Whether you play table tennis recreationally or competitively, learning the sport's rules will help you understand how to play better. If you fail to follow the official rules in competition, the referee will penalize you, and you will lose points. If you have no referee, try to make fair rule calls yourself.
Standard Table and Equipment
The standard table tennis table measures just under 9 feet long and 5 feet wide. The playing surface should lie flat 30 inches above the floor, with a 6-inch-high net. Standard table tennis balls are 1.6 inches in diameter, and weigh about 1/10 of an ounce. Standard table tennis rackets should contain 85% wood, with rubber siding for hitting the ball.
Serve
If you win the coin toss before the match, you may choose whether to serve or receive first, or which end to start from. Alternate serving and receiving after every two points. When you serve, you must toss the ball and hit it out of the air. The serve must begin from behind the table's end line and above the table's surface. It must bounce on your side of the court before traveling over the net and bouncing on your opponent's side.
Play
You win points if you hit a shot in bounds that your opponent cannot return. You also win points if your opponent makes one of several errors, including hitting a false serve, hitting the ball out of the court, obstructing the ball with her body or clothes, hitting the ball twice, moving the table or net, or touching the table with his non-racket hand. If an accidental interference disrupts a rally, call a "let" and replay the point.
Winning
You must earn 11 points to win a game, and you must win a game by at least 2 points. The specific number of games required to win a match varies depending on the level of competition, but you must always win the best of an odd number of games to win.
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