The short version. Games are played to 11 points, win by 2, with every rally scoring a point regardless of who served. The serve alternates every 2 points. The table is 9ft × 5ft with a 6-inch net, the ball weighs 2.7g, and your racket must have one bright red face and one black face — that last rule exists specifically so your opponent can see which rubber just hit the ball.
The table and equipment basics
- Table: 9ft long, 5ft wide, 2.5ft high — see our table buying guide if you're shopping for one.
- Net: 6 inches (15.25cm) high, strung across the middle of the table.
- Ball: 40mm diameter, 2.7g weight.
- Racket: one face must be bright red, the other black. This has been mandatory since 1983, specifically so your opponent can always see which side of the racket — and which rubber — just struck the ball, since different rubbers spin the ball differently.
The serve
The ball must rest on an open, flat palm, behind the table's end line and above the table's playing surface, then be tossed near-vertically at least 16cm before being struck. Both the toss and the strike have to stay visible to your opponent — you can't serve from behind your body or hide the contact point, which is a common early habit that gets called as a fault.
In singles, the serve can go anywhere on the table. In doubles, it must be served diagonally, from the right-hand side of the server's half to the right-hand side of the receiver's half.
Scoring
Every rally scores a point for whoever wins it — this is rally-point scoring, adopted in 2001, and it means the server doesn't have any inherent scoring advantage the way some other racket sports give the server. Games go to 11 points, and you must win by at least 2 clear points; if the score reaches 10–10, play continues until one side is 2 points ahead. A match is usually the best of 5 or 7 games.
The serve alternates every 2 points, except once a game reaches 10–10, when it alternates every single point instead.
The let
If a serve clips the net but still lands correctly in the receiver's court, it's a let — the point is replayed with no penalty to either side, and it doesn't count against the server's total number of serves. This can happen repeatedly on the same point if the serve keeps clipping the net; there's no limit to how many times a let can be called before the point is finally played out normally.
What's different from other racket sports
If pickleball or tennis is your reference point, table tennis's rally-point scoring will feel familiar — every rally counts, regardless of who served. What's less familiar is the near-total absence of restricted zones: there's no equivalent of pickleball's non-volley "kitchen," and you're free to attack a ball right at the net edge the moment it's playable. See our pickleball rules guide if you're coming from that sport and want the reverse comparison.
Frequently asked
How many points do you need to win a game?
11, with at least a 2-point lead. If the score ties at 10–10, play continues until one side pulls 2 points ahead.
Does the server have any scoring advantage?
No — every rally scores a point for whoever wins it, regardless of who served. The serve rotates for fairness in taking turns, not because it carries any inherent scoring edge.
Why does my racket need two different colours?
So your opponent can always see which side — and which rubber — just contacted the ball. Different rubbers produce different spin, and being able to identify which one hit the ball is considered essential to fair, readable play.
What happens if my serve clips the net?
If it still lands correctly in the receiver's court, it's a let — replay the point, no penalty, and it doesn't use up a serve. If it clips the net and lands incorrectly (in the net, off the table, or in the wrong service box), it's a fault and the point goes to your opponent.