Table tennis doubles play is both a recreational and a competitive game that offers players the chance to work as teams. In a doubles table tennis match, each player must coordinate his movements with those of his partner because teammates take turns hitting the ball.
Alternating Shots
In table tennis, players must alternate shots once a point is in play when playing doubles. If one player puts the ball into play on the serve, her partner hits the return when their opponent sends it back. It doesn't matter which player is closest to the ball -- it only matters whose turn it is to hit. Once you hit the ball in doubles table tennis, you must get out of the way for the next shot and allow your partner to hit it.
Service
In singles table tennis, the server must toss the ball into the air before striking it, and the ball must hit his side of the table before it flies over the net and hits the opposite side of the table. In doubles, the server must hit the ball into the service box on the right side of the table before it goes over the net and on the opponent's side of the table. In a competitive tournament, the serve switches to your opponent after every two points. In recreational doubles, the serve switches after every five points.
Changing Ends
In table tennis, teams must switch ends after every game played. However, in any game that has the potential to be the last game of a match, the teams will switch ends again once a team has scored five points. So, if two teams are playing a best-of-5 match and team A has won the first two games of the match, the third game has the potential to be the last game of the match. Once either team has scored five points, the two teams will switch ends. If team B wins the third game, the teams will switch ends again at the start of the game and once five points have been scored.
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