I've been reading through the net, trying to de-confuse myself about the serving rules of ping pong.
So I understand that I can serve the ball for two points. Well what if I don't serve it right, do you keep on serving until you get your two points? Lets say my first serve is fair, and I win the rally - I get a point. But lets say my second serve I fail to serve it correctly, lets say it crashes into the net on my side. Do I lose my chance at attaining the second point or do I get a point subtracted? Now flip the two serve types I described up above - if on my first serve I fail to get the ball over the the opponents side, because it crashes on the net, do I lose that chance at a point, then get to serve again?
Can points be subtracted from a players score? If so, in what ways?
I understand that a 'let' serve is fair and I can re-serve the ball, meaning I still hold onto it.
Let us say on a serve I hit it the ball where it hits the top the net and slows it down completely where the ball loses momentum and drops down on the opponents side within an inch from the net. What is this? Is this still considered a fair serve - a 'let' serve? Do I get a point?
These are some of the questions I am having trouble figuring out.
AG
Hi AG - let's try to clear up some of your confusion. To answer your questions:
- The server gets only two serves at a time, regardless of whether he wins or loses the point when serving. Then the receeiver gets two serves, and so on. You are correct that let serves don't count as a serve, so essentially the players swap between serving and receiving every 2 points. (Up until 10-all, at which point the players only get one serve at a time). In either of the two scenarios you described, the score would be 1-all, and the receiver would now have his turn to serve 2 serves. When you fail to serve the ball correctly, that is called a fault and the receiver gets the point.
- Points are never subtracted from a player's score. However, if the player misbehaves, there is the possibility that 1 point or 2 points will be added to the opponent's score. The rules are given in the ITTF Handbook for Match Officials, as listed below:
17.2.2 When, however, the umpire believes that an opponent may have been adversely affected or that the behaviour is likely to offend spectators or otherwise to be detrimental to the sport he should immediately declare a let and formally warn the offender, by holding up a yellow card, that further misbehaviour will incur penalties.
17.3 Penalties
17.3.1 If a player who has been formally warned commits a further offence in the same match the umpire should award 1 penalty point to his opponent and for a third offence he should award 2 points, each time holding up a yellow and a red card together to show the action he has taken. Should misbehaviour continue after the umpire has imposed these penalties he should suspend play immediately and report to the referee.
17.3.3 Penalty points may sometimes be awarded after a game has ended, or 2 penalty points might be awarded against a player when his opponent needs only 1 point to win the game. If the match has not ended any “unused” points are transferred to the next game of that individual match, so that it starts at the score of 0-1 or 0-2 in favour of the offender’s opponent, but if the match has ended they should be ignored. - If you serve and hit the top of the net, and then the ball drops down on the opponent's side within an inch from the net, this is simply a let serve and no point is scored. You do get to serve again. Any serve that hits the net but is otherwise a good serve is considered a let serve, according to Law 2.9.1 and 2.9.1.1.
2.9.1 The rally shall be a let
Law 2.9.1.1 if in service the ball, in passing over or around the net assembly, touches it, provided the service is otherwise good or the ball is obstructed by the receiver or his partner;
Hope this helps to clear up some of your confusion!
