Can I bring many rackets with different setup to a tournament?

[Kopp]

Let's say I want to bring 3 different setup, each with a spare (so six in total) to a single tournament. The plan is I want to change my racket before each match if I knew what my opponent setup is or who my opponent is.

Is this allowed under ITTF rules?

I know this is a silly question but I really want to know 😅

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Let's say I want to bring 3 different setup, each with a spare (so six in total) to a single tournament. The plan is I want to change my racket before each match if I knew what my opponent setup is or who my opponent is.

Is this allowed under ITTF rules?

I know this is a silly question but I really want to know 😅

before each match - yes it is allowed

I only know of one high level player that is competent in changing different setups when ever he wants (he has over 20, and consist of hand made blades with inverted both sides, or one sides with sp, mp, lp etc)
he is in his 50s today and still train 6 hours a day, 6 days a week (coach/training partner at the moment in a pro team)

so, its technically possible, but crazy to say the least

 

[vanjr]

I bring at least 4 rackets to each tournament. Sometimes I use one. Other times I may use up to 3. BTW, even supposedly the exact same model blade and rubbers may play different. As long as you keep the same racket per match (baring an equipment failure) you are ok. I have no idea about racket testing-never seen that at a local tournament.

 

[Kopp]

before each match - yes it is allowed

I only know of one high level player that is competent in changing different setups when ever he wants (he has over 20, and consist of hand made blades with inverted both sides, or one sides with sp, mp, lp etc)
he is in his 50s today and still train 6 hours a day, 6 days a week (coach/training partner at the moment in a pro team)

so, its technically possible, but crazy to say the least

Wow! What his name?

 

[Gtsnake]

But if one racket gets damaged during the game and cannot continue to be used you need a spare or else you could forfeit the match.

 

[Der_Echte]

I bring at least 4 rackets to each tournament. Sometimes I use one. Other times I may use up to 3. BTW, even supposedly the exact same model blade and rubbers may play different. As long as you keep the same racket per match (baring an equipment failure) you are ok. I have no idea about racket testing-never seen that at a local tournament.

Hi Van,

There is nothing in the ITTF laws of TT, the ITTF match officials guidebook, the ITTF FAQ, the ITTF Umpire prep book, the T9, or any other ITTF doc that states all rackets must be the same make/model with the same make/model rubbers identical to each other.

There is no USATT current Laws of TT or rules interpretations doc stating this either.

The ITTF laws (and usually the natl assn laws too that are usually copy/paste of ITTF laws) state (where racket control procedures are in place) that if a player's bat becomes damaged and cannot/should not be used further, that the player must show the umpire (if there is an umpire) the replacement bat before resuming play. The umpire check the bat for legality (rubber on LARC and 4mm and blade continuity, etc)

If there is racket control, players submit their bat(s) to control desk prior to match and the bat is delivered to the table by umpire before the match start. If only one bat was submitted (and successfully examined/delivered to table) and somehow becomes damaged requiring replacement... then player must have bat outside play area, but near it, and presents it to umpire for inspection... if umpire examined bat and gives it back to player to continue match, then after the match, the umpire retains the racket and brings it to racket control for testing.

 

[Der_Echte]

I have heard and seen a LOT this last one year that a replacement bat must be the exact make model for both blade and rubber.

I challenge anyone to show me the current ITTF laws of TT, the ITTF match officials guidebook, the ITTF FAQ, the ITTF Umpire prep book, the T9, or any other ITTF doc that states all rackets must be the same make/model with the same make/model rubbers identical to each other.

It doesn't exist, but anyone with Adobe pro can make a try to doctor the source doc... show IITF doc with download link on the ITTF page... I will make you midnight buttermilk pancakes if you show you are right.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I have heard and seen a LOT this last one year that a replacement bat must be the exact make model for both blade and rubber.

I challenge anyone to show me the current ITTF laws of TT, the ITTF match officials guidebook, the ITTF FAQ, the ITTF Umpire prep book, the T9, or any other ITTF doc that states all rackets must be the same make/model with the same make/model rubbers identical to each other.

It doesn't exist, but anyone with Adobe pro can make a try to doctor the source doc... show IITF doc with download link on the ITTF page... I will make you midnight buttermilk pancakes if you show you are right.

it doesn't need to be the same.
i know players who doesn't have spare and had to borrow team mates rackets in the middle of the match.

 

[banbekas]

it doesn't need to be the same.
i know players who doesn't have spare and had to borrow team mates rackets in the middle of the match.

Last time I did this, everything went all wrong for me. While I did give a good fight, it was very frustrating. At that time I was using Vega Pro with Vega China and Tenergy. My friend's blade was HRT Clipper with ELP and I Vega Pro. I lost 3-2 against someone I always beat 3-0. Passed to the next round as second place in my group.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Wow! What his name?

Coach Omar

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Last time I did this, everything went all wrong for me. While I did give a good fight, it was very frustrating. At that time I was using Vega Pro with Vega China and Tenergy. My friend's blade was HRT Clipper with ELP and I Vega Pro. I lost 3-2 against someone I always beat 3-0. Passed to the next round as second place in my group.

this is normal if you use something not 100% bonded with you
of the thousands of table tennis player I encounted in my career to date, I only know one that can pick up another racket and still play at a high level.
I saw with my own eyes when he was being a practice partner and changed 3 rackets in the same hour (inverted paring, inv+sp, inv+lp)

 

[NextLevel]

this is normal if you use something not 100% bonded with you
of the thousands of table tennis player I encounted in my career to date, I only know one that can pick up another racket and still play at a high level.
I saw with my own eyes when he was being a practice partner and changed 3 rackets in the same hour (inverted paring, inv+sp, inv+lp)

A lot depends on the overall relative playing speed/frequency of the equipment. And competitively, a lot depends on the quality of the opposition. There are rackets I can use to play with opponents 500 pts below me, but against same level opponent, it is a complete waste of time. Also, if a blade is stiff beyond 1600Hz, unless it has Hinoki somewhere in it, I just don't waste my time anymore. Most of my sweet spot is below 1450Hz, though for speed, I sometimes push it up to 1500Hz and use tacky rubbers or hybrids to slow things down.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

A lot depends on the overall relative playing speed/frequency of the equipment. And competitively, a lot depends on the quality of the opposition. There are rackets I can use to play with opponents 500 pts below me, but against same level opponent, it is a complete waste of time. Also, if a blade is stiff beyond 1600Hz, unless it has Hinoki somewhere in it, I just don't waste my time anymore. Most of my sweet spot is below 1450Hz, though for speed, I sometimes push it up to 1500Hz and use tacky rubbers or hybrids to slow things down.

in my case, both sides are high level players
the opponent is weaker obviously, but still 2250~2350 level
I would say a young "him" would be in the 2500~2600 range.

blade I think is easier to transition. Him being a 2 wing inverted, to change to LP/SP on one side, is the difficult one

as I said, he is 1 in thousands.
I know higher level players than him who can't do that

 

[Tinykin]

The player must play an individual match with the same bat presented at the start of said match. It can only be changed during said individual match if the bat was accidentally damaged during said match.
The word 'accidentally' is key. There is an old video of a player deliberately hitting his bat against the corner of the table in order to create the damage. I can't remember the exact outcome, but I think that he was red carded by the referee. Whatever occurred, he could not continue with a different bat.
I can't recall when this rule came into effect.

In the old days, players could and did change their bats during an individual match. But it did not really matter as bats were very similar. The issue reared its head when long pips and anti became popular and those diabolical 😒 dark side players used the change of bats for tactical reasons.

Of course, due to my laziness to do the lookup, I can't link to the actual rules and guidance but they are there somewhere.

 

[Der_Echte]

it doesn't need to be the same.
i know players who doesn't have spare and had to borrow team mates rackets in the middle of the match.

In 2020 during a sanctioned tourney, my opponent gave me what looked like a half long ball near the corner... i really got down and made an explosive stroke... ended up banging the lower wrist and bat into endline 4 cm from corner... ouch.

I was still holding the leftover handle.

My replacement bat was a totally different bat and rubbers. had T05FX on FH and unboosted Hammond on BH on a wood blade. Was down 1-2 in games at that point and ended up winning the match. One of my best tourneys ever, proved I belonged in the rating range i was rated at.

If it was a large major tourney with racket control and umpires at tables, then I would have needed to have umpire inspect and clear my bat... then leave my bat with umpire after the match for racket control.

I hear so many friends and TT players say the replacement bat must be exact as broken/damaged one, but that is not in the current rules, maybe it was so many years ago, but not now.

 

[Dominikk85]

The player must play an individual match with the same bat presented at the start of said match. It can only be changed during said individual match if the bat was accidentally damaged during said match.
The word 'accidentally' is key. There is an old video of a player deliberately hitting his bat against the corner of the table in order to create the damage. I can't remember the exact outcome, but I think that he was red carded by the referee. Whatever occurred, he could not continue with a different bat.
I can't recall when this rule came into effect.

In the old days, players could and did change their bats during an individual match. But it did not really matter as bats were very similar. The issue reared its head when long pips and anti became popular and those diabolical 😒 dark side players used the change of bats for tactical reasons.

Of course, due to my laziness to do the lookup, I can't link to the actual rules and guidance but they are there somewhere.

This. Your spare racket doesn't need to be the same but you can't intentionally smash your racket to switch to long pips.

Most really good players will have an identical spare racket because they have fine tuned their game towards that setup.

Many lower level players of course don't have an identical setup because the chance to need the spare racket is small and finishing with an inferior spare bat won't be a catastrophe for them. So they might have a 10 year old bat with dried out rubbers as a spare bat that almost is like an anti.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

LONDON players will know of Trevor Campbell who, back in the day, used to play with two bats in the same rally in a tournament match! ! bat was a normal racket with probably mark v or sriver using great serves and a massive 3rd ball. His 2nd racket was his "shovel" which was a homemade piece of wood with no rubber with which he defended pretty well.Those were the days of five serves so you might see him play his serving points with mark v and his receiving points with the shovel. I believe sometimes if his serve did not get a 3rd ball opportunity, he dropped the markv and grabbed the shovel.
He was a very useful player and a great sportsman.
I must say that one of the things I regret most of the rule changes made due to LP was that plain wood rackets (no rubber) were banned. Before that there were some real characters with wooden weapons.