OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi all, new to the OOAK forums and table tennis in general. Just had a few questions to ask regarding equipment I should use for my defender playstyle. I am just looking for what length pips I should use for BH and FH that would suit my playstyle.

I typically chop most hits on my forehand, whether far or close from the table. If there is a good opportunity then I will smash or topspin the ball to finish. I'd say it's a 80% chop - 20% other hits and very rarely smash and topspin.

For my backhand, I chop less compared to my forehand. I try to chop most of the time, but I sometimes just flat hit or push the ball. My backhand isn't that good so I prefer to stick with my forehand chops most of the time. Only situationally will I use my backhand to chop or push.

As a beginner, I am using double sided inverted but my playstyle feels incompatible for the bat I am using. I'd just like to see what FH and BH rubber I should use that would suit me. I am willing to spend time to learn more skill required rubber playstyles like long pips and short pips. I am also wanting to stay with the defending playstyle that I have described above so please give rubber recommendations for the description above only.

Thanks all.

I have a few friends playing defensive style as such with both inverted rubbers. Just because you play defensively doesn't mean you must use long pips.

As such, favorite inverted rubbers for defensive play: tibhar defense 40, various rubbers with thinner sponges (1.5-1.

instagram: rokphishtt

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instagram: rokphishtt

Thanks for the recommendation. If you have anymore recommended rubbers please tell me. I don't necessarily want to change to long pips or short pips, I just want to experiment with the different rubber types and see which suits me. I don't have much money set aside for table tennis too so the cheaper the rubber is, the better.

Thanks in advance.

Gambler Reflectoid & Friendship Super FX-C are low-cost rubbers, that can be used for chopping.

Disclaimer - I've never used either (due to non-availability, for me), so I base my recommendation, solely on what I've heard, and read...

Why are you recommending smooth rubber BOTH sides to a chopper ?
Obviously you use long pips yourself and do not have an agenda like glue addicts but recommending smooth rubber both sides is just insane. When I was starting to play in college this is exactly what glue addicts recommended to me. Not knowing any better I listened.

Glue addicts would of course recommend smooth rubbers regardless because they do not want anymore nuisance (long)pips players who may even beat them and there is no bigger shame than losing to a second class citizen of the sport.

Every rubber in this sport has a purpose. Just take two smooth and call me in the morning is not the universal solution to all styles of play. Smooth rubber is meant for top spinning just as long pips is meant for back spinning and just as short pips are meant for hitting. Can you loop with long-pips ? Of course . Can you chop with smooth rubber? Of course. But that is not the primary purpose of these rubbers.
Yes in the modern game, smooth rubber is what everyone should start playing with but must quickly move to other rubbers if that doe snot work.
Here we have a player who clearly is a chopper (almost both sides) . The best solution is long pips on one side & smooth spinny rubber if this player loops (especially if he is younger at least to try first) or short pips if this player never loops but only hits (especially if he is older)

Using a very thin sponge is probably a good idea if you want to chop with inverted. Something like 1mm. There’re a few (veteran) players that play defensively with that type of equipment in my area. It’s quite fun to play against them as the matches becomes a it like a game of chess.

Insane Chop stated that he is willing to use long pips. That said , if you are a coach , you should be disciplined or banned & sued for coaching malpractice if you recommend using smooth rubber (even 1 mm) both sides.

The primary purpose of smooth spinny rubber is not chopping. It is looping. Yes you can use 1 mm smooth spinny but one side only and not both sides

The primary purpose of long pips is chopping and that is therefore the ideal rubber for InsaneChop, especially given that he chops from both side because he can twiddle for variations.

Again on the other side InsaneChop must use smooth spinny rubber if (s)he loops or Short Pips if (s)he never loops but only hits. I am not sure Smooth Anti will work in this day & age.

longpips are easiest to chop with but you won't be able to loop with them.

Lots of choppers use spinny inverted. Butterfly Tackiness Chop was a mainstay for choppers for decades and possibly still is. The primary purpose of a spinny rubber is to create spin, whether topspin or backspin.

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

Not to mention that Joo chops with Tenergy..

No one (other than a 1900 level player I knew once) plays with long pips on both sides. There are good reasons for this. SyntheticMeth seems to have a huge chip on the shoulder when it comes to inverted rubber (and people who use or suggest using it ) - this is what gave rise to his outburst (".. sued for coaching malpractice" ). I'd be surprised, actually, if he doesn't use it himself on the forehand side. 99 percent of choppers do, after all. (Add to the irony that all the top-ranked choppers these days also have spectacular loop games.)

Iskandar

Insanechop, hard to say what's optimal for you. You might want to go inverted both sides, both sides equally thick (1.0mm - 1,5mm). Another option is to go short pips with thin sponge (1.0mm - 1.5mm) for the BH, thin inverted FH (1.0mm - 1.5mm). I wouldn't go LPs on either side, because it'll hinder (the strenght of) your smashing capabilities. You might want to try thick sponge on your FH (1.8mm - 2.0mm) of a defensive rubber (e.g. Butterfly Tackiness C, Butterfly Tackiness D, Tibhar Super Defense 40) and see what that does for you.

SynterMyh reminds me of an entertaining loudmouth at MyTT. But hey: what do I know? I'm just a second class citizen of the sport suggesting inverted rubbers to a defender.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that