OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi guys,

I'm currently playing with LP, mainly chopping on backhand and attacking With FH but do have the ability to come in and chop block. In competition, I'm struggling a lot playing hitters/SP. What they're doing is first spinning normally allowing me to chop, but then just hitting it flat with a lot of power (mabye a little spin) and I just fall apart, I can rarely chop them back, and if I do it has little backspin as the incoming ball was flat, and I struggle with countering them on the FH side. Any advice on your tactics much appreciated.

Thanks

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Modern Defender
S/U 1-Blade:Victas Koji Matsushita FH: Andro Rasanter r47 BH: Hellfire 0.9mm
S/U 2 - Blade: BTY Joo We Hyuk FH: Evolution E-LS BH: Hellfire 0.9mm

So that's what you'd get if you played me. Unless you're very very quick and superb at reading the game, you won't get back to a chopping position and be able to chop easily against a SP hit. Here are some options:

- Attack first, so the attacker doesn't get to start hitting
- Block, close to the table - if the SP attacker doesn't recover well, that can be effective
- If you can push or chop, the ball you get back won't be loaded with spin, so unless it's very well placed, you can hit/punch-block it away from the attacker - this is a very nasty ball
- On your serve, serve short with a lot of spin, and attack the next ball - an SP attacker is unlikely to be great at touching a short ball short
- On receive attack anything long or half long to your FH
- If it were me, I'd serve fast no spin to your BH and attack the third ball - have a strategy for that, such as twiddling and attacking that serve

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

Thanks a lot lord, great advice. Just 1 thing, are you saying instead of playing modern defense ( against hitters) you reccomend staying close as much as possible at the blocking/chop blocking with LP and attacking With FH?

Thanks

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Modern Defender
S/U 1-Blade:Victas Koji Matsushita FH: Andro Rasanter r47 BH: Hellfire 0.9mm
S/U 2 - Blade: BTY Joo We Hyuk FH: Evolution E-LS BH: Hellfire 0.9mm

If you are getting little spin to work with you need to either generate a lot of spin on your initial shots (from FH) so they are forced into spin...or give no spin at all and keep the ball short...even better if you can create angles that make them reach for it. Try to keep the ball low, SP has difficulty hitting anything lower than net height...so do slappers. A lot comes down to the opponent and how good they are and how well they adapt to changing the game. You probably will need to stay close to the table against this type of player. Once you back off the table you hand them back the advantage unless you find ways to return those low spin hits with power and accuracy. There's no guarantees to success here, all you can do is try things and develop experience with different tactics.....and try to improve .

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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Play to the side they spin the most. If they don't have such side (i.e. they don't spin on both sides), choose the one that has the weakest power (mostylt he BH).

If that doesn't work, play to their crossover point.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

I think it's a false dichotomy. My definition of modern defence is what I call "defence into attack" -- you're using your defensive abilities to create an opportunity to attack. If you look at any skilled modern defender, right up to high world ranking level, you'll find they look to get in and attack as soon as they can, but will reset the rally with a chop/push/block/bump.

Against a SP hitter, if you cede the table, you're in trouble. A SP hit will die, and skid, and have little spin. Very hard for you to deal with as a chopper. SP hitters are relying on speed and accuracy. They want to hurry you. If you can contain them with blocks and variation, they will make mistakes. But generally, if you let an SP attacker attack first, unless you're an excellent defender (i.e. your strength in the modern defence is defence), you're giving them the game they want. Instead, look to attack first, and as/when they play into your LP, try either to play to a difficult place, or drop short, to encourage a push, then look to continue the attack.

YMMV, but this is how I would play against such a player. HTH!

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

This is excellent advice. Most hitters loop more on one side than the other.


This is also excellent advice and addresses exactly what people are doing to you as per your original post. They are feeding your pips the spin they want to receive back. In Lord Cope's case, it's No-spin. Others may vary from that.
Many people prefer attacking vs. topspin and will serve you underspin so they get a topspin ball back from the LPs. Some play topspin to the LPs so they get an underspin ball back because they prefer to loop underspin. You need to assess what they prefer attacking and give them back the opposite of what they want.

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

Projects: Player Equipment Grid ⇝ Comprehensive Thin Inverted Chopping Rubbers Grid ⇝ Please send me corrections or new submissions

Can someone send a Youtube link or two of Joo, Koji or another world-class defender playing an SP attacker (maybe Liu Guoliang?)
I don't know of any modern sp player other than the guy from Sweden, M. Karlsson, but "unfortunately" he plays with Joo on the same team at T2APAC

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Attackers: "All pips players are cheaters who can't loop, move, or read spin"
Me: I beg your pardon?

But remember that theese are aliens...

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My Paddle
Blade: Butterfly Defence II FL
FH: Bluegrip V1 2.0 (red)
BH: Grass D.Tecs 1.5 (black)

Stay close to table, use your chop block to non SP side mostly, play your normal game then.

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Panda Drive / 4H Xiom Sigma Pro 2 2.0 / BH Xiom Omega IV Elite Max / Play right-handed
XVT balsa carbon 10mm / 4H Xiom Sigma Pro 2 2.0 / BH Globe 979 Long Pips OX / Play Left-handed shakehand
Stiga Def Wood / 4H Xiom Sigma Pro 2 2.0 / BH GD CC LP OX .. Play Left-handed
Cpen SOS Wood / 4H 729 802-40 2.0 / BH GD Talon use righthanded shakehand grip
HARDBAT / Shakehand Hock 3 ply / Friendship Dr Evil OX .. Play Right-handed