Tactics for long pips against long pips

[greenbeanmachine]

I was wondering if anyone can share tactics for me to use as a long pips chopper, while playing against another long pips player.

I think I'm doing pretty well against double-inverted players -- I can chop topspins pretty well and put a heavy backspin on the table, and I can attack underspin quite consistently. However, I'm having trouble against defensive players who use low-friction rubber on their backhand. I lost to a long pips blocker who kept giving no-spin balls to my backhand. Normally with inverted rubber this would be an easy attack opportunity, but I am really struggling to figure out what to do with long pips. Even if I give a strong chop, I can't create so much spin, giving him a good attack opportunity on the next ball. I tried a few different things -- if I twiddle and make a topspin, he just blocks to my forehand. Attacking with my long pips was not so strong. If I push to backhand, we just get into stupid push rally until someone steps around to attack.

LP players and choppers, do you have any advice for me?

 

[tzifos]

You need to feed him with no-spin (pips) balls to his pips and be ready to smash the next ball. You need to play his game as it is very unusual to stay close to the table as you need for such a game. Try also serving short heavy down-spin balls wide in his forehand (so you will get a push from the inverted in the middle or your forehand) and be ready to lift that loaded ball with a good topspin to his forehand. Also vary your serves with up+side spin balls to his pips and be ready to smash or spin the ball you get to your forehand. I also like the pips to pips pushes rallies to my mid-long pips as I can easily attack/feed his forehand with fast no-spin balls that are difficult to attack with their inverted. That "stupid push rally" needs a lot of patience in order to choose the best ball to attack. You can also chop knuckle/no-spin balls at your forehand to his forehand and be ready to top-spin his forehand push. All in all, I try to make the opponent feed me with down-spin to my forehand as my top-spin is my bigger weapon. Note that I never try a second top-spin if he blocks it with long-pips, I will push this ball again to his forehand to start again with a top-spin.

 

[vvk1]

The classics are always relevant, even for LP players:
Basic Long Pip Techniques You Need To Master|Long Pip Rubbers vs Float Balls

 

[merlin el mago]

It all depends player level but if you play like as classical defender you will suffer playing against LP blockers, chop-bockers, anti & short pips because all these rubbers doesn't help you to made backspin for your LPs, you have to be creative and a very good player to win against.

 

[MORTtheORT]

I was wondering if anyone can share tactics for me to use as a long pips chopper, while playing against another long pips player.

I think I'm doing pretty well against double-inverted players -- I can chop topspins pretty well and put a heavy backspin on the table, and I can attack underspin quite consistently. However, I'm having trouble against defensive players who use low-friction rubber on their backhand. I lost to a long pips blocker who kept giving no-spin balls to my backhand. Normally with inverted rubber this would be an easy attack opportunity, but I am really struggling to figure out what to do with long pips. Even if I give a strong chop, I can't create so much spin, giving him a good attack opportunity on the next ball. I tried a few different things -- if I twiddle and make a topspin, he just blocks to my forehand. Attacking with my long pips was not so strong. If I push to backhand, we just get into stupid push rally until someone steps around to attack.

LP players and choppers, do you have any advice for me?

I just serve light backspin or no spin into their LPs and then just all out attack the return with my FH. Even if you are playing with Pips...play to your opponents rubbers weakness. LP players play the long game.... don't play it with them.

 

[merlin el mago]

Wanna be good to know if both LP players share the same style of playing or not?

Because isn't the same two classical defense players like two block chop-block players or one classical & the other close to the table.

 

[MORTtheORT]

You need to feed him with no-spin (pips) balls to his pips and be ready to smash the next ball. You need to play his game as it is very unusual to stay close to the table as you need for such a game. Try also serving short heavy down-spin balls wide in his forehand (so you will get a push from the inverted in the middle or your forehand) and be ready to lift that loaded ball with a good topspin to his forehand. Also vary your serves with up+side spin balls to his pips and be ready to smash or spin the ball you get to your forehand. I also like the pips to pips pushes rallies to my mid-long pips as I can easily attack/feed his forehand with fast no-spin balls that are difficult to attack with their inverted. That "stupid push rally" needs a lot of patience in order to choose the best ball to attack. You can also chop knuckle/no-spin balls at your forehand to his forehand and be ready to top-spin his forehand push. All in all, I try to make the opponent feed me with down-spin to my forehand as my top-spin is my bigger weapon. Note that I never try a second top-spin if he blocks it with long-pips, I will push this ball again to his forehand to start again with a top-spin.

Do you go heavy backspin to their FH because you are assuming they are not good at dealing with it since they use pimples on their backhand? Or are you just moving them out of position?

 

[tzifos]

I give'm backspin to their wide forhand for two reasons; 1) Difficult for them to attack with their BH pips such a ball, if they try they will be way out from their position leaving their BH corner empty, and they usually don't have the "legs" to cover it fast 2) usually they use their FH with inv. rubber to return such a ball, which is a backspin ball usually in my middle or FH side, a ball to attack!