Develop New Patterns
Developing new patterns is generally a matter of understanding your own strengths, and devising methods of implementing them against opponents. For example, if you can hit very hard and fast with your antispin, as well as your inverted rubber, then you should concentrate on developing patterns that involving getting your opponent to put the ball up high enough for you to attack. Typically this would be by using tricky topspin/sidespin serves, or returning balls that look like backspin but are actually float, or look like heavy backspin but are actually light backspin. Opening your attack with a very spinny loop with the inverted rubber to get your opponent to block the ball a bit higher than he wants would also be a good idea.
Instead, if you have a good inverted loop put away, but can't hit all that hard with the junk rubber, you would be better off developing patterns that involve tricky pushing and rolling the ball with your long pips or antispin, using the different spins and pace to break up your opponent's rhythm, hopefully causing him to hesitate and misread the spin, which should give you softer and higher balls to attack with your inverted side.
Break the Rules - Occasionally
While having patterns is good, you must be willing to change your patterns occasionally, to keep your opponent on his toes. You may make the odd mistake by using an unfamiliar variation, but provided you don't try to do too much with the stroke you should be able to be successful most of the time. Even if you aren't and you lose the point, the simple fact that you don't always play the same way every time will stop your opponent from anticipating your strokes, which is a worth while result in itself.
Don't Overcommit
Patterns are a big help, but you must also be willing and able to abort an attempted pattern if your opponent plays a good stroke. If you are in the middle of a pattern to set up your inverted attack, but your opponent plays his return very tight and low, or to the other side of the table towards your long pips or antispin, you should be able to give up on the pattern, return the ball safely with your alternative rubber, and continue with the rally, looking to set things up again. Stubbornly trying to play a pattern that your opponent has made very difficult is low percentage table tennis, and should be avoided.
It's Not All About the Junk Rubber
Once a player masters the basics of using his long pips or antispin, there can be a tendency to want to play every ball with the junk rubber, in the hope that simply hitting the ball with the junk will automatically win the point. And while this might be partially true at lower levels, by the time the player hits the intermediate ranks it is no longer the case. You must remember that the antispin or long pips are a tool to be used for a certain purpose, decided by you. Playing every ball possible with the junk rubber is not a viable long term strategy. You must decide what style you want to play at a higher level, and then use your combination bat wisely, blending your use of the inverted rubber and alternative rubber to maximize the point-winning potential of your selected style of play.
Twiddling - Yes or No?
The debate on whether to twiddle or not has proponents on either side, and is far from conclusive either way. I tend to fall into the camp that recommends twiddling in deliberate decision to set up certain favorite patterns, and this is how I use my own long pips. I personally think that the pros of using judicious twiddling (including extra variation and deceptive opportunities, the ability to attack from both sides with the inverted, and the ability to use the alternative rubber to control heavy attacks from your opponent on either side), outweigh the cons (including the time taken to learn to twiddle and integrate it successfully into your game, and the extra decision making required during the rally). But in the end it's a personal thing, so I'll simply say that I strongly recommend seriously considering spending 3-6 months in your off-season learning to twiddle. If you can stick with it for that long you'll never look back, in my opinion.
Conclusion
As you can see from the above discussion, there is much more to offensive play with combination bats than just slapping a sheet of antispin on your backhand and blazing away. Take the time to get to know your equipment, match it with your style, and adapt your tactics to suit your game, and you should find yourself playing a very tough game to crack!
