How to play ping pong

You need a table, a net, a racket each and a ball. Serve from behind your end line so the ball bounces on both sides, return everything after one bounce, and play to 11. The rest is repetition.

Updated 2026-08-01Deutsch

What you need

A table with a net — a public outdoor table costs nothing to use.
A racket each. Anything with intact rubber will do to start; the racket is not what is limiting you in your first month.
A 40 mm ball. Buy a pack of six, because you will lose some.
Shoes you can move sideways in. Table tennis is played almost entirely with lateral steps.

Grip and stance

The shakehand grip is the default: hold the handle as if shaking hands, thumb resting lightly on one side and index finger along the bottom edge of the opposite rubber. It gives you a usable forehand and backhand without changing anything mid-rally.

The penhold grip — holding the racket like a pen, with the handle pointing down — produces a stronger forehand and a more awkward backhand. Both are legitimate. Pick one and stay with it for a few months rather than alternating.

Stand roughly half a metre back from the end line, feet a little wider than shoulder-width, knees bent, weight forward. Almost every beginner stands too upright and too close to the table.

The four strokes worth learning first

Stroke	When you use it	What it does
Forehand drive	Ball on your racket-hand side, at or above net height	Your main attacking shot — flat and fast, from the hips
Backhand drive	Ball on your non-racket side	Compact, played from in front of your body with the wrist
Push	Ball is short and low, or carries backspin	A controlled backspin return that keeps the rally alive
Topspin loop	Once you can rally consistently	Brushes up the back of the ball so it dips and kicks forward

Learn them in that order. The push in particular is what lets you survive against anyone who serves with backspin, which is nearly everyone who has played for more than a season.

Running your first game

Decide who serves first — a hidden ball in one hand is the traditional method.
Serve twice, then hand service over. Call the score with the server's number first.
Play to 11. If it reaches 10–10, keep going until someone leads by two.
Change ends after each game, and play best of five.

Practising alone

You can improve without a partner. Fold one half of an indoor table up vertically and rally against it, or use a wall at roughly net height. Ball bouncing on the racket — forehand side, backhand side, alternating — builds the racket control that makes every stroke easier, and it works anywhere.

None of it substitutes for playing another person. Finding a regular opponent is the single fastest way to improve, which is why most players plateau alone and jump the moment they join a club.

Frequently asked questions

How do you hold a ping pong paddle?

Most players use the shakehand grip: hold the handle as if shaking hands, with the index finger resting along the bottom of the rubber on the opposite side. The penhold grip, holding it like a pen, is the main alternative.

Is ping pong hard to learn?

The basics take an afternoon — serve, return, keep score. Consistent topspin rallying takes months, and reading spin takes longer, which is why the sport stays interesting well past the point where you can play it.

Can you practise table tennis by yourself?

Yes. Fold half an indoor table upright and rally against it, hit against a wall, or practise bouncing the ball on alternating sides of your racket to build control. It is a supplement to playing people, not a replacement.

What is the best stroke for a beginner to learn first?

The forehand drive, then the backhand drive, then the push. The push matters more than beginners expect, because it is the answer to a backspin serve.

Do you need special shoes for table tennis?

Not to start, but the sport is played almost entirely with sideways steps, so any shoe with decent lateral grip and a flat sole will serve you better than a running shoe.

Now find a table

Thousands of public ping pong tables are mapped on League of Spin — outdoor tables, clubs, and bars, with directions and ratings for each one.

Find a table near you