OOAK Table Tennis Forum

They can always block it back, essentially restarting the rally. A smart player will block it to your BH, making your attack impossible and getting a low spin ball from the pips which he'll attack again. It's true it's hard to drop it short.

Thanks. I'm usually the one doing the fixing...too much of a hurry.

As for the style...I would say I'm evolving to somewhere between them.

I play more like Jian Li with the LPs, and more like Ericson on the FH. I am far more conservative with the LPs than Jian however, kind of like Gurra...

I certainly don't loop on the FH as often either of them. I think my serves are more like Gustaf. I have no idea what Jian Li is doing on his serves...they all look like underspin serves to me...Gustaf is more straight foward.

Also, my best attacking shot is my BH hit or BH loop, so I twiddle a lot and run around my FH to hit a BH like Gurra. Definitely in the middle.

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

Another link I found on Larry's blog.

Attack Vs. Defense

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

This is one of the nicest chopper versus attacker rallies you will ever see. Check out the rally at 1455!!!!

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

Although it's a nice rally, I've seen better. The chopper has also a very strange technique.

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

Moving to a grippier setup, some observations.

I have noticed that when I transitioned to grippier long pips, in general, I tend to beat and lose to the same people; my level is about the same. I tend to not get as many upsets vs. guys who are better than me, and I tend to not get upset as often from people who are lower level than me. I do think I’m better (or have the potential to be better) vs. people at my level. This is probably because flatter, low-spin players tend to be lower level (not always) and grippy pips help with that because you can add spin to their flat hits and pushes. Higher level guys have trickier serves and more spin, and grippier pips are more at the mercy of their spin requiring more better (different) technique, which is why my results are worse vs. them.


I like a more horizontal stroke, which I find to be more consistent because you can essentially aim your blade angle at the targeted trajectory, and swing away, which allows me to “go for it” with bat speed vs. spinnier players. So long as I swing faster than their spin, it works, have to practice this.

I like being in control of the spin more, dictating high spin and low spin, not always due to randomization.

I need to work on service return. I expected to find return of service easier with more slippery pips, but was surprised that I would find it far easier to return service with inverted as well. The in-between nature of grippier Pips is less intuitive, but I started getting it after a few sessions.

Overall, the short game is better, and I also like being at the table more, which P4 and FL3 allow. It makes attacking easier because I don’t have to travel as far to cover the distance to the table. I also love being able to add quality to the service return rather than just the opponents spin returned. I also like being able to attack with the pips, with inverted strokes.

Only thing left to try is P-1R in the thickest sponge, 1.5~1.7mm…wondering how this compares to FL3 in 1.3mm. Posted a question about that here: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=31857

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

So, I think I have inched closer to a setup I can stick with and can get out of the terrible EJ circle I have been living for the past few months. Probably lead to my poor tournament.

I have settled on the JSH blade, for all of its speed and heaviness, I have finally gotten used to it. So much so that when I used the defplay, I found it completely awful.

I am not settled on LPs though, as I love both P-1R in its thickest sponge (1.4-1.7) and FL3 in its thickest (1.3). But I am close to a decision. I need to give it about another 2 weeks or so. They are close in effectiveness, the P-1R is a bit more dynamic in chopping and easier to play (IMO) than the FL3 when it comes to chopping and serve return. But the FL3 really allows you to add spin, and give spin on inverted style pushes against push. (Yes, when I push a push, I actually send back underspin, which I confirmed with multiple people). I find the FL3 to require more active strokes and is a bit less “safe” vs. spin. At the same time it can manipulate spin more. The P-1R is also grippy and able to manipulate spin, but it’s got a tad less grip, particularly when doing a push vs. push, or serve return. If there is one thing that makes me nervous, it’s serve return with the FL3. It’s grip makes it spin sensitive, but without the same spin counter-acting ability of inverted or SPs. I find serve return easier with inverted than FL3 if that makes sense.

Both are not easy to use, it just depends on the situation. I played ox a little at my last tournament, and really felt the empty, powerless feeling of not controlling the spin. No longer will I go for that. I will no longer choose slippery material, and I prefer to change, add, or alter the spin more than the best OX pips can offer in that regard. I tried agenda, and loved it, but it was a bit ball-less and did help me in the way I wanted it to.

FL3 and P-1R give people north of 1800 far more trouble if they know how to play LPs.

On the FH side, I have added Secret Flow chop in thin sponge as I felt the Tenergy 64 was just too uncontrollable, particularly in the short game. I want my LP pushes and my inverted pushes to have roughly the same bat angle and trajectory, and 64 did not do for me. I really like the secret flow…tackiness is good. I got the 1.5mm sponge thinking of Chtchetinine. Strangely, with such an offensive defensive blade, I find it’s exactly how I envision Chtchet’s setup to feel like. I might go-up a sponge next time, or add a slower FX Tenergy in thin sponge or maybe regular T80 which I like, but in thin sponge.. But for now I’m liking the Secret Flow.

Technique wise, I am improving although my results are not . I notice that I swing with timing on all strokes vs. hurrying to meet the ball. I think the heavier JSH blade is indeed forcing me to predict flight paths and pay more attention to where my recovery is…I suspect that in the long run this will help greatly. I also feel like the thicker grippier sponged LPs (Which I have always preferred) is making me think about my positioning. Again, I have to remind myself that results are not improvement, and that the results should come in time. I will say this, I recently managed to defeat a 1900 level junior that I have never beaten before, who destroys OX lps (his dad plays OX Lps). So, I am having some success with the more difficult setup.
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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

... which you forgot to tell us about

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USATT: 1807 | League: 1887

Not too much to tell here... this was a "never play in a tournament shortly after EJing" moment. I didn't feel comfortable with the FL3 enough to deal with lots of different styles. So, between matches I stupidly changed back to my old setup....stupid. I came up against my worst styles...no-spin lobber, and the Pushblocker. I have the worst time against push blockers....I seek them out to practice and have gotten better, but I usually lose to them if they are my level or slightly higher.
The no-spin lobber was actually way better than his 1200 rating...and he beat several other people above him (some above me) in that tournament. Had he not slipped up and lost to someone under 1000 (Ugh) he'd have gotten adjusted and my rating would have ben fine. Against the others...I played okay but again, not confident enough in my setup with all the EJing. Got what I deserve i suppose.

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

Ah, that makes sense. So far I was disciplined enough NOT to change equipment during the tournament - you probably can force it by bringing only one setup to play with and take a risk of not having a spare .

I do try to settle on equipment at least 3-4 weeks before the tournament that matters (and ideally it should be even longer...). And yes, pushblockers can be very annoying.

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USATT: 1807 | League: 1887

Oops double post

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

I’m sure this has been posted before, but I’ve never seen it. Not the full version.

Koji Matsushita vs Jan Ove Waldner. Arguably my 2 favorite players along with Chtchet.
27:17 is where they start. Kong v Persson is he first match...

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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