# Ping-Pong/Table Tennis Rules question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [August 13, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157 "2013-08-13T20:26:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/1 "2013-08-13T20:26:32Z")
I play ping-pong pretty regularly and one of my regular opponents has started attacking the ball before it bounces on his side of the net. I maintain that this is illegal, and he insists that it isn’t. The rules I have read are so onerously worded that it’s difficult for me to tell whether it’s allowed or not. Any table tennis experts on here know if it’s a legal move or not?
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/2 "2013-08-13T20:51:33Z")
It’s illegal. You’re not allowed to volley a ball in table tennis if the ball is over the playing surface. You can, however, volley the ball if it has passed over the end line or the side of the table already. Of course, there’s no point in doing this since you’ve already won the point at that point.
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### Author:  [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/3 "2013-08-13T22:11:36Z")
So, what happens if I return the ball in such a way that it bounces twice before crossing the end line?
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### Author:  [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/4 "2013-08-13T22:12:36Z")
Also can you show me the relevant section of the rules that says this?
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/5 "2013-08-13T22:13:21Z")
It’s your point. He has to let it bounce exactly once before returning it.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/6 "2013-08-13T22:27:41Z")
And see [here](http://tabletennis.about.com/od/questionsanswers/f/obstruction.htm).
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### Author:  [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/7 "2013-08-13T22:58:27Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#):
>
> So, what happens if I return the ball in such a way that it bounces twice before crossing the end line?
It’s your point if he lets it bounce twice on his side, of course.
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/8 "2013-08-13T23:39:33Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#):
>
> I play ping-pong pretty regularly and one of my regular opponents has started attacking the ball before it bounces on his side of the net. I maintain that this is illegal, and he insists that it isn’t. The rules I have read are so onerously worded that it’s difficult for me to tell whether it’s allowed or not. Any table tennis experts on here know if it’s a legal move or not?
If he hits the ball before it bounces off his side of the table _and_ it is over (and not beyond) his side of the table at the time he hits it, it’s your point.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/9 "2013-08-14T06:37:53Z")
The rules are, as you say, onerously worded, but the offence he’s committing is _obstructing_ the ball. He forfeits the point if anything he does prevents the ball from bouncing on his side of the table after you’ve hit it - including (but not restricted to) hitting it with his bat.
Once the ball’s clearly missed his side of the table, though, it’s his point, and he can catch it, volley it, or put a .45 bullet through it for all the rules care; that point is over.
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### Author:  [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/10 "2013-08-14T12:19:37Z")
Thank you all very much, especially Malacandra for the rules reference. That is going to be very handy.
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/11 "2013-08-16T15:51:05Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#):
>
> Of course, there’s no point in doing this since you’ve already won the point at that point.
Quite the pointed answer.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ping-pong-table-tennis-rules-question/666157/12 "2013-08-16T20:20:35Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#):
>
> Quite the pointed answer.
Let’s not point fingers.