The rules of table tennis, also known as pingpong, are governed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and USA Table Tennis (USATT). The job of an official at a table tennis match is to ensure all rules and regulations are followed, including scoring, game play and equipment. Understanding the rules of table tennis can aid in officiating.
Net
The net must be located directly in the center of the table and must be 6 inches high from the surface of the table, according to USATT. According to the official rules, the net must span from 6 inches off the table on one side to 6 inches off the table on the other side. The bottom of the net must be as close to the table as possible.
Table Size
A table tennis surface must be 9 feet long, split in half. This means that each player's half of the table should be 4 1/2 feet long. The table must be 5 feet in width and at least 2 1/2 feet high.
Racket and Ball
USATT does not have rules for the size of a pingpong racket, but the organization does regulate that the racket can be covered by only smooth or pimpled rubber. The pimples or thickness of the rubber can only be a maximum of 2 mm long. According to Pong World, the table tennis ball must be either white or orange and have a circumference of 40 mm (about 1.57 inches).
Scoring
Players get one point for each volley they win. A point can be won by the opponent failing to hit the ball or by the opponent failing to hit the other side of the table legally. A point is also awarded when a player serves illegally.
Winning
According to USATT, a game is played to 11 points. Each player serves twice in succession, and then allows the other to serve. The winner of a match is the first player to win a certain number of games, as determined by the official before the match. The match must be a best of an odd number of games. For example, a best-of-three match requires a player to win two games.
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