Play
Table Tennis
Table Tennis may be an Olympic sport, but it is one of the easiest games to pick up – making it a great choice if you are looking for something fun to do with your friends, family or workmates.
You may have had a go in the past on some rickety old tables with paddles that are peeling. Not at Rileys! We only have the best full-size professional table tennis tables, and equipment, to make you feel like a pro.
You can book by the hour, play, singles, double or come as a group. With plenty of space in our gaming area it’s the ideal space to try something new.
The rules
FIND YOUR MATCH
Find a playing partner, or two, and you have a ‘match’. It’s first to 11 point (with a two point advantage) to win a game. Win 3 out of 5 games for the match.
SERVE IT UP
To serve, hit the ball so that it bounces on your side of the table, goes over the net, and then bounces on the opponent’s side. Only then can your opponent hit it back to you!
TO ME, TO YOU
Each player gets two serves before handing it over to the other player. To choose who goes first is up to you – rock, papers, scissors anyone?
WHAT’S THE POINT?
You get a point if the ball bounces twice on the opponent’s side of the table before they hit it, they volley it (ball never touched the table on their side) or they just completely miss the ball.
PING PONG PATTER
Know your lob from your push? Your smash from your topspin? Brush up on your ping pong terminology to gain the upper hand.
Forehand
When you take a shot with the palm of your hand facing the opposing player.
Let
If you serve and the ball brushes the top of the net before it bounces on the other side of the table. You need to serve again.
Backhand
The opposite of forehand – the back of your hand is facing the opposing player.
Lob
Get defensive when someone is blasting shots at you. Return the ball high in the air, upsetting their rhythm.
Push
A shot will little or no back lift, intended to deflect the ball back over the net with a more control and less power.
Topspin
A trick shot that makes the ball spin forward when it bounces.
Backspin
The opposite of topspin in that the ball spins backwards.
Smash
When the ball is coming towards you, in the air, and you hit it as hard as you can back down the table. Point to you!all as hard as
Drop Shot
When you do a sneaky little shot that drops over the net when your opponent is expecting a shot further back on the table.