Another fairly recent change has games to “11” and changes of serve
after
every two serves. This replaces alternating five serves to “21.” At the
recreational level, there is a common misCONception, that when one
player
reaches 10, the serve automatically goes to the player who is trailing.
(This is referred to as the “courtesy serve” in some circles.) This is
not
the case.
This continues until the player wins the game. After the end
of
the game the opponents change ENDS and the player who served first in
the
previous game, serves first in the next. A series is generally the best
of
seven games (AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD RULES -- BEST OF THREE).
There are a couple of other things that you want to know about the
serve.
You must show the ball to your opponent, and allow for it to be in the
air
before striking it. You must also be behind the imaginary line created
by
the surface of the table on your end. YOUR BODY, INCLUDING YOUR HANDS
CAN
NEVER TOUCH THE TABLE, BUT THE PADDLE CAN.
If you can do those things,
pretty much anything else you do is legal, including angled serves off
the
sides of the table, and “drop shot” serves that barely clear the net.
As
with the “courtesy serve” there is some misunderstanding about what
does and
doesn’t constitute a legal serve. (Note: If the ball hits the net
during the
serve, and then lands in play, it is a let serve or “do over.”
In doubles the rules of serving and changing ends are the same as in
singles
except that the serve is executed from the right hand side AND MUST
LAND IN
THE OPPONENT'S RIGHT HAND SIDE. (THE 'SIDE' IS DETERMINED BY THAT
VERTICAL
WHITE LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE.)
Each 2 points the server
changes
corner with his partner so that the other will be ready to receive the
opponent's serve. In doubles play the ball is returned in a strict
sequence.
The server serves and then his partner receives the ball from the
opponent
and so on. It’s a little confusing at first, but easy once you get the
hang
of it, and doubles is a fun, recreational game for all skill levels.
Some stroke basics (for clarity’s sake, these notes make reference to a
right handed player).