Table tennis scoring: how many points to win, deuce, and match length
A game of table tennis is won by the first player to reach 11 points, provided they're ahead by at least two — that's the deuce rule. Service changes every two points until 10–10, then every single point. A match is decided over an odd number of sets (usually called games), best of five or best of seven, so the result can never end level.
On this page
Scoring a game
Every rally scores a point — there is no concept of only scoring on your own serve. The first player to 11 wins the game, unless the score reaches 10–10, in which case play continues until someone leads by two.
| Score | What happens |
|---|---|
| 11–4 | Game over — 11 reached with a two-point lead |
| 11–10 | Not a win. Play continues; you need 12–10 |
| 10–10 | Deuce. Service now changes after every point |
| 13–11 | Game over — two clear points at last |
Scoring a match
Matches are played over an odd number of games so there is always a winner. Best of five — first to three games — is the common club and recreational format. Best of seven is used at the top of the sport, including the Olympic Games.
Players change ends after every game. In the deciding game they change again as soon as one player reaches five points, so neither side spends the whole decider on the better-lit end of the hall.
Who serves, and when
- Two serves each, then service passes over — regardless of who won the points.
- At 10–10, service changes after every single point.
- The player who served first in a game receives first in the next one.
- The choice of who serves first in the match is decided by lot — traditionally a coin toss or hidden ball.
What is a let, and does it cost a point
A let is not a point for either side — it's a replayed point, most commonly because the serve clipped the net assembly but still landed legally, or because the receiver wasn't ready and made no attempt to play the ball. Nobody's score changes and the same player serves again, so a let never counts as one of the two serves in an alternating pair.
This is a different rulebook from the full serving and fault rules — see our table tennis rules guide for every way a point can be won or replayed, including edge balls and equipment fouls.
Calling the score
The server's score is always called first. "Eight–five" means the server has eight. Calling the score out loud before each serve is the single cheapest way to avoid the most common argument in recreational table tennis, which is not about rules at all — it is about what the score actually was.
The old 21-point game
Until 2001, games were played to 21 with five serves each. The change to 11 points and two serves was made to shorten matches, make individual points matter more, and fit the sport into television schedules.
The old format survives in living rooms and basements everywhere, which is why two players from different generations can spend an entire game disagreeing without either of them being wrong about what they were taught.
Frequently asked questions
How many points in table tennis do you need to win a game?
Eleven points, and you must win by two. At 10–10 play continues until one player has a two-point lead — 12–10, 13–11, and so on.
How many sets in table tennis does a match have?
A match is played over an odd number of sets, officially called games: best of five (first to three) for club and recreational play, best of seven (first to four) at Olympic and world level.
What is a let in table tennis?
A replayed point that counts for nobody and doesn't change the serve count — usually because the serve clipped the net but still landed legally, or the receiver wasn't ready.
What counts as a point in table tennis?
Every rally wins a point for someone, regardless of who served — there is no serve-only scoring. That's been true since the 21-point game was replaced in 2001.
Do you only score on your own serve?
No. Every rally scores a point for whoever wins it, regardless of who served. That rule ended along with the 21-point game in 2001.
When do you change ends?
After every game, and again during the deciding game as soon as one player reaches five points.
Whose score is called first?
The server's. Calling the score before each serve is standard practice and prevents most scoring disputes.
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