Table tennis, also commonly referred to as ping pong, started in the 19th century in England. It was adapted from lawn tennis, and wealthy individuals would turn their dinner tables into table tennis courts for after-dinner entertainment. In 1901, the term "Ping-Pong" was copyrighted, and the copyright was later sold to Parker Brothers. The game quickly progressed from just a recreational activity into a sport with the founding of the International Table Tennis Federation in 1927, which developed the first official rules for professional play.
Equipment
The International Table Tennis Federation says the tennis table must be 2.74 meters long, 1.525 meters wide and 76 cm high. The ball must be spherical with a diameter of 40 mm and weigh 2.7 g. The paddles or rackets can be any weight or length, but they must be rigid and flat, and 85 percent of the blade must be made of natural wood. The net should cross the center of the table's width and be no more than 15.25 cm high.
Serving
When serving, the ball must lie freely on the open palm before being thrown at least 16 cm vertically in the air, after which it can be struck by the racket. The ball must then be hit into the server's side of the table and bounce once before going over the net to the opponent. In doubles, the ball must be served to the right half of the opponent's side of the table. The ball must also be hit from behind the server's end line.
Lets
A "let" consists of a rally that does not get scored. Some of the more common occurrences that warrant a let include the ball touching the net on a serve, a serve before the opponent is ready, and interruption by the umpire or something outside of the player's control.
Scoring
There are two main instances in which a point is scored: when an opponent is unable to serve the ball correctly, such as hitting it off the table before it fairly strikes his opponent's side, and when a player is unable to make a legal return. Other ways points are scored include the ball being carried instead of hit, the ball bouncing twice on the same side of the net, a player striking the ball twice successively, a player's free hand touching the playing surface, and when an offense occurs twice and the umpire awards a penalty point.
Points are warded on each rally. Games are played to 11, but must be won by 2 points. A match typically is the best three of five games.
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