OOAK Table Tennis Forum

While searching through this forum I've seen a number of long pip strokes mentioned offhandedly, but I've not seen a comprehensive list of all long pip strokes. I'm writing this out for a few reasons, but mostly 1) to have them compiled for others trying to learn how to play with long pips, and 2) to make sure I myself am understanding the different long pip strokes properly! For the most part I've never received training from a player or coach who has used long pips themselves, so a lot of this I've had to "figure out" myself; if there's any misconceptions on my end, I'd like to know & correct them!

As for optimal equipment for each stroke, I've essentially boiled it down to whether the stroke is making its own spin or using the opponent's spin. For strokes that rely on making its own spin, grippier pips & thicker sponges allow for a more quality shot with greater margins of error. Conversely, thin sponges/OX & low grip pips tend have greater margins of error & allow for higher quality shots on strokes that use the opponent's spin. I know this may sound pretty obvious, but in my mind what strokes you use most often should determine what type of equipment you use. It'll be easier to play a blocking/chopblocking/disruption game with Hellfire in OX than Feint Long III in max sponge thickness. Anyways, now on to the different strokes!

Strokes against backspin balls:

Push (pushblock): A stroke where you contact the back of the ball and, well, push it forward. Similar to a bump (see below), but slower & more controlled. This stroke mostly uses your opponent's spin. Very common stroke for OX pip users (pushblocker, Jian Li, etc.). Sends back a topspin ball. Here's a video of Greg Letts demonstrating the stroke:


Push (inverted-style): A stroke where you cut under the ball. It helped me to think of this stroke more as a chop against backspin rather than a push, because I need to really cut through the ball hard & fast to get this stroke to work. I found it easier to do if you wait for the ball to start falling (rather than taking it as the ball is rising), similar to a chop. This stroke relies on making your own spin (usually no-spin or light backspin, depending on how grippy/thick your sponge is). Here's a video of Masato Shiono using the stroke in slow motion (starts at ~37 seconds, full speed stroke is a few seconds later)


Bump: A stroke where you contact the back of the ball & drive through with authority. Similar to a pushblock, but faster & more aggressive. The more backspin there is on the ball, the harder you can bump the ball. I found it easier to do if you take the ball as it's rising. Relies on using your opponent's spin. Sends back light topspin/no spin. Here's a video of Chen Weixing doing the stroke (first one is around the ~4 second mark):


Side swipe: Similar to a bump, but you rake the ball with the side of the pips to really put some funk on it. I've heard it sends back either topspin or sidespin/topspin depending how you contact the ball, but this stroke is one I've had trouble with & honestly can't do it well. To my knowledge it relies on using your opponent's spin. Chen Weixing also demonstrates this stroke in the previous video:


Flip: Pretty similar to a normal backhand flip/flick, but of course with long pips. Truthfully, this is another stroke I'm not too familiar with. I've seen videos of OX LP players doing it, so imagine it uses your opponent's spin. Probably sends back a topspin ball like a bump/pushblock, but with more topspin than either of those strokes

Smash: Pretty self-explanatory. When the ball is significantly higher than the net, you can give it a good smack. I find smashing high backpin balls easier than smashing high topspin balls with the pips, but I'm not sure what is preferred for other players. With OX/low grip I'd imagine it'd be easier to smash through the spin, but with thicker sponges/grippier pips there would be less chance for the ball to slip off the racket. In any case I usually just smash with inverted (either with the forehand or twiddling), but a LP smash can be good to use in a pinch (and especially if the opponent isn't used to fast, no spin balls).


Strokes against topspin balls:

Block: Pretty self-explanatory. Just put the bat in front of the ball & guide the ball with soft hands. Sends back a backspin ball (amount of backspin depends on the amount of incoming topspin). Relies on your opponent's spin.

Chop-block: Unlike an inverted chopblock, a LP chopblock is a lot smaller motion & the bat angle is mostly open (roughly 90* to the table, but can vary of course). I've found the earlier you take the ball, the better. Sends back backspin, but higher amounts than a normal block (though again it depends on what your opponent sends you). Relies on your opponent's spin. Here's a video of Sun Jian Fei using the chopblock technique:


Drive/counter-drive: Pretty similar to a normal drive, but of course with long pips. This stroke is pretty difficult to do consistently without a thick sponge & grippy pips (or at the very least, I've been unsuccessful when trying it with thin sponged LP). Given how normal drives work I would assume this stroke relies on making your own spin (or at least being able to counter the topspin that's already on the ball). Sends back light topspin/no spin. Watch any video of He Zhuojia or Deng Yaping to see this stroke in action

Chop: The quintessential stroke for long pips when off the table. Some people prefer thinner/lower grip pips for this stroke to have as big margins of error as possible, while others prefer thick sponges & grippy pips to make each chop as heavy as possible. However, the mechanics of the chop remain largely the same: take the ball at or below table height, and try to keep it as long & low as possible. A chop is really the only quality stroke that long pips can do when away from the table, anyways. Regardless of your equipment, if you ever play off the table you will need to get good at this stroke!


Again, these are my interpretations of the strokes. If anyone has corrections or additional strokes to add to this please let me know! I'd love to have this as accurate as possible!

Textile sublayer is the key. Enhanced control in every stroke is the result you have with Textile. Again, gluing work is getting much easier.

You're missing quite a few of them, such as the lift, punch, roll, pullback block, dummy loop, mudflap, etc. Also there are different ways to execute chops (with wrist and without). Of course, there are different serves.

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