Over the past few years, I slowly find little tricks and techniques that I didn't know or realize before and nobody really tells you these things. The problem is I often forget the very things that I discovered. So I wanted to make a list of little hacks that I have discovered. This is not a complete list, and I would like to keep adding to the list as it comes to memory. Let me know if you have any little hacks.
1) On serve, do some random serves where you yourself don't even know what spin is on it. The less "clear" your spin is, the harder it is to return. If even you are not sure what spin it is, your opponent won't know either. For example a pendulum serve where you don't commit to underspin or topspin, but just take your chances with whatever it ends up being.
2) On serve, half-long serve is very useful. It is too long for opponent to push short, but it is just short enough to make a loop risky.
3) Somewhat related to #1, but serving dead-ball is unusually effective. Giving heavy underspin invites a simple push return. But serving dead-ball makes it very awkward to return.
4) If you're unsure the spin on the ball, doing a strong loop is often the best choice. A good strong loop will often provide enough arc to cover the range of spin on the ball from underspin to dead ball to light topspin.
5) Doing heavy sidespin serves often comes back to bite you, as your own sidespin is still on the 3rd ball.
6) On receive, looping everything long ball and pushing every short ball is a good starting framework.
7) On receive, receiving with bh is often better than fh. BH gives you more range of motion in a short reaction window, so it's easier to loop or flick a ball with the bh.
8) Because your own spin is on the 3rd ball, it is often much easier to wait for a 5th ball to loop than the 3rd ball. Looping 3rd ball takes special training and awareness, and is much more advanced shot than 5th ball.
9) When blocking, it is much easier to block in a straight line back. If you attempt to block wider than 30 degrees, the ball will often drop into the net.
10) Tacky rubber really makes a huge difference. At first, it seems unimpressive because it slows down the ball. But the extra lift and grab on the ball really helps to loop underspin or to counterloop. In a real game situation, it is very beneficial.
I meant to reply for a while but have not had any time until now.
I don't agree with point #1. After all, what you serve is IMMENSELY important for your third ball attack so if you don't know what spin you put on the serve, then you don't know what is LIKELY to come back. For anyone under USATT 2000, no need to fake your serve. Just spin the ball like you mean it. My two go-to serves when the game is on the line are 1) short heavy backspin serve to the forehand side of the opponent and ready to loop the ball coming back with lots of spin or 2) side heavy topspin to the backhand side or the middle to either win the point outright (because at the clutch time, the opponent is also "tighter" and more likely to hit the ball out) or be ready to counter. My usual serves are heavy backspin v.s. no spin. Just keep on alternating with occasional pure side spine/corkscrew serves. I know every single time what I am serving exactly.
Agree with #2 for opponents above 1700. For opponents below 1700, no point serving half longs. Just serve long and fast and spinny. Good enough.
Agree with #3 ONLY if you alternate between no spin and heavy backspin. If it is no spin, short and slow, people can just flick it to your forehand, middle or backhand because, well, the ball has no spin so the opponents can dictate where to move you in relation to the table. I do that a lot when I return no spin serves. And the shorter the ball is and the more no spin it is, it becomes easier for me to flip at wider angles against the server.
I don't agree with #4 because I use very spinny serves. It is impossible to loop my serve unless you know what spin I put on the ball. However, with new 40+ plastic ball, there is usually not a lot of spin on the serve so if you are not sure, a better way is to pretend it is a no spin serve and loop the heck out of it. That I agree with.
I agree with #5. I used to have trouble with third ball attack because of how much side spin I put on the ball myself (usually side under or side top spin) but I have fixed that issues lately. But to cut down mistakes on my end, I serve a lot of pure backspins. Again it depends on the opponents. If the opponent is 1700 or above, I have to attack on the third ball regardless of the side spin on the ball. If the opponent is 1700 or under, I would sometimes push the third ball to the middle of the table and let the opponent deals with the 4th ball and hope that he/she hits the ball off the side of the table. If you really cannot handle your own side spin, then just loop to the middle of the table with heavy topspin. That's one simple strategy.
I agree with #6 if you know how to loop properly. If you do not know how to loop properly, then no shame in pushing the ball back just to stay in the match.
Ok with #7. My backhand is weak. I can flip easier with my forehand. I was trained in the 1990's. I guess people trained nowadays have better BH's. And I played penhold when I was growing up in the 1990's so forehand flip is pretty intuitive to me.
Agree with #8 depending on your playing level but I can see how it could work for a lot of people. My advice is you can either attack on third ball or attack on fifth ball. You should figure for yourself whether you win more points with either strategy and just try it out.
Not sure about #9. When blocking, don't we usually block cross table in our practice? So wouldn't it be easier for most people to block cross table than down the line?
Agree with #10. My forehand is used to Chinese tacky rubber. I don't know how to use anything else.
Side comments. I do not have a reverse pendulum serve. I don't see the need for one. Between sidespin, backspin, topspin, side topspin, no spin etc. Long serve, short serve, half long serve, etc. Serving to the middle, to the forehand, to the backhand, etc. There is no need to acquire a reverse pendulum serve. There is enough variation as it is.
I also do not have a shovel serve or hook serve. I did play against one recently and I had trouble receiving it. I think with hook serve, it is easier to disguise backspin v.s. no spin. I kept on popping the ball up!
As for simple game hacks, for players under 1700 or even 2000, you can just serve long and fast, alternating between no spin, little backspin v.s. little topspin, and sending them to both corners. Just be ready to either counter fast or smack the heck out of the ball when it comes back. We have a 2000 level player in the club doing that every single time. If you are really strong at countering, simple serve like this is great!!!!
If you are a looper, then serving short and half long heavy backspin should just be your bread and butter. Spin the heck out of the third ball. If you vary the placement of your heavy backspin, most people cannot flip it anyway.
In other words, you gotta know what your game strength is so you know what to serve.
Heavy fast side topspin should be part of your repertoire. It will really win you a lot of points here and there.
