OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Assuming your opponent is roughly the same standard as you.

My own game is all-round spinny inverted FH and defensive blocking/chopping LP BH.

Most preferred style:

Two winged inverted loopers. Win or lose, I love playing these guys. I can block, chop and topspin/counter attack on my FH and chop block and chop on my BH. Importantly, it’s the most fun!

Least preferred style:

Low spin (pimple or anti) FH & BH. I hate playing these guys. My game relies on spin and spin manipulation. If I’m not getting spin I’m all at sea. My spinny FH and my LP’s seem useless. Flat hitters will blow me away. Very frustrating.

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2. S&T Black & White / Armstrong SH-I 1.8 / TSP Curl P3 Alpha R OX

I like playing against the more defensive players, because they allow me to attack. I don't like like playing against all-out attack players, because I don't feel I'm in control of the game and win most points from their mistaken.

Ironically my performance is much better against the all-out attack players.

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I like playing Spin Oriented players of any kind - all-round (so lobbers, defenders) are great fun. Always hard work though.

I dislike and play worst against hitters/short pip attackers. give me nothing to work with and too bloody fast to try to coax out errors.

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Yasaka Sweden Extra
Yasaka Rakza PO 2.0mm
TSP Curl P-1R OX

"slappy slappy slappity slap"

I like playing against controlled looper, those high arcs shot give me a lot of time to either block or chop or counterattack if it's high enough.

I have a lot of problem playing against opponents who play the low-throw speed flat drive type. They pair spin-insensitive rubber with high speed blade and plan their game on speed and placement. I'm having trouble keeping the ball low as they can hit through spin. My club doesn't have any SP player so I think maybe if we have one I'll have trouble playing them too. I also can't figure out how to deal with LP yet. There are only two LP players in my club and neither shows up a lot.

There is this one girl in my club who doesn't loop at all but her drives and pushes are textbook.
She has a really strong and precise long pendulum serve which she uses to set up her flat drive attack.
Seeing her play reminds me of how important it is for us beginner-intermediate to keep practicing the basics (Drive - push- block -serve) when we are trying to learn some higher level shots like loops, flicks, chops. I think she can beat most of us beginner-intermediate with just those four basic shots and consistency.

I like to play against material, because I am used to it and it give me more options. Nasty servers are the worst nightmare and all out hitters/loopers are the second.

Maybe that's where the game is headed despite the fact that manufacturers are constantly promoting new spinny 'plastic ball' rubbers.

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2. S&T Black & White / Armstrong SH-I 1.8 / TSP Curl P3 Alpha R OX

Very similar to haggisv. With defensive players it's more like a "chess game" and you have to work out your points.

When younger someone described me as an instinct player, I just got on and hit the ball - I was a fast up to the table counter hitter. Now I'm older and slower, it's the aggressive attack players which I struggle against myself, especially they are capable of deceptive spinney serves. Against these players, it's more about your own ball placement, put it in the wrong place and the ball is hit past you. Often it's your last shot you remember, the one you block in to the net or that goes long, in reality the problem is the previous shot you played which allowed your opponent the opportunity to attack with ease and safety. Many times I've heard myself saying "I can't get his forehand back, it's too fast or too spinny" or "I'm getting bullied and he's hitting me off the table". Reality is I'm putting the setup ball in the wrong place and that's often the result of the pressure I feel playing these types of players.

So true... funny that we often don't realise this until the game is over.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Fun wise, I dislike the paddycake style players who just doink it back passively over and over. I've practiced enough attacking to loop or smash on them, but I prefer to defend and they rarely ever attack heavily.

I like playing attackers who loop or hit etc. Just for the fun of defending against them.

Now I also don't mind playing against pushers or chopper sorts. Using anti or l.p. myself, I can attack back spin aggressively and look forward to these players now.

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

I just hate playing players who take my best shot and loop it into the forehand corner like it was the easiest training drill ever.

This happens all of the time when I play a level or two above my own.

My main strategy is pinning opponent into his weakest side with my ox.
I hate those who force me attack their lobs but it is generally bad strategy.

The most difficult matchup for me is against those two-wing loopers who can open loop from both wings. Those who step-around their BH are relatively easy.
The easiest matchup is against choppers who do not attack short serves.

This could almost be me. But at my level I have found I prefer playing the attackers. The defenders tend to be cautious and careful and make fewer mistakes so the rallies are longer and I have to wait for my chance to kill the ball. With the attackers I find they make more unforced errors because I can frustrate them with my annoying punch blocks or dead balls that I keep sending back to their weaker side. They tend to lose patience and they end up launching an attack on a ball that was not ideal for them to attack. I have found that a lot of players think they are better at loops or smashes then they actually are.

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1-ply Hinoki Club
Violin/Acoustic Clan
Recreational/Club Player
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I can see myself here as well. For fun, I enjoy playing defenders because the speed is lower and I can loop more. But I don't always end up winning if they hold their ground. Mediocre attackers give away points quickly after I block a few balls.

My least favorite is players that have good serves/3rd ball. I can lose rather quickly especially if I never play them before.

The other least favorite is those who can flat hit pretty fast and consistently. Sometimes I can't keep up. But these folks usually are afraid of pushes/spinny serves.

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USATT 1502.
Long pips pushblocker, inverted RPB.

Blog (Ramblings of an ordinary penholder...): http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=32694

Ditto. I do well against loopers who stay back and aren't fast, even if they have a strong loop once in a while, I am usually in control.

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USATT 1502.
Long pips pushblocker, inverted RPB.

Blog (Ramblings of an ordinary penholder...): http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=32694