What table tennis is
Table tennis is a racket sport played on a table, where a light plastic ball is hit over a low net. The ball must bounce once on your side of the table before you return it. It is played one against one or in doubles. Table tennis began in England in the late 19th century as a parlour game and has been an Olympic sport since 1988.
The table is 2.74 metres long and 1.525 metres wide and the net is 15.25 cm high. The ball weighs 2.7 grams and spin is everything: the spin of the ball changes its flight and its bounce. You can start at any age, the gear is cheap and a game needs little space.
Where and when it is played in Estonia
In Estonia table tennis is played at table tennis clubs, sports halls and centres all year round. A club has several tables and usually set times for recreational players. A table is often booked by the hour, and at a club night opponents change after every game. You see the number of venues and the towns at the top of this page.
In short for beginners
- A ready-made racket (blade and rubbers together) suits a beginner well. A 40 mm plastic ball, a cheaper one for practice.
- Indoor shoes that grip. Your shirt should not be the colour of the ball.
- Learn the right grip at the start: a wrong grip is hard to unlearn later.
- The full guide: how to start playing table tennis.
The rules in short
- To serve, toss the ball at least 16 cm up from an open palm. It bounces first on your side, then on the opponent's.
- A game goes to 11 points, at 10:10 it goes on until a two-point lead. A match is usually best of five games.
- The serve passes to the opponent every two points.
- A return must hit the opponent's side of the table. A ball touching the net during a rally is in play, on the serve it is a let.
- The full rules are on our table tennis rules page in Estonian.