Table Tennis Rules Explained — 11-Point Games and the Serve

Table tennis comes down to 11-point games and the serve

Table tennis is fast, but its rules are simple. Learn the 11-point scoring system and the serve rules, and that’s really all you need.

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Scoring — games to 11

Game:   First to 11 points, winning by a margin of at least 2.
Match:  Usually best of 5 games, or best of 7 in higher-level play.
Deuce:  At 10-10, play continues until one side leads by 2
        (e.g. 12-10).
Serve:  The serve switches every 2 points (every 1 point once
        the game reaches deuce).

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Serve rules

• Toss the ball nearly straight up, at least 16cm, from an open palm
• Serve with your hand above the table surface, behind your own end line
• The serve must be an “open serve” — the ball can’t be hidden from the receiver’s view
• The ball must bounce once on your own side, clear the net, and bounce once on your opponent’s side
• If the serve clips the net but still lands correctly, it’s a “let” and is simply replayed

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Rally rules

• Return the ball after it bounces once on your own side — you can’t volley it before it bounces → It must then clear the net and bounce once on your opponent’s side
• A ball that clips the table’s edge (not the side) counts as “in”
• If the ball hits the net and doesn’t go over, you lose the point
• Touching the table with your free hand (the one not holding the paddle) loses you the point

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Doubles rules

• The serve must go diagonally — from your own right half of the table to your opponent’s right half
• Teammates must alternate hits (A → B → opponent A → opponent B, in a fixed rotation)
• Hitting out of turn loses the point

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Key takeaways

1. Games go to 11 points (win by 2), usually decided over a best-of-5 match.
2. The serve alternates every 2 points — every 1 point once the score reaches deuce.
3. A legal serve requires a 16cm toss and must be an open serve.
4. Returns must come after the ball bounces once on your side (no volleying); a ball clipping the table edge is “in.”
5. Doubles requires a diagonal serve and a fixed, alternating hitting order between teammates.

This guide follows International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rules.