Guide to Basement and Family Ping-Pong by Greg Letts

Table tennis is a sport that a large number of people around the world have played at one time or another - and usually had a lot of fun doing so! But what most of these dabblers don't know is that table tennis is also one of the very few sports that has two very distinct versions - you have the basement game which is played and loved by millions of people all over the world, and you have the serious sport which is played by only a small fraction of that player base - I'd guess maybe 5% of overall players?

Unlike sports like tennis, which pretty much looks like tennis regardless of what level you play at, the sport of table tennis played at the basement level is completely different to the sport that is played at an advanced level - mainly due to the magic of spin.

Strangely enough, most of what is written on the Internet about table tennis caters for that small percentage of serious players, and the vast majority of basement or family ping-pong players are left out in the cold. There is very little good advice on the Internet about how to play better ping-pong without spending a fortune on custom bats, expensive coaching, or attending training camps. Most information that you will find that is aimed at complete beginners is either written by other beginners (which results in some strange advice!), or is written in the expectation that the new player is planning to start playing with expensive custom equipment and become a serious table tennis player as soon as possible.

But what about those ping-pong players who simply want to play for fun in their garage, family room or workplace, using their trusty Wal-Mart bats, but who would also like to play a bit better and beat their buddies more often?

If you are one of these players, then this Guide to Basement Ping-Pong is for you. This guide is written by an advanced table tennis player for the ping-pong player who has only ever played for fun, who doesn't know the real difference between basement ping-pong and advanced table tennis (and who probably doesn't care!), but who still wants to improve his game and win more matches against his family, friends and work mates.

In the weeks to come, I'm going to walk you through the basics of basement ping-pong. We'll cover everything a basement player needs to know, including:

• What is Basement Ping Pong?
• Is it OK to be a basement player?
• Should you start with basement ping-pong or serious table tennis?
• How do you tell the difference between a basement bat and a custom table tennis racket? Why does it matter? Should you start with a cheap bat or an expensive custom racket?
• If you are a basement player who wants to get serious about table tennis, how do you know when you are ready?
• What are the basic table tennis grips? Which should you choose? Does it matter how you hold the racket?
• What are the basic strokes of table tennis, and how do you play them with a cheap basement bat? Are their any strokes that you shouldn't try to play?
• What are the basic rules of table tennis that you should know?
• What are some simple tactics and strategies you can use to win more points?

Stick with me, and you'll discover that you don't have to spend a fortune on a custom racket in order to play better ping-pong. And if you get bitten by the table tennis bug (watch out!), you'll have a good grounding in the basics so that you will be ready to step up to advanced play more easily - and don't worry, I have a wealth of information already on the website for serious players!

What is Basement Ping-Pong? by Greg Letts

While you can ask 10 different players and probably get 10 different opinions, I'm going to start this article by explaining exactly what I mean when I talk about basement ping-pong. While originally deriving from the simple fact that many people play at home, often in their basement, some players now use that term in a derogatory sense, implying that basement players aren't "real" table tennis players. I don't mean that at all, although it is true that most basement players are much more casual about the sport than serious players.

For me, the distinction between basement ping-pong and serious play is marked by several factors, none of which are the single defining issue. Here's what I consider to be the main differences:

1. Equipment - the first thing that will give other players a clue about whether you are a basement or serious player is your table tennis bat. I'll explain more about this in another article, but as a rule of thumb the racket used by basement players is generally going to be different to rackets used by more serious players in 2 ways:
• it's going to have less power, especially when trying to spin the ball, and
• it's going to provide much less spin.
While both are important for advanced play, it's the lack of spin that prevents basement players from being able to consistently play the advanced strokes used by serious players (such as theloop, powerloop, chop, and flick).

Note also that you can be a new player and buy an expensive custom racket and still play basement table tennis since you won't be able to use it properly, or you could buy a cheap racket and play advanced table tennis - it's just that it is much easier to perform the advanced techniques with a custom racket that is designed to provide extra power and spin. But these custom rackets are harder to control if you have not been taught how to handle them.

2. Technique - more than anything else, I would say that this is the real difference between basement and advanced players. There are a handful of advanced strokes that serious players use that basement players don't. These techniques require a great deal of extra time and effort to master, and are much easier (but still not easy) to perform with custom rackets that provide extra power and spin. An experienced player can look at an unfamiliar player and estimate his level by watching the person's technique when playing different strokes, and more importantly by how he puts those strokes together during a rally.

The above two points make up the bulk of the differences between basement and advanced players, but there are some other factors to consider as well, including:

3. Training - most serious players will train on a regular basis, usually once or twice a week at a minimum. Some advanced players no longer train regularly, preferring to perhaps just play games at their local club once a week. But it's a good bet that they didn't get to that standard without a lot of training hours under their belt. In contrast, basement players tend to just play endless games against each other, or even just enjoy rallying with each other for those who aren't looking for competition. Which leads us to:
4. Competition - while I know that beating your family, friends and work buddies can sometimes be the fiercest of battles, that is usually where the competition stops for basement players. Most serious players seek out other opponents to conquer (and socialize with!), attending clubs and organized competitions on a regular basis.
5. Conditions - playing at home or at work can be a bit of a crap shoot in terms of playing conditions. Sometimes you have to work around the lack of space or pieces of furniture in the way. Sometimes the furniture can be useful, allowing you to cramp your opponent's swing, or maybe lean against the furniture yourself when you are off-balance. Sometimes the table has dents or drink rings that you can aim for. But for serious play, good lighting, quality tables and plenty of space are needed.
6. Rules - competition play has rules laid out by the ITTF that are supposed to be followed strictly, although in practice you will often find that some of these rules are bent or broken due to the lack of umpires available to control matches. In basement play, "house rules" are common, such as the skunk rule or even playing matches up to 21 points instead of the modern 11 points. At home, you can play any rules you like, as long as you are having fun!

And speaking of fun, that should be at least one thing that both basement players and serious players have in common. Regardless of rackets, rules or time spent training, no matter whether you play once a month or five times a week, you should be having fun while playing ping-pong. Whether in the basement or the stadium, table tennis is a great sport to be enjoyed by all.

Troubleshooting your serve seturn

Here's How:

1. When you are in doubt about the amount of spin on the ball, spin it yourself a little more, not less. The natural reaction when you are unsure of the spin is to gently touch the ball, attempting to caress it back. Unfortunately this does not work well with modern rubbers and their intense reaction to spin. So when in doubt, use a heavy spin – it will increase your chances of overpowering whatever spin your opponent has placed on the ball. Don't hit it faster, just spin it more.
2. When you are having trouble attacking the serve, and being forced to push when receiving, a double bounce push is the best return, provided you can keep it low. It is also the most difficult return to make. I would recommend to keep practicing this stroke but only start using it in games when you can do it successfully at least 70% of the time. Until then stick to using a fast deep or fast angled push, which is a little less effective but much easier for you to do successfully.
3. When your opponent is attacking your returns too easily. When you are learning to return serve, the middle of the table is the safest place to aim at to allow for errors. As your control improves, you must begin to keep away from the middle of the table when returning serve. You want to either make your opponent move sideways to reach the ball, or aim at his playing elbow so that he has to decide whether to hit it with his forehand or backhand, and then has to move to play the stroke as well.
4. If you are having trouble reading the spin, make sure you are watching closely at the time of contact. Also try to watch your opponent serve against other players, and try to guess what spin he is putting on the ball. With a little close observation you'll soon start to recognize his different serves.
5. When you are having trouble with a particular serve, master the serve yourself – not only will this give you another serve to add to your own arsenal, but it will help you understand and return that type of serve more easily. Watch better players return that serve - see what they do, think about why they are playing that stroke, note how effective it is, and decide whether that type of return would suit your style of play. If so, then try it out!
6. If you are making too many mistakes when attacking the serve, you should try to be as aggressive as you can be while maintaining some margin for error. If you are attacking but hitting too many serves into the net or off the end of the table, reduce your power a little, and increase your spin. This will give you more height over the net, and a ball that drops a little shorter on the table with good spin. When your opponent blocks the ball back, you can hit his return with more power.
7. If you find that you are still making too many mistakes when attacking the serve, you can try using a push or chop instead. Get the ball back into play a few times, and make your opponent work for the point. Don't just keep hitting and missing if you can't get the ball on - your opponent may just have too good a serve for you to attack, and you can't afford to keep giving him freebies. Then make sure you do some more practice against that type of serve in training later on.

Improving Serves - Practical Advice

Here's How:

1. Practice with a friend/training partner that wants to work on their serves and serve returns. Have them use serves that you are having trouble with – they get to practice their serve and you get to practice your returning. Then swap around and do some serves for them to practice returning.
2. During a match, if a serve hits the net and comes over to your side, don't catch it. Let it bounce and hit it back, noting the type of spin on the ball. It's like a free preview of your opponent's serve.
3. Note that the ball generally bounces lower on service, since it is mainly contacted fairly close to net height. Make sure that you use your knees to get down to the ball when returning, instead of bending from the waist.
4. A good way to practice telling the difference between long balls and short balls is to have a training partner serve the ball to you, and then play a shadow shot with your empty hand, deliberately missing the ball. Notice how often you would have pushed or flicked balls that were actually going off the end of the table and could be attacked with power instead.
5. When you are not playing at a tournament, watch your opponent's serves against other players, and try to pick what type of serve they are doing. This will help you get familiar with a particular player's favorite serves.
6. Put in the middle of the server's side of the table table a folded towel, or even better a piece of string with blu-tack or low-adhesive sticky tape on the corners to form a square about 15-20 inches wide. Have your training partner serve the ball, and when you return the service try to keep your return out of the square. You should be able to notice that the more often you keep your return out of the square, the harder it is for your training partner to attack strongly.
7. A robot can be handy for learning to deal with different types of spins. The nice thing with robots is that the spin and speed can be set to the same amount over and and over again, until you get master your return technique. A human server will always have some variations in his serve, and may well lose patience with serving the same serve to you over and over again! The downside with a robot is that you do not get to practice watching the service motion.
8. If you are having problems finding a training partner willing to serve to you, why not pay a coach or advanced player to give you some serving practice? You'll probably get some good tips as well – well worth the money!
9. If you do training drills, start more of the drills with a proper serve and server return, rather than the standard easy topspin serve. This can easily increase the amount of serve return practice you get, without taking up any more time.
10. If you are having problems returning a particular serve, try to master the serve yourself. Once you understand all about that serve, you will find it much easier to pick when your opponent is using it on you!
11. From time to time, try using one type of return against every serve. You will make a few mistakes, but you will also find that you will succeed in returning serves that you would not normally have even tried to return with that type of stroke. This method is a very good way of finding out exactly what you can and can't do with a particular type of return – you may be better than you think!

Improving Serves - Theoretical Advice

1. Be aggressive when returning serve. Try to attack whenever you can, and if you can't, try to return so that the server can't attack well. The mental checklist shown in point two below gives the stroke priority in which you should be trying to return serve. Don't think that you have to ask yourself every question in reality – there isn't enough time. But with practice your decision making will speed up and your choices will improve, even if you aren't consciously making these decisions.
2. • Is the ball going to bounce off the end of the table? If YES then attack the ball.
   • Is the ball going to bounce high? If YES then attack the ball with a well placed [/od/glossary/g/flip.htm]flick[/link].
   • Is the ball going to bounce near the net? If YES you can use a short push or float return to make a double bounce return that is difficult to attack, or
   • Does the ball have medium to heavy backspin? If YES, push the ball fast and deep. If NO, you can push or flick the ball to make a return that is difficult to attack well.
3. When returning serve, be aggressive in proportion to the quality of the serve. Good serves should be handled with care, and placement used instead of power. Average serves can be attacked with good spin and some speed. Weak serves should be attacked strongly with power and some spin. Many beginners lose too many points by trying to attack an average serve with too much power, and end up hitting the net or missing the end of the table. Don't give your opponent any freebies.
4. You must be watching like a hawk at the time the server actually hits the ball. Seeing the moment of contact is what will give you the best chance of deciphering what spin, speed and placement is on the ball. Without seeing the contact you are stuck with making guesses, and the chances are good that you are going to be wrong.
5. At the time of contact, note the direction that the server's bat is moving. If it is moving to your left, the ball will jump off your own bat towards the left side of the table, and vice versa if his bat is moving to the right. If his bat is moving under the ball (or down the back of the ball), there will be backspin, and if it is moving over the ball (or up the back of the ball), there will be topspin. Remember that most serves have a combination of sidespin and either backspin or topspin.
6. For topspin and backspin, it is easiest to return like with like. Return topspin with topspin, and backspin with backspin. Your spin and your opponent's spin will tend to cancel each other out, allowing easier control of the ball. Don't be afraid to try it the other way around though for variation, since using backspin against topspin and topspin against backspin can be very effective, although a little more difficult to do.
7. For sidespin, working with the spin is easiest. For example, if the server's bat is moving to your right at contact, put your bat a little to the right of the ball and hit the ball a little on its right hand side, aiming towards the left side of the table. This will keep a lot of your opponent's sidespin on the ball, and he will have to deal with it on his next stroke.
8. Working against the spin for sidespin serves is an advanced tactic that is recommended for advanced players only. Although very effective it requires a lot of control and touch to perform well.
9. It is easiest to always use a little spin at least to improve your ball control. Returning serves using float balls requires very good timing and touch, and an exact reading of the spin, which is difficult. Using a small amount of spin will allow you to be slightly incorrect and still make a good stroke.
10. Most of the time it is easiest to hit the ball at the peak of its bounce. Do not be afraid to change your timing every so often to increase the amount of variation the server has to cope with.
11. When placing the ball, you should stick to a few simple rules. Making the server move to hit the return is always a good idea. Placing the ball into the playing elbow is also a very good tactic if you can hit it with a little bit of speed, but your target is not that big, so be careful of trying this too often. If you keep making mistakes with the placement use the wide angles more often.
12. Some beginners get carried away with flicking, and try to flick every short serve. Don’t overdo it – serves with heavy backspin are difficult for beginners to flick well, and a flick that is badly placed is an easy ball for a server to attack, since flicks don't have much topspin. Again, the fast push can be used effectively to give you more variation, and give the server a harder ball to attack due to the backspin on the ball.
13. Take note of what patterns and favorite shots your opponent uses, and try to return so that he can't do these well or often. Instead, try to return so that you can play your own favorite shot or patterns.
14. Remember that a smart opponent will adjust very quickly if you always use the same return against a particular service. Use your best return the most often, but also use different types of strokes, spin, speed and placement so that your opponent finds it harder to get used to your returns.

The Importance of Returning Serves

Listed below are the main reasons why the return of serve is so important in table tennis today:

• As we discussed previously, the serve is used by smart opponents to help set up their attacks. Good returns of serve can neutralize the server's advantage and put the receiver into the rally on equal terms.
• Very good returns of serve can actually take the initiative from the server, and allow the receiver to get his own attack started first, forcing the rally to develop along the receiver's own favorite type of play.
• If you can't return serve well, you won't be able to use your rallying skills at their best. You will always be on the defensive when you are the receiver, since the server will be able to dominate the game with a good serve and powerful follow up attack. Remember that you will have to return serve on 50% of all points in singles - there's no way to avoid it!
• As one of the most difficult aspects of table tennis to master, the serve return also has the greatest potential for improving your game. The return of serve is often the most neglected aspect of the beginner and intermediate player's game (advanced players have usually learnt better from bitter experience). With a little work you can soon have a better return of serve than most of your competition (since they are generally not practicing their return of serve at all), which is a handy edge to have.
• Having a good return of serve can increase the pressure on your opponent, since he knows that he must serve well to prevent you from attacking him. It is very difficult to serve well when you are tense from knowing that anything less than a good serve will be attacked ruthlessly by your opponent!

21 Tips to Table Tennis Success

BY SEAN O'NEILL
5 x U.S. Champion, 2 x Olympic Team Member

1. Set Goals. - Goals are necessary for improvement at every level. Set both short and long-term goals. For example: I will win Class C at the next local tournament. Or I will break 1800 by the 2000 US Open. On a separate sheet of paper, write down each goal statement accompanied by a five-step strategy to reaching your goal. Keep a copy of these goals in your racket case to be viewed before each practice.

2. Use quality equipment. - If you want to play like the Pros, you need to use the same high quality equipment they do. Pick a player whose style you would like to emulate and ask The Table Tennis Pioneers what they play with. You'd be surprised that the best don't always play with the fastest on the market! I personally use a Stiga Clipper CR with Stiga Mendo MP 2.0 on both sides.

3. Stretch. Probably the most important and overlooked area of training in table tennis is stretching. Spend at least 10 minutes before and after each workout, whether on the table or off. Get the body warm by jogging for 5-6 minutes, then start from the head and work your way down to your toes, stretching each group of muscles. Stretching will improve flexibility, reduce possible injuries and get the body ready for fast paced action on the table.

4. Exercise off the table. Walking, running, swimming, cycling or other aerobic activities are all super ways to improve your table tennis game and general health. Aim for 2 to 3 times a week for 15-20 minutes per workout; being in good shape will make the difference at the end of the tournament. Start out gradually and listen to your body. If you feel any pain, stop and consult your physician.

5. Find a Teammate. - A teammate is a person you can practice with on a regular basis. The closer their level of play and commitment to improvement is to yours, the better the team will function. Schedule as many practices as possible during the week and plan on going to tournaments together whenever possible. Teamwork through competitive cooperation will lead to success.

6. Move your Feet. Practice footwork as often as possible; faster footwork will allow greater shot selection during the point. Random placement footwork drills are much better than preset placement drills. Your partner should move the ball around in an open area on the table while you move and hit your favorite shot. Aim for consistency and count the number of shots before missing. Once you are satisfied with your consistency, increase the area to be covered. Footwork practice will help your goals come true.

7. Practice serving. Serving is one skill that can be done without a practice partner. Simply obtain a large quantity of balls and an empty table. Use mostly wrist and try to produce a variety of spins (chop, topspin and no-spin) out of the same motion. Short serves stop your opponent from attacking, while long serves are used to surprise and keep your foe off-balance. Don't forget to incorporate no-spin serves into your game. The more original and deceptive your serves are, the easier the third ball will be to attack.

8. Practice Returning Serves. Have your teammate serve all over the table with as many different types of spin as possible. Against long serves or serves that only bounce once on the table, attack the ball by looping. Short serves can be returned short with a push or attacked with a well-placed flip. Flipping uses a balance of quick wrist movement and a mini-forearm stroke. Don't forget to get close to the ball on the backhand flip and to the side of the ball when using your forehand.

9. Loop. The most widely used stroke in the modern game is the loop. The three parts to a successful loop are: backswing, contact and follow-through. During the backswing, get your feet into proper position and relax your arm. If the ball has underspin you'll need to backswing below the ball; if topspin is coming at you, stay closer to ball height. Without slowing down the stroke, swing forward and contact the ball while shifting your weight (from back foot to front) and turning your shoulders and waist together. Let your forearm and wrist snap while grazing the ball to get maximum spin. The follow-through consists of letting your body weight transfer in the direction where you want the ball to go. Afterwards, quickly return to your normal ready position for the next shot.

10. Play Smart. Before you serve, think how you intend to play the point. Don't put the ball into play until you feel comfortable with your opponent's most likely return. When returning serve, have at least your first shot in mind while watching the racket angle during contact. Make your opponent play your game, don't be forced to play theirs. Indecision is worse than poor decision-making.

11. Contingency Plan. What if your rubber bubbles or racket breaks during a tournament match? Do you have a spare in your racket case? As a player, I always had an identical back-up racket made up and ready to go. If you are going to put in the time to improve and win, why not give yourself the best chance when things go wrong?

12. Be Positive. Complaining or whining after a point is over will not make the next point any easier. Actually it will make it harder as you will become more tense and uptight. The time between points is too short and valuable to waste. Think about your next serve or serve return. Make mental notes of tendencies played during the last few points. If your opponent made a great shot, don't be afraid to acknowledge it. They might try an even fancier one next time!

13. Scout Opponents. At big tournaments there are many new players you have never seen before. If you are going up against one of these players, take the time to watch them play before you have to face them. Look for their strengths and weaknesses; this will give you the basis to form a game plan. Don't try watching if they are playing on the adjacent table, let your teammate do the scouting. If video equipment is available, tape your matches and analyze the matches after the tournament to see which tips and tactics to implement next time.

14. Get coaching advice during game breaks. During a fast paced game, it is difficult to remember all the tactics and strategies that worked well. A coach is your best bet to help organize your game plan or to make suggestions for modification. The coach should be familiar with your mental approach and your capabilities. Have your coach focus on one or two tactics, listening to two minutes of rambling will only confuse you. Keep it simple.

15. Keep a diary of your opponents. After each match, it is a smart idea to jot down some notes on what worked and what didn't. List the type of serves your opponent liked to use and how they dealt with your serves. This is clearly the best time to formulate a better game plan for the next time you'll meet. Sometimes it is helpful to write down their type of rubber if they are combination players.

16. Encourage yourself. Don't ever put yourself down. Along with being positive, get excited when you are playing well. Use phrases like, "I can do it!" "That's like me" or "Let's Go!" after a point to keep your intensity high. There is nothing wrong with pumping yourself up, just don't go overboard and forget why you are out there in the first place.

17. Play all Nets and Edges. Every game will have at least 3 or 4 nets and edges. Since many games are decided by less than 5 points you can't afford to let these type of points go. The best way to improve your ability to return these errant balls is to try to return them in practice. After a while you will start returning them automatically. I've found that most net balls are easier than the regular shots if you are ready for them.

18. Be aggressive. Table tennis is one of the fastest sports played today and offensive players are the most dominant. The first player to attack has a sizable advantage. Always try to attack after your own serve and mix it up on the returns. At the end of the game, don't become passive and hope your opponent will miss - this is the time to seize the initiative and go for it!

19. Hustle. If you are forced out of position, don't let the ball hit the ground without a swing. Try for every ball no matter what, every point counts. Chopping or lobbing is not the wrong choice if it is your only option. Continued attempts to return balls just out of your reach will eventually lead to faster footwork and quicker reflexes. Opponents will get discouraged if their best shots are returned or they realize you are not going to give away any free points.

20. Deuce. At 20-20 relax; try to play the point with the same discipline as you would any other. Thinking that it is a "do or die" point will cause tightness and pressure. Go with your strengths or force your opponent into their weak areas. A well-placed push can be as precious as a loop kill if it is done at the right time.

21. Visit youtube and table tennis sites on a daily basis for additional coaching tips and table tennis news. If you have a particular question that has stumped you for a while please post it on forums. Subscribe to this blog and post comments. And don't forget to read my other articles on playing table tennis. Feel free to click on the links on this site.

Courtesy of Tilden Corbett