What are the unwritten rules of table tennis?

says The sticky bit is stuck.
says The sticky bit is stuck.
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Recently played against a long pimples player who didn't say he was using. Beat my two teammates, then I asked him before my match if he was using anti or LP, said he was using short pimples...

How rude! But is it not a written rule, moreover, that you have the right to inspect your opponent equipment before the match?

Edit: had to look that up, and it is. From the 2017 ITTF Handbook:

2.4.8 Before the start of a match and whenever he or she changes his or her racketduring a match a player shall show his or her opponent and the umpire theracket he or she is about to use and shall allow them to examine it.

You are allowed to change rackets during match play, even without necessity apparantly. This I did not know.
 
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How rude! But is it not a written rule, moreover, that you have the right to inspect your opponent equipment before the match?

Edit: had to look that up, and it is. From the 2017 ITTF Handbook:

2.4.8 Before the start of a match and whenever he or she changes his or her racketduring a match a player shall show his or her opponent and the umpire theracket he or she is about to use and shall allow them to examine it.

You are allowed to change rackets during match play, even without necessity apparantly. This I did not know.

Nah, that's not the case.

3.4.2.4 A racket shall not be replaced during an individual match unless it isaccidentally damaged so badly that it cannot be used; if this happens thedamaged racket shall be replaced immediately by another which the playerhas brought with him or her to the playing area or one which is handed to himor her in the playing area
 
says The sticky bit is stuck.
says The sticky bit is stuck.
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Nah, that's not the case.

3.4.2.4 A racket shall not be replaced during an individual match unless it isaccidentally damaged so badly that it cannot be used; if this happens thedamaged racket shall be replaced immediately by another which the playerhas brought with him or her to the playing area or one which is handed to himor her in the playing area

Thanks for that correction!
 
says Any body knows when will be the next Asia Pacific...
says Any body knows when will be the next Asia Pacific...
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when I served, I felt it was a net ball so I put my hand up but the empire did not stop the point and my opponent smash the ball but he missed it and smashed in to the net., then he said to me I put my hand up and indicated it was the net ball. He did not try to stop and tried to smash and win the point , so I asked the empire to decide what to do, she said it was my point because she did not think it was a net ball. What do you think ? Am I right not to start the point again ? Am I right to ask the empire ?????? or I was mean
 
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when I served, I felt it was a net ball so I put my hand up but the empire did not stop the point and my opponent smash the ball but he missed it and smashed in to the net., then he said to me I put my hand up and indicated it was the net ball. He did not try to stop and tried to smash and win the point , so I asked the empire to decide what to do, she said it was my point because she did not think it was a net ball. What do you think ? Am I right not to start the point again ? Am I right to ask the empire ?????? or I was mean
No question that it is your point if the umpire says so. But equally the opponent has the right to play to win if let has not been called.
 
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it always bothers me , I thought I was mean not to admit I had put my hand up to indicate it was a net ball but I was annoyed because he carried on and smashed that ball.
 
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thank you
it always bothers me , I thought I was mean not to admit I had put my hand up to indicate it was a net ball but I was annoyed because he carried on and smashed that ball.

It is customary for the other player to acknowledge your signal, and make that apparent in the return; and it is customary for the umpire to grant a let in that case. However, that might depend on the level. It will work for me like that, but a player that does it in the Olympic finals might be disappointed.

Regardless of level the umpire makes the decisions, just like always, plain and simple. It's a let if and only if the umpire says it is.
 

NDH

says Spin to win!
when I served, I felt it was a net ball so I put my hand up but the empire did not stop the point and my opponent smash the ball but he missed it and smashed in to the net., then he said to me I put my hand up and indicated it was the net ball. He did not try to stop and tried to smash and win the point , so I asked the empire to decide what to do, she said it was my point because she did not think it was a net ball. What do you think ? Am I right not to start the point again ? Am I right to ask the empire ?????? or I was mean

I don't know what level you play at - But for an opponent to "smash" the return, it must have been a pretty high, slow serve!

I'm guessing you meant he played an attacking shot to it?

Personally, if I put my hand up to say "the ball hit the net" - On mine, or my opponents serve, I'd expect the point to be replayed - Regardless of what happens.

Unless of course, you are playing at a very high standard where you have qualified umpires (in which case, you would play to the umpires call) - But even then, there is always a bit of "self rule", especially on let serves.

This is technically a written rule - Although the definition is loose.

"You shouldn't make any verbal exclamation (or hand gesture), if you don't think you'll get a shot back (like a smash, a net, or an edge)".

I've seen people do this (say..... return an edge ball), and verbally say "wow" or something similar, because they didn't expect to.
 
says Any body knows when will be the next Asia Pacific...
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your reply makes me doubt was it my serve or his serve, I know I return that ball and he smashed it , so it could be his serve . Anyway I still think I should make it a net serve and started the point again although he tried to win that point. The ball was not very high but he tried to attack and smashed too hard. Thank you for your opinion
 

NDH

says Spin to win!
That would make more sense (his serve.... you think it's a net so return it, and raise your hand), he then smashes the 3rd shot kill.

Personally, if anyone puts their hand up with good intention (because they thought it was a net serve for example), regardless of what happens afterwards (opponent smashes and misses), I would expect the point to be played again.

In a game of small margins, seeing someone's hand shoot up whilst you are trying to play a shot is always going to be distracting.

The umpire should have seen your hand and replayed the point.
 
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11-0 rule: If you can beat your opponent 11-0 then do it.;) I really feel good about it.

Measure the net to make sure it is correct height if umpire is not around.

Do not wipe your forehead with your freehand before serving.

Pick up balls coming to your playing area and nicely toss them back to others.

Don't talk trash to psy your opponents out during friendly matches.

...
 
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If someone puts his hand up, then the point should be replayed. Even if the umpire decides that it wasn't a let ball, the scorer should give back the point. Not doing so is rude. Also, when a ball comes to the court, or something disturbing happens, the point should be stopped and replayed. If you scored the point when this happens, you have to ask the opponent if he wants a replay, even if the incoming ball wouldn't change the outcome (e.g: you got a slow high ball and the opponent didn't have a chance to return). The opponent should refuse the replay if it was disturbing to him. This is the normal behaviour. Of course if one of the players break these rules, things are going to be ugly. Then you can go by only the written rules, however I recommend only doing so when it's an important match. Fortunately, it's quite rare amongst TT players.
 
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Unwritten rule in Korea is a let is a let in generally only three situations.

- The ball hits a player on the other closeby court when opponent is reasonably close to it.

- The ball from next table bounces on top of your table.

- You or your opponent run into another player during the point.

Players from next table will come to your table and grab their ball from under your table during the point. OK.

Coach will give you advice during the point. OK.

Loudspeakers rudely announce next player. OK.

Three balls from courts come into your playing area. OK.
 
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Unwritten rule in Korea is a let is a let in generally only three situations.

- The ball hits a player on the other closeby court when opponent is reasonably close to it.

- The ball from next table bounces on top of your table.

- You or your opponent run into another player during the point.

Players from next table will come to your table and grab their ball from under your table during the point. OK.

Coach will give you advice during the point. OK.

Loudspeakers rudely announce next player. OK.

Three balls from courts come into your playing area. OK.

Interesting. These are applying during matchplays too? Like in a league? As I said, we offer a replay for everything and trust in the other player that he will only accept it when it really disturbed him. During training matches too.
 
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In some places I have played in China there are no lets! Probably not even if a comet strikes the earth. I find this pretty awful.

The thing about unwritten rules is they are violated more than written ones. I have never actually led 10-0 in a serious match, so I don't actually know what I would do.
 
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In some places I have played in China there are no lets! Probably not even if a comet strikes the earth. I find this pretty awful.

The thing about unwritten rules is they are violated more than written ones. I have never actually led 10-0 in a serious match, so I don't actually know what I would do.

I led hugely in the first or second game vs one of Larry Hodges young teen Indian students. By the time it got to 8-0, I had in mind that I had better ensure opponent's score has at least a one by it. I gave easy returns and opponent made errors on them. It was 10-0. I decided to make it look real good like I was trying, yet still miss a point. I got a really low return and did the wildest no control full arm over table slap at the ball, was trying to hit out while looking like I was trying... shot landed, I failed. Game ended 11-0 enroute to a 3-0 win. Kid was in a tourney next month at Smash, he won big time vs 4 1800s level players in giant round robin group stage and gained like 300 points !!

Maybe the kid is now higher rated... well looking at ratings, he is now higher rated than my current rating, so I guess I got my fun in while it lasted.
 
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