12 Droll Quizzes of Table Tennis Rules

Parents playing with children on one hand, chatting about some droll table tennis rules on the other hand, could not only teach them more knowledge, but also have more fun. Do you know how to judge the twelve situations below?

1. While playing, suddenly you switch to use the left hand holding the racket to return. Is it valid?

2. While returning, you throw out the racket and it successfully hits back in the air. Is it valid?

3. Your opponent’s stroke has hit your half table already, but as it has strong back spin and it returns to your opponent’s own half table. You pass the net and go to the area of your opponent’s own half table to hit the ball. Is it valid?

4. When you’re in a match, you feel the call of nature. Can you answer it, going to bathroom?

5. During a match, if the player loses his temper and curses with bad language, can the umpire show the red card and send him off?

(Image Courtesy of Remy Gros at Flickr)

6. You aren’t playing well in a match. Can you use another racket?

7. When you return, the ball hits on your finger, instead of the rubber, but it’s successfully returned. Is it valid?

8. Your serve is a let. Then it repeats three times in a row. Is it a foul?

9. When you serve, you catch the ball again after tossing. Is it a foul?

10. When you return a low ball, your hand or racket inadvertently touches the table. Is it a foul?

11. In order to play easier, your opponent uses a racket which size is as big as a tennis racket. Is it allowed?

12. Instead of flying over the net, the ball goes around by the side at a height lower than it and successfully hits the other side of table. Is it valid?

Answers of Droll Table Tennis Rules

1. While playing, suddenly you switch to use the left hand holding the racket to return. Is it valid?

Yes. Usually it’s seen among European players. Timo Boll often does so, as an active player.

2. While returning, you throw out the racket and it successfully hits back in the air. Is it valid?

No. All the returns without holding the racket are invalid.

3. Your opponent’s stroke has hit your half table already, but as it has strong back spin and it returns to your opponent’s own half table. You pass the net and go to the area of your opponent’s own half table to hit the ball. Is it valid?

Yes. The rules don’t limit your position. You may stand with your opponent side by side if you like.

(Image Courtesy of Remy Gros at Flickr)

4. When you’re in a match, you feel the call of nature. Can you answer it, going to bathroom?

No. During a match, all players have to stay inside the fence area. Unless it’s allowed by the umpire, otherwise it may be treated as a walkover. Parents should get their children players “ready” before check-in.

5. During a match, if the player loses his temper and curses with bad language, can the umpire show the red card and send him off?

No, unfortunately. The power of table tennis umpire isn’t as big as soccer. The umpire can only show a yellow card to warn. If the misconduct repeats, a yellow card plus a red card can be shown and the player will lose a point.

If the misconduct still continues, the same cards can be shown again. Then the player will lose two points this time. The punishment increases.

6. You aren’t playing well in a match. Can you use another racket?

No. You need to let umpire and opponent check your racket before the match begins. Without the umpire’s permission, replacing the racket isn’t allowed. Umpires won’t allow changing racket, unless it’s necessary. For instance, the racket is seriously broken.

(Image Courtesy of Remy Gros at Flickr)

7. When you return, the ball hits on your finger, instead of the rubber, but it’s successfully returned. Is it valid?

Yes. According to the table tennis rules, returning with the part below the wrist of the hand holding the racket is valid. In other words, the racket hand’s back, fingers, or the edge and the handle of the racket hitting the ball are all valid. It often happens.

Bear in mind two points. First, it must be the racket hand. If you use the other hand without racket, it’s invalid. Second, most of the time, after hitting fingers the ball touches the rubber right next to the fingers, instead of returning to opponent’s half table directly. It’s also valid.

(The rule was changed in about 2016. Before that it was called “double” and invalid, just like the ball touching clothes before returning to the table.)

8. Your serve is a let. Then it repeats three times in a row. Is it a foul?

No. Many kids think that two or three lets in a row will lose a point. Actually, you may serve lets unlimited times and won’t be punished. However, note that your serve needs to hit opponent’s half table after touching the net. If it goes out or else, it’s a foul.

(Image Courtesy of Remy Gros at Flickr)

9. When you serve, you catch the ball again after tossing. Is it a foul?

Yes. Many people think that they can serve again without punishment, as long as they haven’t touched the ball letting it fall on the ground. Actually, it’s already a foul and loses a point.

According to the rules, your serve begins at the moment you got stationary. Even you have just stood up and haven’t tossed the ball, doing nothing after the still motion, it’s treated that you’ve finished the serve. You’re no longer allowed to get stationary and prepare again.

10. When you return a low ball, your hand or racket inadvertently touches the table. Is it a foul?

No. According to the table tennis rules, touching the table with the part below the wrist of the hand holding the racket is valid, including the racket hand’s back, fingers or the edge and the handle of the racket.

Please note that it must be the racket hand. Touching the table with any part of the hand without the racket or other body parts will lose a point. Hence, children players should avoid the habit of placing a hand on table for support.

11. In order to play easier, your opponent uses a racket which size is as big as a tennis racket. Is it allowed?

Yes. The rules have no limit on racket size. You’re welcome to use a table tennis racket as large as a refrigerator, as long as the rubbers, the blade and the sponges are conforming the specification requirements.

12. Instead of flying over the net, the ball goes around by the side at a height lower than it and successfully hits the other side of table. Is it valid?

Yes. This situation happens sometimes. The table tennis rules don’t limit the ball’s flying route. As long as the ball hasn’t touched anything other than the net, no matter how the route is, even if it’s flying underneath the table and then coming up to hit opponent’s half table, it’s still valid.

The above twelve droll quizzes, how many you and your kids can answer?

(The above answers are for fun only. Please correct me if you find anything wrong.)