Tactics you always use

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Well duh. pendulum serves are very good for applying lots of side spin because the paddle is almost vertical.

To apply lots of back spin the paddle must be almost horizontal.

im not brushing the ball
if im not serving i have no problem brushing the ball but somehow i cant get it when serving (if i brush the serve would be net or too high^

 

[jammmail]

Am I the only one giving the serve to the oponent in the start of the game?

For some reason I like receiving first, and I think I serve quite well.

I wondered if anyone else has done this. I have done it a few times in the past, hoping to catch them cold (not there best serve, and to work out there serve) taking a point or two then maximising your serve gives you a good start. Though easy to work the same the other way around!

 

[jammmail]

Some great ways people address a game here to try out, thanks everyone

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I wondered if anyone else has done this. I have done it a few times in the past, hoping to catch them cold (not there best serve, and to work out there serve) taking a point or two then maximising your serve gives you a good start. Though easy to work the same the other way around!

nope I almost always give the serve to the opponent.
Only against choppers I like to serve first

 

[FruitLoop]

I receive Vs unknown opponents or those with a particularly weak serve and serve first if I have played them before.

 

[hipnotic]

My main tactic is to serve short to the FH side, followed by a strong BH opener to the BH corner. Sometimes i make a strong push if the return is short, just by making the opponent move a lot can get me the point or a easy ball to attack. I also try to vary the amount of spin on the serve, so it occasionally goes into the net or pops up. The downside is this tactic doesn't work on lefties, so i have to come up with a different one.

 

[mart1nandersson]

My main tactic is to serve short to the FH side, followed by a strong BH opener to the BH corner. Sometimes i make a strong push if the return is short, just by making the opponent move a lot can get me the point or a easy ball to attack. I also try to vary the amount of spin on the serve, so it occasionally goes into the net or pops up. The downside is this tactic doesn't work on lefties, so i have to come up with a different one.

Lefties should be banned. It's worse to meet a lefty than anti/LP/whatever.

 

[thekleifheit13]

Lefties should be banned. It's worse to meet a lefty than anti/LP/whatever.

As a lefty, I fully endorse this message

 

[jammmail]

Lefties should be banned. It's worse to meet a lefty than anti/LP/whatever.

I’m a lefty too!

 

[hipnotic]

Lefties should be banned. It's worse to meet a lefty than anti/LP/whatever.

Ah ah, I actually like to play against lefties, it's just that some of my usual tatics don't work. Now i even like to play against anti and LP. Sometimes it's difficult but it brings variety to the game. The only thing that gets on my nerves are illegal serves.

 

[pgpg]

Lefties should be banned. It's worse to meet a lefty than anti/LP/whatever.

Phew! Finally someone else to take spotlight away from 'evil' LP players.

 

[mart1nandersson]

Sorry for derailing the thread. My honest question would be: how do you deal with lefties serving (semi hidden) pendulum to your forehand? Is the trick to place your self a bit more to the right (as a right hand player) than normal?

 

[FruitLoop]

Sorry for derailing the thread. My honest question would be: how do you deal with lefties serving (semi hidden) pendulum to your forehand? Is the trick to place your self a bit more to the right (as a right hand player) than normal?

You should receive much further over to the right vs a lefty serve from the backhand corner (pendulum). Eg if you receive a pendulum eighty serve with your left leg outside the table (common), then you will be fully inside the table and probably bat near the middle of the table vs a lefty.

Watch pros receive vs a lefty and righty and note the different set up positions. How forehand/backhand dominant you are will also affect things.

 

[Dr Evil]

Sorry for derailing the thread. My honest question would be: how do you deal with lefties serving (semi hidden) pendulum to your forehand? Is the trick to place your self a bit more to the right (as a right hand player) than normal?

Yes, I play a little more to the right, and also a little further from the table because a lefty long fast serve can come straight up the line from a nearly invisible contact point. Best thing for it is to find a good lefty practice partner.

 

[Der_Echte]

im not brushing the ball
if im not serving i have no problem brushing the ball but somehow i cant get it when serving (if i brush the serve would be net or too high^

Getting good spin on serves is a touch and bat speed thing. It is more touch. You are trying to grab ball and throw it out. Requires initial light touch. Many players fail as they tighten up and never grab the ball.

I wish I could run a mini camp focusing on the serve principles. This is a huge problem for many amateur players, one that stops them from making another 2 levels improvement.

 

[Der_Echte]

FL or lightzy earlier posts about contacting ball to reduce spin reaction are worthy.

When unknow slow serve comes you can also use very light touch very early off the bounce.. it will give you a better chance to land the ball.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Getting good spin on serves is a touch and bat speed thing. It is more touch. You are trying to grab ball and throw it out. Requires initial light touch. Many players fail as they tighten up and never grab the ball.

I wish I could run a mini camp focusing on the serve principles. This is a huge problem for many amateur players, one that stops them from making another 2 levels improvement.

i think the main issue is I don't practice serves. I do practice a lot everything , even get private coaching, but with the private coach don't practice serves, or very little. I find it inconvenient at the club to serve. PLUS i don't know HOW to practice properly. serving one ball and picking it up is not efficient at all timewise, and if you repeat bad gesture, you are just ingraining bad serves...

 

[hillwalker]

Sorry for derailing the thread. My honest question would be: how do you deal with lefties serving (semi hidden) pendulum to your forehand? Is the trick to place your self a bit more to the right (as a right hand player) than normal?

Hi, as a lefty, I can tell you how I receive against rightys, serving pendulum to my forehand (its the same tactics just mirror image) Remember that because of the mirror image, people can use the exact same "lefty" tactics against us in the same way, its just that we get A LOT more practice with it, so it's probably not a good idea.

I almost always seem to be receiving with my forehand. I get used to doing it with a straight arm reaching right over to that awkward location on the table, while still keeping a soft touch. I practice an aggressive forehand push, and also a forehand flick when I can, and of course a forehand loop or drive for long serves. I go for either the opponents deep backhand corner (to jam them up) or the deep forehand corner (to surprise them especially if they are expecting to step around and pivot for a 3rd ball attack). I usually try to really get the return deep. In comparison, my receiving on my backhand is unpracticed. My backhand push sucks and I can't banana flick well at all. Honestly my around-the-net loop receiving percentage is probably higher than my banana flick percentage (remembering that I practice receiving those "lefty" pendulum serves off the side of the table, day in and day out)

So what I'd suggest, as a lefty, is if you actually served aggressively to my backhand, it would be a lot more confusing!

 

[I have 2 balls]

I serve first If i win the toss, but not a tactic just a hibbit. My serve two serves are always 1. Heavy sidepin to short BH and 2. No spin to short FH. I jsut want to observe opponents prefered serve-reveiving style and footwork when reaching to far side of table. Then I will stick with whatever moves my opponent across the table most.