OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've really been liking the spectol blue in 1.5 on the backhand as well. Problem is, even with the robot doing random shots to random locations... it's still tough to replicate an actual opponent. However, I'm getting much better and can handle even the highest top spin balls - though again I can hear by the rev of the motor when they are coming, and see by the direction of the launcher where it will be going. And I think we all know by now that the weakness of SP is not really their inability to handle heavy spin (since you can drill that easy enough imo and return them all with good quality), but YOUR inability to always be ready to deal with that incoming spin.

If everyone just hit the ball right to where I wanted it, the SP would be no problem at all regardless of speed or spin.

In the quarantine my idea is either to focus on the SP defensive shots, or use LP and drill in the twiddling techniques on both sides. However, I was watching some more Ganna Gaponova videos (lp/inverted twiddler... lots of twiddling!), and her technique against players with passive tendencies is to simply smash them away! Either with the LP or inverted. She hardly looks like a chopper in most of them! And against the higher level players, it doesn't appear that her twiddling does much good as far as winning the point goes... maybe that's why she never was able to break through to the real elite ranks. The twiddling sets up opportunities to kill at weaker levels, but against better players it only prolongs her points a little, before ultimately losing.

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

Yes, but my guess is at that level it isn't about directly winning points due to twiddling, but to keep the opponent on guard. The fact she loses the point, isn't because of twiddling, but because she's weaker than het opponent.

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

Yeah, I just meant at that level twiddling is not effective. It works to a high level but not top world class. If you look at the top defenders who actually held the highest world rankings, I don't think a twiddler is among them.

Wu Yang was #4 as an sp chopper
Han Ying #6
Suh Hyo Won #8
Sato Hitomi #9

The twiddling gals like Ganna and Bilenko were stuck around 40-50 consistently. Which is still impressive, talking top 100 in the world! Pavlovich made it to #11 at one point with the old system and old ball. And I don't think their rating is actually consistent with who they beat. Just looking at Ganna's recent record, despite being in the top 60s, she's lost to girls ranked 120+, 90s, etc.

That's not to say a twiddler cannot be successful at the amateur rating of course... only for an aspiring player who wants to be winning tournaments at the world class level, good luck! Daniel Kleinart and Chtet are the two main ones I know of now. The other defenders that don't twiddle seem to rely more on the FH for points.

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

Just a note on the 07 extra sticky, doing some more inspecting of it... the sponge is actually quite hard but the top sheet is incredibly squishy! So the depressing is really just the top sheet going down. The effect when playing with it is a soft and slower rubber. I normally use the 401 for chopping, and the 07 es feels similar in speed but with a different overall feel. A little more forgiving for my style.

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

With a different feel you mean softer than the 401?

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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

Yeah, when you hit the 401 it has a hard stop to it and makes a louder clanging sound. The 07 es feels more like the revspin, tackiness chop etc. the actual more defense oriented versions. The 401 is made for aggressive defenders anyway, but doesn't feel as lively as the 07 es. The 401 you feel every hit and with the 07 es, some times it almost seems like you're hitting air!

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

Might be my kind of rubber then... I liked the 401, but it was too hard for me and when it was humid, I couldn't spin with it anymore. It was like I was hitting with water.

_________________
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

TT prisoner: Nothing to report. Over.

_________________
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

I've been whacking on the machine, working on the Zhou Xintong style of LP forehand on a penhold. Had some form issues resulting in tendinitis that I fixed up, so as of now my practice is geared toward learning her style, or more of a Dickie Fleisher kind of LP hitting game.

One gripe I have about some tournaments is a lack of space, or more specifically, their venues do not cater to defensive play! Small courts, low ceiling etc. for the more informal settings, I'll even ask the players if they mind scooting the table toward them several feet. Since it's not for money or rating, they usually oblige without complaining. You may not experience that as much in europe, but in america the smaller tournaments will often have a hierarchy of courts. You have to win the lower ranked courts and as you go up, so do the court sizes.

But anyway, that all ties in because my garage isn't too expansive either... and I can play the LP block/hitting game using all the room I'd need in a real game. The chopping has some spacial limitations that prevent me from training certain shots.

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

The hierarchy of courts doesn't exist here, but I have experienced a lack of space in a couple of tournaments. However, better tournaments tend to have large courts (like it should be). Not only have I experienced it in a couple of tournaments, some clubs are known to have not enough space, even for attacking players wanting to loop the opponent's loop.

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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

Not much blog activity on the forum during this Corona period. Too bad.

I'm going to start the application process for my new club next week. I'll be contacting four candidates. I also might be joining the club Pipsy is part of (that's a fifth candidate), but that chance is quite small. It's quite far and although there are some lovely people there (especially Pipsy himself!) I didn't feel "the connection", "the spark". Of course I'll be making my decision after having visited all candidates, something that will occur after our lock down light.

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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

Having several to choose from is a TT luxury! Good deal for you, and let's hope might get some pip friendly players

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

Belgium is quite a small and crowded country, so there are a lot of TTC clubs in a area of let us 15 to 20km diameter.

I hope not too many pip friendly players! I want to fill up my blog with a lot of pages.

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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

I just meant pip friendly in the sense they won't try to banish or toss you out for using them!

Ordered 240 more balls for the robot... been whacking away with the LP penhold, but using the chopping setup from time to time. I feel like the chopping is just more fun to use - not more effective! At least from what I'm seeing. I could stay at the table beating the crap out of people with the LP from either side, or drop back and be a more passive chopper waiting for mistakes. Especially at the lower levels or playing timid opponents who won't open up. Still thinking the 07 sticky is the best for chopping.

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

You're making me even more curious about that 07 sticky extra...

If I encounter such club, I just won't choose it. However, having played against those clubs you get a hunch how their "internal kitchen" is. But every club has it's haters: that's sadly a fact.

Being in a club doesn't mean anything more to me than having the chance to play and improve. That was different in the past, but now that's my stance against the issue. That'd why I won't being playing interclub anymore, unless they need me (promotion or to prevent degradation) or if I like to play against the opposing club.

It's a matter of they needing you more than you needing them. A bit like the job market. Having a more than decent level helps with that.

_________________
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