Abbreviated Rules of Table Tennis

A game is played to 11 points, and a player must win by a margin of 2 points.

Singles

Scoring & Matches

Game win

The first player (or pair) to reach 11 points wins the game, provided they lead by 2.

Deuce (10–10)

If the score ties at 10–10, play continues until one side gains a 2-point lead.

Match format

Matches are typically the best of 3, 5 or 7 games.

The Serve

Toss

Rest the ball on an open palm, throw it straight up at least 16 cm (6 inches), and strike it as it falls.

Bounce

The ball must bounce once on your side of the table and then once on your opponent's side.

Rotation

Players alternate serving 2 points each. At 10–10, service alternates every point.

Let serve

If a served ball touches the net and still lands legally on the opponent's side, it is a let and is replayed. There is no limit on lets, and there are no second serves.

Rally & General Play

The bounce

The ball must bounce once on your side before you hit it back over the net. No volleying.

One hit

Each player gets only one hit per turn.

Edge balls

A ball that hits the top edge of the table surface is good. A ball that hits the side of the table is out.

Table contact

Touching the playing surface with your free hand, or moving the table, loses the point. Touching the table with your body or bat hand is fine as long as the table doesn't move.

Doubles

The singles rules apply, but the serve direction, service rotation and hitting order follow strict patterns.

The Serve & Court

Diagonal serve

The serve must always travel diagonally, from your right-hand half of the table into your opponents' right-hand half. The halves are divided by the white centre line.

Centre line

A serve that touches the centre line is in. So is one that touches any other boundary line.

Hitting Order

Alternating hits

Partners must take it in turns to hit the ball. A player cannot hit the ball twice in a row during a rally.

Service Rotation

Service changes every 2 points. Each time it changes, the previous receiver becomes the new server and the previous server’s partner becomes the new receiver. With pair A as players A1 and A2, and pair B as B1 and B2:

1. Step 1
   A1 → serves to B1
   for 2 points
2. Step 2
   B1 → serves to A2
   for 2 points
3. Step 3
   A2 → serves to B2
   for 2 points
4. Step 4
   B2 → serves to A1
   for 2 points

Then the loop repeats.

The full rules are available on the Table Tennis England website.