OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hey all,

Question to all the choppers out there. When do you back away from the table? I know it depends is the answer, but I mean generally speaking. Lets say you're playing someone who can loop US consistently. In observing many other choppers, I have noted that there are several different kinds of players, those that stay at the table longer, and those that immediately back off. Please tell me which describes you and why you do that.

Examples when I'm serving:

Here's what I do, if I serve long, I immediately back up and assume a loop, but come back in if it's a short push. If I serve short, i serve, wait for the ball, and then either loop the 3rd ball or push and drop back. I don't have too many problems with getting in to chop/loop rallies, if I'm serving. Nevertheless, I still want to know what your strategy is when serving.

When opponent serves (This is where I have trouble):
If the serve is not incredibly attackable, I tend to push it long, then drop back and expect a loop or drive to chop. I sometimes don't get back fast enough, and get caught having to do an emergency block or chop/block, which is low percentage. If I push it back short, then I might stay at the table for one more sequence, but the really good players have flipped those short pushes which catches me off guard and again, i'm in no-man's land forced to do a low percentage LP block or chop block from not quite at the table, but not quite mid-distance. I'm pretty fast, so speed (I don't think) is the issue.
What do you do here guys?

_________________
Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

I chop and block with OX pips like you, and yes, my strategy depends on my opponent and my serves (sort of like you said), but I also try to keep this general rule (and wish I kept it in mind even more than I do): it's much easier to come in than to go back. There's a guy at my club who has incredible touch on drop shots and does very quick loops that are all wrist, so I have to be on constant alert with regard to the long-short issue with him, and what I've found is that except for totally crazy drop shots, even when I'm far back, I can come in in time to get the ball back. On my opponent's serve, what I do depends on my return. I actually don't push that much; I like to be very aggressive on short/medium serves and try to roll the ball with my pips at a sharp angle or into my opponent's playing elbow whenever I can so that I can attack the next ball, but if I see that I haven't done a good enough job with it, I do tend to go back. If I do push off of a serve (or if my opponent has given me a long serve to my pips which I've chopped back), I tend to try to go back to be ready for what's coming, but if I get caught near the table, chop-blocking is always an option, naturally. The worst thing -- as you suggested -- is to get caught in the middle.

_________________
I. Re-Impact Turbo; FH: Spinlord Sandwind 1.5mm; BH: DMS Kamikaze OX
II. Re-Impact Smart; FH: TSP Spinpips RED 2.1mm; BH: Dr. Neubauer Gangster OX
III. Sauer & Troger Firestarter; FH: Spinlord Waran 1.8mm; BH: Giant Dragon Snowflake OX
IV. Sauer & Troger Firestarter; FH: Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft 1.8mm; BH: Joola Badman Reloaded OX
V. Victas Koji Matsushita; FH: Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft 1.8mm; BH: TSP P-1R 1.0-1.3mm
USATT Rating: 2037

Fantastic resonse! Thanks.

So, I agree about it being easier to come in than drop back. So, when you do rush in, what do you do if you can't attack it? Push? I find that on drop shots i'm usually just trying to get the ball back on the table. But sometimes the next shot is a strong loop, it's often hard to get a quality return when rushing in...so what's your advice in this case? (or anyone else)

_________________
Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

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

Not a chopper, but a retriever. I try to stay at the table until the opponent gets the 2nd really good loop on. I can usually block the first one. This of course is assuming I am playing an attacker. Anticipation is the key.

_________________
Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

I try to either push deep to the backhand or into the body or push short to the wide forehand, but the main reason I switched to OX pips is to deal with attacks or counterattacks to my backhand when I'm stuck at the table. If an attack comes, I can chop block it. With Dornenglanz, you should be able to do this.

_________________
I. Re-Impact Turbo; FH: Spinlord Sandwind 1.5mm; BH: DMS Kamikaze OX
II. Re-Impact Smart; FH: TSP Spinpips RED 2.1mm; BH: Dr. Neubauer Gangster OX
III. Sauer & Troger Firestarter; FH: Spinlord Waran 1.8mm; BH: Giant Dragon Snowflake OX
IV. Sauer & Troger Firestarter; FH: Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft 1.8mm; BH: Joola Badman Reloaded OX
V. Victas Koji Matsushita; FH: Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft 1.8mm; BH: TSP P-1R 1.0-1.3mm
USATT Rating: 2037

I am not totally sure, it is partly unconcious strategy...

1. I mix playing between table and far away, to keep opponent unsure.
2. Against hard loopers or hitters I try give difficult first ball to prevent them from launching... I don't back up, if their attack is too fast to chop.
3. When I give safe push or poor return, I back up.

I think it's kind cat and mouse game with opponent... If you always go back, it gives too much time for your opponent. If you never back up, it gives clear idea, what kind of shots penetrate your table blocking - your opponent could just medium loop to win point, which might be difficult to block, while those kind of shots would be easy to chop.

So when you think that slow or medium loop is coming, it's better to go back in time.