Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a popular sport that has been around for many years. It is a game of skill and strategy, and the rules have changed over time. Currently, a game is won by the player who first scores 11 points with a 2-point margin. A match consists of the best two (out of three) games.
When serving, players must stand behind the end line of the table and the ball must be visible and above the table surface. The ball can be served anywhere on the table in singles, but must be served from the right half to the opponent's right half in doubles. If you hit the ball after it has passed the final line of the table, you will get a point. It is also legal to serve from outside the side lines of the table, as long as the ball remains behind the final line at the start of the serve.
A point is awarded to a player when their opponent cannot return the ball to their side of the table. If you trim the edge of the table, that's your point, but if you hit the side, it's your opponent's. It is also legal to hit the ball around the net, as long as it doesn't hit the side of the table. As the ball falls, players must hit it so that it bounces once in their middle of the table and again on their opponent's side. If both competitors score more than 18 points, then they must continue playing until one of them can win by two points.
If they are tied at 10-10, then they must continue playing until one of them can win by two points. If you touch the surface of the table with your free hand (the one that doesn't hold a paddle) during a rally, your opponent will automatically receive a point. Before 2001, all competitive ping pong matches had a score of 21 points, with rules similar to those of today's game. However, since 2001, table tennis matches have been played with 11 points instead.
