Quick answer (October 2026): Table tennis, often called ping pong, is usually played to 11 points per game, win by two. Service switches after every two points until 10–10, when it switches after every point. A legal serve begins on an open palm, includes a near-vertical toss of at least 16 cm (6.3 in), and bounces once on the server’s side before crossing the net to the receiver. Singles serves may land anywhere on the opposing half; doubles serves must travel diagonally from the server’s right half to the receiver’s right half. These are the competition rules, not the often-remembered recreational 21-point version.
If you have never played a complete game, the fastest way to learn is to understand which shots score, when to change server, and what is different about doubles. This guide uses the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) 2026 Statutes, Chapter 2 and USA Table Tennis guidance, rather than relying on informal house rules.
Table tennis rules at a glance
| Question | Official rule | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| How many points win? | 11, with a 2-point lead | 11–9 wins; 11–10 does not |
| Who serves? | Two points each; one each at 10–10 | Count total points, not who won them |
| How high must you toss? | At least 16 cm, near-vertically | A low, hidden drop-serve is not legal |
| Must the ball bounce during a serve? | Once on each side | Server’s side first, receiver’s side second |
| Is a net serve a point? | Legal net-touching service is a let | Replay without changing the score |
| How do doubles serve? | Right half to diagonally opposite right half | The center line counts as part of the right half |
| Can partners hit in any order? | No; partners alternate each return | Two consecutive returns by one partner lose the point |
How scoring works: 11 points, deuce, and matches
Each rally awards one point to the side that wins it, regardless of who served. The first player or pair to reach 11 points wins a game only when it leads by at least two. A game at 10–10 continues to 12–10, 13–11, 15–13, or another score with a two-point difference. There is no 12-point cap.
Competitive matches are commonly best of five games (first to three wins) or best of seven (first to four wins). A casual match can use fewer games when both players agree. In official rule language, a game is the race to 11; a match contains an odd maximum number of games.
Example: who serves when the score is 8–8?
Suppose Anna served the first two points of the game. Anna serves points 1–2, Ben serves 3–4, and they continue alternating two-point blocks. After 16 points at 8–8, Anna serves points 17–18. Once each player reaches 10, the next server changes after every single point. The score—not which player last won a rally—determines the change.
Why do some players still use 21 points?
Twenty-one-point games are a familiar older or informal format. They can be enjoyable in a home match, but the current international competition system uses games to 11 with a two-point winning margin. Before playing a social match, agree on rules rather than assuming everyone learned the same version.
How to serve legally in table tennis
The server starts with the ball resting freely on the open, stationary palm of the free hand, above the playing surface and behind the end line. Throw the ball near-vertically at least 16 cm without adding spin on the toss. Strike it as it descends, keeping it visible to the receiver. The ball must bounce once on the server’s court and then, over or around the net assembly, on the receiver’s court. A legal toss is not simply lifting the ball directly into the racket.
A service that strikes the net assembly but would otherwise be correct and then lands on the receiver’s court is a let; replay it. If the serve goes into the net or off the far side, it is a fault and the receiver gains a point. Unlike lawn tennis, there is no second attempt after an ordinary bad serve.
For a more detailed checklist covering hidden tosses, contact position and commonly disputed faults, see our table tennis serve rules and 16 cm toss guide.
Can a serve land anywhere?
In singles, the ball can land anywhere on the receiver’s half, so long as the serve is otherwise legal; diagonal placement is optional. In doubles, the initial bounce is restricted to the server’s right half and the next bounce to the receiver’s right half. During the rally after that serve, shots can land on either side of the opponent’s half.
What earns a point, and what does not?
You generally score when the opponent cannot make a legal service or return. That includes missing the other court, striking into the net, letting the ball bounce twice on their side, illegally obstructing the ball, moving the table during play, or touching the playing surface with the free hand. Touching the net assembly while the ball is in play also costs the point.
| Situation | Ruling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ball clips the top outer edge and lands outside | Usually in | The horizontal top surface is part of the court |
| Ball strikes the vertical side only | Out | The side is not the playing surface |
| Ball hits the net in an ordinary rally, then lands legally | Play continues | A net touch alone does not end a rally |
| Correct serve clips net, then lands legally | Let; replay | Special service rule |
| Receiver misses the ball after it bounces twice | Server scores | No legal return was made |
| Player leans on table with free hand while ball is in play | Opponent scores | Free hand touched playing surface |
| Ball misses table, already passes end line, then is caught | Point generally belongs to catcher | It had already gone out; distinguish from obstructing an incoming ball |
The often repeated advice “you can never touch the ball before it bounces” is too broad. The obstruction rule has a precise definition concerning where the ball is relative to the table and its direction of travel. In a close dispute, stop play and consult the event referee rather than improvising.
Doubles rules: diagonal serves and the four-player order
Doubles uses the same 11-point scoring but adds two requirements: each serve must travel from the server’s right half-court to the receiver’s right half-court, and the four players must return the ball in a fixed repeating sequence.
Imagine the teams are Alice and Alex versus Blair and Bailey. Alice serves to Blair. Blair returns to Alex; Alex returns to Bailey; Bailey returns to Alice. Repeat that order until the rally ends. If Alice and Alex strike two balls in a row, their team loses the point even if the shots were otherwise good.
How the next server and receiver are chosen
When the two-point service block ends, the previous receiver becomes the new server, and the previous server’s partner becomes the receiver. Using the names above: after Alice serves to Blair, Blair next serves to Alex, then Alex serves to Bailey, then Bailey serves to Alice. At 10–10, the same service order is used, but only one point is served at a time.
The ITTF 2026 text still specifies right-to-right doubles serving. Be cautious about online posts claiming a new universal left-to-left rule began in September 2026; the published 2026 ITTF Laws and USA Table Tennis instructions do not substantiate that claim. Check the actual event rules if a local organizer uses a variation.
Switching ends and deciding games
Players change ends after each game. In the final possible game of a match, they also change ends as soon as one player or pair reaches five points. Doubles has an extra receiving-order adjustment in that deciding game when the first pair reaches five. This is easiest to handle by recording the first servers and receivers before starting.
Official equipment measurements
| Item | Regulation |
|---|---|
| Table length | 2.74 m / 9 ft |
| Table width | 1.525 m / 5 ft |
| Table height | 76 cm / 2.5 ft |
| Net height | 15.25 cm / 6 in |
| Ball | 40 mm diameter, 2.7 g, plastic |
| Match format | Best of 5 or 7 games in many competitions |
A professional competition racket follows specific covering rules: one face black and the other an approved bright color distinguishable from black and the ball. The familiar red-and-black pairing is permitted, but it is not the only authorized combination. Recreation centers may lend simple rackets that are adequate for learning but not necessarily approved for tournament play.
A 10-minute beginner practice that uses the real rules
- Minutes 0–2: Practice tosses from an open palm; check that each is visibly upward and clears 16 cm before dropping.
- Minutes 2–4: Make ten legal serves that bounce on both sides. Have your partner watch the contact position rather than just the outcome.
- Minutes 4–6: Rally slowly, allowing exactly one bounce on your side before each return. Alternate forehand and backhand blocks.
- Minutes 6–8: Play one game to 11, announcing the score and changing the server every two points.
- Minutes 8–10: Begin at 10–10 and practice one-serve-each rotation until someone leads by two.
For doubles, replace the last two minutes with a four-player practice in which everyone says the next hitter’s name after each return. That is an easy way to catch order errors early.
Frequently asked questions
Is ping pong the same as table tennis?
In casual conversation, usually yes. “Table tennis” is the standard competition name; “ping pong” is also widely used for the recreational sport. A particular organized variant may use different equipment or rules, so consult the event’s governing body.
Is 11–10 a winning score?
No. After 10–10, the score must move to a two-point margin: examples include 12–10, 13–11 or 16–14.
Can I serve diagonally in singles?
Yes, but it is not required. Any legal serve may land anywhere on the opponent’s court in singles; doubles requires right-to-right diagonal placement.
Do you get a second serve after a fault?
No. A fault gives the point to the opponent. A net-touching serve that is otherwise legal is a let and is replayed.
Can the ball hit the net during a rally?
Yes. If it goes over or around the net assembly and lands legally on the opposing court, the rally continues.
Can you touch the table?
Touching the playing surface with your free hand while the ball is in play is a point-losing fault. Accidentally moving the table or touching the net assembly during play can also cost a point.
Are these the 2026 rules?
Yes. The scoring, service and doubles basics here have been checked against the published ITTF 2026 Statutes, Chapter 2, and USA Table Tennis guidance. Individual tournament formats may differ, so read the event regulations before competing.
Bottom line: Learn the 11-point/two-point-lead system, a visible 16 cm serve, and the right-to-right doubles service first. Those three habits resolve most beginner disagreements while keeping your play consistent with competition rules.
