During recent matches there were some questions about the rules of Table Tennis – and while the official Rules/Laws of Table Tennis are contained in the ITTF Handbook –https://d3mjm6zw6cr45s.cloudfront.net/2016/12/2017_ITTF_Handbook.pdf– You may wish to use the following basic guide to the rules.
Basic Table Tennis Rules
Scoring
A match is played best 3 of 5 games. For each game, the first player to reach 11 points wins that game, however a game must be won by at least a two point margin.
A point is scored after each ball is put into play (not just when the server wins the point as in volleyball).
The edges of the table are part of the legal table surface, but not the sides.
Flow of the match
Each player serves two points in a row and then switch server. However, if a score of 10-10 is reached in any game, then each server serves only one point and then the server is switched. After each game, the players switch side of the table. In the final game (i.e. 5th game), the players switch side again after either player reaches 5 points.
Legal serve
The ball must rest on an open hand palm. Then it must be tossed up at least 6 inches and struck so the ball first bounces on the server’s side and then the opponent’s side.
If the serve is legal except that it touches the net, it is called a let serve. Let serves are not scored and are replayed.
Equipment
The paddle should have a red and a black side. The ball should be either orange or white and 40 mm in size.
Notes
1) The order of Serve is determine by either hiding the ball or flip of a coin – winner may choose to serve or chose the side of the table they wish to start on.
2) In singles, the center lines serve no purpose, so ignore them.
3) The hand holding the paddle is considered part of the paddle.
4) The net brackets are considered part of the table.
5) If a ball or player from another match comes into the area of play so as to distract or interfere with a player a let may be called and the point is then replayed. Where an official is used for scoring, they and not the players determine if a let should be called.
In Table Tennis, like other racket sports match practice is crucial for developing experience in a number of areas. These include, being able to execute skills in pressure situations, learning to adapt to different styles and tactics, and testing your tactics and strategies in lower pressure competitive play.
Strong match skills can make you competitive with players who may be technically and physically above your level. Without regular match practice, players may become technically very strong, and have a good skill base, but unable to perform well in matches. .
Types of Match Practice:
Full Matches: Adding more practice match play to your regular training sessions and drill practice will help you maximize their benefits. It doesn’t even matter what the level of your opposition is. A lot of people say you can’t improve by playing with lower rated players, this is absolutely not true. If you do not play with lower rated players regularly in match practice, you will find it more difficult to consistently win against them in match competition.
Playing full matches is a benchmark for match practice. They will allow you to identify areas you need to improve on, and then modify your practice matches accordingly. Various practice match modifications are identified below.
Score Handicap: A great way to add some pressure is to give lower rated players a score handicap, ie. they start on 4-0. This makes playing almost any player of any level somewhat difficult. Even if you play somebody way below your level, with a 9-0 or 10-0 handicap that puts a lot of pressure on you. What you can learn from these matches is: how to maintain confidence when you are losing during a game, how to win points efficiently and execute set plays and winning tactics, and to be more consistent and make fewer unforced errors
Such matches will help you step up your game at crucial points, and play your best table tennis, no matter who your opponent is.
Serve and Receive Modified Matches: A good way to improve your Service and Service returns: Playing modified matches that require you to focus on your serves or serve receive can help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your game. You can play whole matches (or alternate games in a match) where only one player serves. If you are the server you can work on your service strategy, and improve the execution of your serves. Your goal is to make it harder for opponents to initiate offensive play, and easier for you to initiate your offence.
Matches with Styles: Playing practice matches with a range of players, left and right handers, attackers, choppers, blockers, long and short pips can save you from humiliation. A lack of exposure to some of these styles often results in poor performances in tournaments. We have all seen offensive players trounce other offensive players in competition, and then come up against a chopper and perform miserably. We need to build experience against less conventional players to have a better understanding of how they play, how the ball reacts to their shots, and how to adapt our game and tactics to different and unusual styles of play. An underexposed style has awkward traits which become strengths, if you have experience and have been exposed to that style, those strengths become exploitable and turn into weaknesses.
Creative Match Play: Do you ever wonder where those awesome shots that appear in highlight videos of major competitions came from? You know the ones that go arround the net, or have unbelievable spin characteristics, or were totally unexpected. While there is the odd fluke shot, some of these appear so often that they must have been practiced. That is where creative match play comes in according to some table Tennis blogs. There are even coaches who actually build-in to their training sessions creative match play, while some do this to keep training interesting and fun, others encourage players to incorporate creative match play in their practice sessions to help players add to their shot options.
Thursday Nights Match Play & Special Sessions At North Shore Table Tennis Club
The NSTTC introduced a new program for Thursday nights on November 3, 2016. We are hosting “Best of Five” match plays.
Last week was a singles challenge tables. Results were as follows:
King of the Table: Mark Mandlestam, Runner-up: Adrian Siqueiros
Next week, November 12 we are hosting Round Robin Match Play. Entry fee: $7.00
Match play starts at 7:00 pm (following drop-in). Draws will be made between 6:30 and 7:00pm.
Note – Thursdays 4 tables will be available for Drop-in from 3:30 to 6:30 pm, and 2 tables will be available for pre-booked hourly exclusive play from 7:05 – 9:15 pm with or without Robot at a cost of $8/hour (plus drop in fee). You may book a table by contacting Mike Dumler at mike@mdumler.ca. You are also invited to contact Mike if you have suggestion/ideas for other Thursday night special sessions.
To Blog or not to Blog?
I was recently asked if I had fully retired by someone who read the Table Tennis posts on my website, and noted I had posted nothing so far this year.
The fact is I have been busier than ever in my semi-retirement. So busy in fact I had all but forgotten I had a blog, and have been MIA from it since last Fall.
So, I am now asking myself, ” Do resume posting to my blog, and if I do, should I focus on Table Tennis AKA Ping Pong, or simply share information and views on topics that interest me, or compels me to say something about them.
Your thoughts/comments on these questions will be most welcome, and could tip the scale as I ponder what to do.
Cheers,
Mike
Cloverdale Venue – foreground match between Sasan Shariati (Left) and Artur Herter
Yesterday I played in the Cloverdale Recreation Centre’s second-annual Table Tennis Tournament, and the closest I came to winning a match was in the 55+ division. It was against a more highly rated player that I don’t think I had ever won a game from before. Although I lost the match 3 games to 2, I only lost the fifth and final game by two points. Afterwards, my opponent commented on how much my playing has improved, which I am sure will please my coaches at the North Shore table tennis club – Luba & Svetlana.
The tournament itself was very well run by the recreation centre staff with assistance from the BCTTA. The facility, equipment, and set –up were great – Kudos to the organizers –Francois & Sasan, and those who assisted them.
Next weekend I will be playing another tournament, this time in Richmond. It is the 2015 Pan-Asia Pacific Open, which is being presented by the B.C. Table Tennis Association, and sanctioned by Table Tennis Canada. I am looking forward to re-establishing a BCTTA rating, and seeing top level players competing in the open division.
This includes Canada’s top ranked women Mo Zhang, who now lives in BC, and was at the Northshore Table Tennis club on Friday. If you want to see some really exciting table tennis, watch Mo Zhang play in the open singles in Richmond next Sunday – matches start at 1030 am.
Table Tennis Update
There are a number of Table Tennis clubs in the Lower Mainland. Many listed at http://www.bctta.ca/clubs.shtml However not all of these are associated with the BC Table Tennis association. Some of the clubs I play at and/or have researched are listed below.
Vancouver Table Tennis Club – Recently moved to 3925 Fraser Street, Vancouver. Contact Joe Law at 604-215-0288 – This club offers coaching, has a league and is also open for drop – in at a cost of $5 PP. For hours of operation etc http://www.vttc.ca/introduction.html. Note this is where I usually play each Saturday from 2-6pm with a “meet-up group”. The VTTC has 10 tables, and this Sat meet-up gets exclusive use of 4 or 5 tables. to join this meet-up group go to: http://www.meetup.com/Ping-Pong-Vancouver.
North Shore Table Tennis Club – Gloria Dei Church, 1110 Gladwin Drive, North Vancouver Contact: Luba 604-209-7037 / email: nsttc@shaw.ca . This is a new club, in a good location just 15 to 20 minutes from Downtown Vancouver. They have 6 table tennis tables ready for enthusiasts of all ages and skill level to play. They have scheduled programs, group and individual Coaching sessions and drop-in/meet-ups. Hours are posted on their website www.nsttc.ca. Players can also call 604-209-7037 or email nsttc@shaw.ca ahead of time (at least 24 hour) to reserve a table. Note – This is where I usually play on Monday and Friday evenings between 6pm and 10pm during the North Shore Meet-up/ drop-ins.
Killarney TTC- Killarney Community Centre- 6260 Killarney Street Contact Danny Ho at 778-882-8573
Round House Community Centre- 181 Round House Mews Contact Diana Vanderbeen at 604-713-1800 for drop in and information
Chinese Living Word Baptist Church – 2105 West 33rd Avenue (Arbutus St), Vancouver. Tel: (604) 261- Email: livingword@lwcbc.ca – Free Table Tennis drop in and training Sunday’s 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. open to the community.
Ping Pong In Burnaby
Bonsor Recreation Complex- 6550 Bonsor Avenue Contact Cassie Gibeau at 604-439-5506 or Bonsor Seniors Registration 604-439-5510 (Must be 55 & over) Senior T.T. Club Contact Marta Nykl at 604-521-1967 or email: martanykl@gmail.com
Greater Vancouver TTA- 495 Sperling Avenue – Contact Helen Wu at 604-298-8050
Ping Pong In Richmond
Bridgeport Sports Club- 11660 Bridgeport Road – Contact Johnny Ma at 604-278-5100 Canada International Table Tennis Institute – Bridgeport Sports Club- 11660 Bridgeport Road Contact Johnny Ma at 604-278-5100
Dunbar TTC @ Bridgeport Sports Club – Contact Hing Lee at 604-327-8761
River Club- 11111 Horseshoe Way – Contact Sarah Wong at 604-272-4400 – http://www.river-club.com/table-tennis/ Although a bit Pricey $7.28 for all day drop-in – there are 8 tables and hours are great 6am to 11:00pm during the week, 8am to 11:00pm weekend and 8 to 8 on holidays and holiday weekends.
Richmond Olympic Oval- 6111 River Road Contact: Tony Shaw at 604-271-9758 or Ken Koo at 604-278-0033
Vancouver Community Recreation Centres
There are also 24 community rec centres in Vancouver – most if not all have ping pong tables and drop in times, and some are included above: http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/community-and-cultural-centres.aspx Most are open until 9:00pm during the week – 4:45pm on Saturdays and Closed Sundays and Stats. Some Centres that I have either played at or been told have tables and drop in times are as follow:
Creekside Community Recreation Centre – Address: 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver, Phone ( 604) 257-3050 has four tables, drop-ins and you can book tables day of play if room available.
Dunbar Community Centre- 4747 Dunbar Street – Contact Chris Bodlecki at 604-222-6060 for drop in and information.
Strathcona Community Centre- 601 Keefer Street Call 604-713-1838 for drop in and information.
Hill crest Community Centre – http://www.hillcrestcentre.ca 3096 East Hastings St Vancouver – 604-257-8680 – Drop in Table Tennis Saturdays 9am to 4:45 – cost 1$
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre – http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/roundhouse-community-arts-recreation-centre.aspx – 181 Roundhouse Mews Vancouver – Phone: 604-713-1800
Other Places to Play
There are Ping Pong tables in some Bars in and around Vancouver, and I have heard that we may soon have a “Spin” Bar – like the ones in Toronto and New York. In the meantime, you may want to check out these places.
The Electric Owl Social Club @ 928 Main Street Vancouver, (604) 558-0928 has a Monday night club drop-in from 7PM to 1am
The Royal Canadian Legion @ 2205 Commercial Drive has a ping Pong Table according to one reviewer.
G – Sports Bar and Grill – 1208 Granville Street – (604) 687-7684 – It has a ping Pong Table, but call first as it is not always set up.
Please email me at mike@mdumler.a if you find any errors or omissions.
Initial Reaction to Results
My initial reaction to the election results is that they could have been better, but then they could have been much worse. Of course, as a member of OneCity I was very disappointed that RJ Aquino did not get elected. I was also disappointed that Jane and Gwen from the Public Education Project were not elected.
That said, my initial reaction is not dissimilar from Christopher Porter’s, which is posted on his blog at: http://canadianveggie.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/vancouver-election-2014-initial-reaction/. Included in his post are results for Council, School Board and Parks Board, info about turnout and graphs to illustrate them.
Christopher has also committed to providing a deeper analysis of the election results based on data, once the spreadsheets are published. He also sets out some good questions that he hopes to find answers for. I really appreciated his analysis of the 2011 election, and am looking forward to this.
Campaign Observations
The candidates from smaller parties and independents’ tended to campaign on substantive community issues, but could clearly not compete with the “war chests” of the two major parties Vision and the NPA who raised and spent more than 2 million dollars each on attack ads, Robo-calls and internal polling. No wonder Vision and the NPA took all but one seat on council. See voluntary financial disclosure here: https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/election-donations-to-date/
Aside from charges of corruption and a lawsuit for slander and libel, the major parties campaigned on a select few city wide issues (driven at least in part by internal polling). While there were brief mentions of issues concerning communities such Grandview – Woodlands, the downtown eastside and Marpole, it was clear that in our “at large system” such issues tend to be disregarded.
Financial Electoral Reforms
There seems to be a fairly broad consensus that electoral finance reforms are needed, and what those reforms are. The elimination of Corporate and Union donations, as well as reasonable limits on donations and spending are supported by all municipal parties, the general public, and even the mainstream media. Although promised for this round of civic elections by the BC Liberals, they were not included it in the last set of legislative changes to the Municipal act. They are now being promised to be in place before the 2018 civic elections.
Replacing Vancouver’s “at Large” System
Over the past several years there has been increasing calls to replace Vancouver’s “at large” system of voting, which is unique among major cities. Options discussed include a ward system or mixed hybrid system with some councilors elected from Wards and some “at large”. Although I originally favored a pure Ward system, I now support the mixed system. A history of Vancouver’s voting systems, which include Wards and proportional representation, and my reasons for supporting a mixed system can be found here: http://www.mdumler.ca/2014/02/reforming-vancouvers-at-large-voting-system/
CP Rail and the Arbutus Corridor Gambit
Our friends at CP Rail have dilemma. They apparently don’t need the land they own on the Arbutus Corridor. This is evidenced by the fact that they haven’t used it for a decade. They also tried to sell it on the open market, but couldn’t find a buyer. This is due at least in part because of the strip nature of the land, and the Zoning as a transportation corridor (which they challenged in court and lost).
There is however one potential buyer. This is the City of Vancouver, which has on a number of occasions over the years expressed an interest in acquiring the lands CP Rail own on the Arbutus Corridor. Unfortunately, the City’s offers were based on fair market value at current zoning. This of course is well below what CP Rail felt the lands are worth (due to their development potential).
The Gambit
Along comes an election year, and the executives at BC Rail decide the current Mayor and council would be vulnerable to a political gambit. So, although it doesn’t make operational sense, BC Rail announces it will be cleaning up its tracks on the Arbutus Corridor, and resuming using them as allowed under current zoning. It also notifies Vancouver residents who have community gardens and related sheds etcetera that they must be removed from BC Rail property, or they will be destroyed.
This of course brought the City to the negotiating table, and the gambit seemed to be working. However, the City’s offers continued to be well below what BC Rail is seeking, and BC Rail made an ill-advised decision to turn up the heat by destroying some of the gardens. This turns into a PR nightmare for CP Rail, and even after a costly full page ad, their Political Gambit appears to be off the rails (pun intended).
BC Rails way out
BC Rail should consider simply gifting their Arbutus Corridor property to the citizens of Vancouver in return for Tax credits (they have done this in other communities in Canada). Although I understand that BC Rail has just finished a very profitable year, they could also include a profit sharing requirement tied to any future rezoning of any of the lands so gifted.
The Provincial Government passed legislation that for the 2014 Civic elections changes the term of office for local government from 3 to 4 years. The rationale is to bring BC in line with municipal terms in other provinces. http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/LocalGovtElectionReform/docs/FINAL_2014CSCD0016-000351.pdf. However they chose to put off the issue of election campaign expense limits until the 2018 general local elections as part of a phased in approach to reforms. This, in my view, is definitely putting the cart before the horse, and pretty much guarantees another obscene municipal election spending spree.
Missing altogether from the reforms considered by the government is some form of ward system for Vancouver and Surrey, the only two major cities in Canada that use an “at Large” system for local elections. That could be because such a change would require amending Vancouver’s charter, although they have certainly done that in the past.
This does not mean the current “At Large” system can’t be changed. The Vancouver Charter Article 138 subsection 2) states that “The Council may, by by-law, provide that all or some of the Councillors be elected on a neighbourhood constituency basis.” Section 137 enables the council by bylaw to increase the number of Councillors provided there is an uninterrupted transition from the previous Council. A by-law under subsection (2) must be approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council before it is adopted.
Although it is highly unlikely that 6 of the existing Councillors (or 5 plus the Mayor) can be persuaded to pass such bylaws this close to the election, that is one option. Another simpler option is to make reform an issue in the upcoming election, and not vote for any candidate who doesn’t commit to reforming the “at large system” if elected.
Selected Links
- http://www.straight.com/news/vancouver-councillors-waffle-ward-system
- http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/12/30/WardSystem/ – Charles Campbell – “Is the public ready for another debate over introducing the ward system in Vancouver?”
- http://www.straight.com/news/stephanie-ryan-democratic-deficit-calls-wards-system-surrey-and-vancouver “Surrey and Vancouver stand out as the only two major cities in this country without some form of direct democracy at the civic level. Instead, we continue to elect our municipal officials using the largely-discredited at-large system.”
- http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/08/23/vancouver-ward-system/ Jonny Wakefield and Paul Bucci, “Battles between city hall and neighbourhoods have revived the age-old debate over wards.”
- http://www.mdumler.ca/2014/02/reforming-vancouvers-at-large-voting-system/
- http://www.mdumler.ca/2014/03/vancouver-civic-election-reform-part-2 /
I just finished reading “Olive Odyssey” – “Searching for the Secrets of the Fruit That Seduced The World” by Julie Angus. I feel compelled to review it in part because it was such a great read, and a book that I might never had read in spite of my love for Olives and Olive Oil. Like many of the great non-fiction books I read, this was another delightful birthday gift from my in-laws Lois and Dave Brown.
“Olive Oddessey” is a very very well researched and informative book about Olives and Olive oil from thier earliest history to modern day cutting edge DNA science, medicine, business, scams, politics and religion. What makes it a truly great read however is the way this information is presented in a narrative that is part Mediteranian travelogue, and adventure story. July Angus is a Victoria writer who was inspired by a previous visit to Syria, where she visited family who owned an Olive Farm.
