpains club to play him and others there. Also, will make a trip into NJ with 42&bp to play our friends, our old TT crew from when we were teens. Just bragging rights at stake LOL

OldschoolPenholder · Mar 27, 2019

As it is not a real TT club, with many members but 6 tables only, it is not conducive to drilling generally. But sometimes i do get to drill if the club is not packed. Then we can drill for 20 mins and then get off the table.

For my game, the biggest holes are no RPB, no FH loop, rush my shots. And footwork which I'll address later. Playing matches with these 2 regular partners has shown me that my RPB is getting steadier, my FH loop is back somewhat, and although at times I still rush my shots, overall playing these 2 friends has helped me slow down. The 65 yr old has a slower paced game. If i give the 70 yr old a chance to attack I will get massacred. He is somewhat boom boom.

NextLevel · Mar 27, 2019

Here is the play list - sorry matches are not edited:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQezAGAmzM&list=PL1xHYZmEaJtRY69kLAsGKK4sO1uTLgsAo

If you want to see me play really mindlessly, watch vs A Javaheri or vs Kumar second friendly.
If you want to see me lose a match I should have won, watch the firsKumar friendly or vs M Javaheri.
If you want to see me win, even though I did nothing special and my serves are still mostly below par and I can't move to play a forehand, watch any of the matches not listed above.

Lula · Mar 27, 2019

Our new chinese coach learn us how to move. I have always learned to move first then hit, But this is to slow he means. Only for low level players.

So yesterday i learned how to move and hit at the same time with forehand and backhand. We also Did the crosstep with backhand again! Asked if anyone Did it with the backhand. He Said Xu xin Did it. Also learned a new way to move around and play fh from the bh.

I have always understood that the asians focus more than us o men footwork But i find it interesting that i have not heard about this and i have played for over 20 years.

Have anyone else heard about this?

Would like to explain for you But hard to Do in text. I have not either mastered it.

Takkyu_wa_inochi · Mar 27, 2019

I'm being taught some steps to move together while hitting yes. not in every situation but in some situations

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