OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi,

I'm an 1800 player and I'm doing mostly chop-blocks with my BH. I'm also pretty good at looping with my FH. However, a guy I know (2100 blocker) has suggested that BH chop-block and FH loops don't really work together and that the more natural thing to do would be BH block/ chop-block and FH smash. I do find it hard during the game to change my stance to loop and I earn about 2-3 points a game by flat hitting. As I'm taking lessons from a 2300 two-wing looper and I spend at least 1-1.5 hours per week practicing loops, is it time well spent or should I concentrate more on chop-block/flat hit strategy and forget about looping?

Your feedback will be highly appreciated!

Good Topic.

I do not have a rating but I am playing a few guys who are at least 1800 USTTA.

If you smash or loop on your FH and you mostly block on your BH, do you ever get the opportunity to just simply push?

I can tell you that against these higher rated players, that if I serve low and short they will return low, short or long, and then I push again and they will loop hard and I will loose the point. Rarely can I chop-block it back or smash it or loop it.

Also if I am returning their serves, they will serve fast no spins , which will cause a no spin long return from my pips bh, to which they will ripp another loop drive off my return.

So I never get to use my fh because I would like to mix it in and play this so called FH LOOP/SMASH BH CHOP/BLOCK game...

How do you mix in your fh?????

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The most obvious way to use your forehand is to force your opponent to pop up the ball either via variation of spin or placement. If you have reasonably good footwork you can smash. As I said before I manage to force even higher rated players to pop up at least 2-3 times a game. FH looping is a whole different subject as you need more distance from the table to get full motion.

The #1 objective of blocking with LPs at the table is to keep your opponent moving. Example: a long pips serve to the short forehand followed by a punch to the deep backhand will often produce a weak return you can smash. This works even against 2000 players.

Always try to pressure the opponent by varying the speed, spin, depth and direction all the time. Don't let them get comfortable. Do a lot of underspin serves. Aggressively push or punch underspin from them to the corners or their elbow. Try to block spinny balls short. YOU have to be the one controlling the point and keep them on the run until they make an error or give up a weak ball you can attack with your forehand.

Lots of times they don't know what to do when you serve with the pips. This gives a lot of opportunities for third ball attacks.

Even 2000 players have weaknesses to exploit.

I agree that smashing is usually better than looping when you are close to the table.

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Thanks guys.

I don't have this problem against the lower ranked players but the higher the class, the faster the play and I may lose the mental side of the battle as the pace increases and there is less time to think...

Also the pressure to make good shots all the time is IMMENSE imo as the more experienced, highly skilled players will read you better than you read them and they will expect certain kinds of strategies and strokes from a lp player. Thus they, imo, have the superior advantage in match situations.

For example, I serve diagonally to his fh like pushblocker while he is in his natural bh receiving corner for a righty attacker. He should return the ball with a push to my fh but in my case he rips a topspin right at me despite a low serve with backspin. He has seen this before and is not surprised like a lower class player would be.

Of course everything above is written from my level of play and I admittedly do not have enough experience vs the 2000+ crowd.

Another thing about serving is that when playing more powerful and consistent attacking opponents that serving a few feet behind the table seems to work as I have seen Sumi Lee do this against male opponents.

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I'm still interested in hearing from people who've been using LPs for a long time re the mechanics of changing your natural BH blocking-close-to-the-table stance to a FH 1-1.5 steps behind the table stance needed for a proper full motion loop. Should I just forget about looping and concentrate on smashing instead as it doesn't require moving away from the table?

Great Tips mynamenotbob!

Thanks again for helping me.

All the club guys at my club agree with your advice.

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A big bag full of blades and long pimples, donuts and coffee!

Sounds like my type of game. I use my LP 80% of the time--Loop maybe 2% only if I have the ball to do so. But normally drive the ball back instead of looping everything. I found that it transitions better and waste less time to attack the ball on the FH side then trying to loop it. it sometimes drives you off your BH position. I will serve fast non-spin balls to deep BH and move to my left and attack with the Fh. on deep serves to the FH i will either hit or loops depending on if the ball comes back low or higher. I might also chicken wing the ball using my LP,. setting up and reading the ball and deciding what is the best measure to take control of the set is important. I make sure that I attack as well as chop block with the BH as well as a chop or push with the Fh as well. I might also flip off service and loop a dead ball with the LP. Keep in mind of what you want to do to build your game around your best shot. Mine is angles and deception with a nice strong Fh smash. 80% LP BH and 20% Fh. If you want to play 80%Fh and 20% BH then do more quick pushes to trasition zones elbows..etc.. to launch your FH attack. it really depends on what type or game you plan to play. ALso remember there is nothing wrong watching videos of other top players. play your game...not theirs..

Peace GIG

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Ditto!

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Hey Guys,

Based on the coaching I've received, FH Loop/BH Block is viable. However footwork is KEY. you must be prepared to essentially move like a penholder - and snatch any opportunity you can to hit a forehand, in order to control the point.

This follows the game plan of an aggressive LP Blocker of course, who would essentially use their LP to set up the long/High ball in order to attack and drive the opponent off the table.

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IT WORKS LIKE A GEM! The short no-spin serve to the fh. Did it against a better penold player who is quick as a cat but because he is short...and I'm being polite here but had I served to other areas his probability of attacking would probably be much higher.

This topic sounds like its been done before so I'll look into the archives but if anyone else knows some tips for lp bh blockers please by all means contribute.

Even when they start to get use to that tactic you can still use it later to break up their rhythem if they start to get on a roll. I vary this serve with both backhand and fh rubbers, nothing fancy just serve it short and low, placement is the key and get your own fh ready for a quick smash.

Also I've been playing at a mostly mandarin speaking summer club filled with Taiwanese and mainlanders, all of which are retirees. I have learned that you have to show no mercy because these old farts can really toy around with you and totally enjoy screwing you(me) up...

If it wasnt for this little serve tactic this other old dude, whose been using me as a chopping board for a few days, would have totally destroyed me. Its like night and day playing these old dudes, lots of fun too...

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As power level of competition raises it become difficult to constantly hold the table with LP blocks. When you forced away from the table, killing smash is difficult so you have to loop.

So start out with first gameplan, LP blocking and FH smash, and if they loop you off the table, then gameplan changes to BH chop and Fh loop...so pushblocking at the table and transistion to modern defender away from the table...

I was afraid of that

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For me against lower level players, if the rh opponent is receiving in the bh corner:

1) no spin short serve in the fh side as suggested by mnnb
2) low back spin serve anywhere along the sideline on the receivers fh side, very hard for them to start attack

both of these may give a ball to my rh fh side.

If the opponent is standing in the middle of the table:
1) avoid backspin serve into backhand eg if they have pips they can knock it down the line with their bh
2) no spinserve short, but not always to fh side,as he is closer, I would go for the middle and short
3) long back spin serve to fh side is still good option as inverted fh players still have trouble topspinning a low spinny serve

Tactic against me that works:
1) they "serve" by quickly hitting or looping fast and deep to which i just give back to them fast and deep and they fh hit it, so I guess I can do the same!

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