Introduction to the Game of Ping Pong

Author: servomotor | Posted: 05.01.2012

There's a lot of popular table sports out there, and one of the simpler and most popular one is ping pong, also called table tennis. It's been practiced over the years by many cultures and people all over the world. Ping pong started as not much more than an adaptation to what real tennis would be, but has evolved into a sport of its own, and now has world competitions, and recognized champions in many countries. But what is ping pong and how would someone play it?

The game of ping pong originated in England, in the 1880s, and used to be something nobles would play after dinner or tea, as a way to relax. Back then, normal tables were used, with a stack of books in the middle to serve as the net. Rackets were often just pieces of parchment, rolled up to serve crudely. Soon, the sport became so popular that standard rules were written, and proper equipment was created to fit the sport. In the early 1900s, an official organization called the Table Tennis Association was created in England, and was eventually morphed into an international institution, overseeing the sport and the genre. The sport stayed so popular that in 1988 it became an Olympic sport, and the rules were slightly adapted to make it into more of a televised action, something that could be watched and enjoyed by all.

To play ping pong, you normally need the proper equipment, which is a table with a net in the middle, along with two rackets, and a ball. There are precise measurements for each of these items, but the sport can be practice on anything that fits these basic necessities. There's no need for rackets or the table to be exactly the right size, as long as the ball is light enough to be sent across from one side to the next. To start the game, the common gesture is to toss a coin, and whoever wins starts. Then, the gameplay is extremely simple. You serve the ball with your racket, and the goal is to have the ball go above the net, and bounce on the table on the other side. Then, the other player needs to tap the ball and do the same thing, sending it back above the net and bouncing on the other side as well. Lines can be drawn on the table and specify exactly which areas of the table are good or bad. If one of the players misses the ball, or sends it to the wrong place, then the other player gets a point. Whoever gets 5 points, or whatever number is decided beforehand, wins the game.

Overall, ping pong is one of the easiest sport to learn how to play, and still one of the most fun. It's something that's been practiced for over a century, and is still as popular today as it was back then. It's likely that people will be playing ping pong even in space, years from now, because of how simple the equipment needed it, and how fun the sport is.



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