The game of table tennis, known throughout the world and played in the Olympics, offers participants an exciting test of their concentration and skill. Sometimes, though, players might want to mix things up and try some variations of the popular game, otherwise known as ping-pong. Many variations exist, depending on how many people want to play, and those variations always encourage creativity. Some options also include beer pong, popular with college students, though many of the beer pong games do not utilize a paddle, the essential piece of equipment in table tennis.
Doubles
Table tennis is most commonly played by one player on each side but doubles provides the opportunity for more people to get involved. The U.S. Table Tennis Rules set guidelines and penalties for doubles when it comes to which player can hit the ball. Alternating is mandatory, according to one rule, meaning that once a player has hit the ball, the teammate must be the next one to hit when the opposition returns the ball. Players must continue alternating the rest of the way.
Slam Pong
Table tennis can be mixed with beer drinking and Slam Pong was one of the first games to do so. Slam Pong and table tennis are the same, except for one big difference, and the losers end up drinking more beer than the winners after a set numbers of points has been reached. According to WorldLingo.com, players hit a ping-pong ball into a plastic cup of beer placed on the opposite side of the table as the fundamental way of scoring points in the game.
The Runaround
Table tennis has a rule book and a national association, but the sport also allows people with table tennis equipment to simply create games that they think would be enjoyable. One example is The Runaround, a game described on www.Redtopic.com. It can be played with as many players as desired, and is more of an individual quest than a team one. After players hit the ball, they must run around the table to the opposite side and the next player in line is ready to step in. Players are eliminated when they miss the ball or hit it outside the playing dimensions. Once there are two players left, "the players have to spin around in a full circle after successfully hitting the ball. First one to fail returning the ball is out."
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