Table tennis rules quiz
8 match situations. Decide what happens, then see the rule.
Serve clips the net
You serve. The ball clips the top of the net, then lands on your opponent's side.
1. What happens?
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Serve again, no point. A serve that touches the net but is otherwise good is a let. It is replayed.
Bounced twice
Your opponent's shot bounces on your side and you let it bounce again before hitting it.
2. What happens?
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Point to your opponent. The ball may bounce only once on your side before you return it.
Hit before the bounce
Your opponent's shot is coming at you. You hit it out of the air before it bounces on your side.
3. What happens?
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Point to your opponent. Hitting the ball before it bounces on your side is a volley. It loses the point.
Net in a rally
In a rally your return clips the net and drops on your opponent's side.
4. What happens?
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Play continues. Touching the net in a rally is fine when the ball lands on the other side.
Missed the table
Your return flies past the end of the table without bouncing on it.
5. What happens?
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Point to your opponent. The return must land on the opponent's half of the table. Missing it loses the point.
Serve never crosses the net
You serve and the ball bounces on your side but never crosses the net to bounce on your opponent's side.
6. What happens?
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Point to your opponent. A serve must bounce on your side, then on your opponent's side. If it does not, it is a service fault.
Ball clips the table edge
Your shot lands on the top edge of the opponent's side of the table.
7. What happens?
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Good, play on. The top edge counts as part of the table. Hitting the side of the table below the edge does not.
At 10–10
The score is 10–10. You served the last point. Who serves next?
8. What happens?
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Your opponent. At 10–10 the serve changes after every point.
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