Always just competition games and training can become boring with time right?.
But since you have enough fantasy, don’t let it get that far, but play the most different table tennis alternative games together with your friends. You can come up with all kinds of ideas, no matter if they are well-known games like “round robin” and “attack against defense” or something crazy like “just change the rackets”.
Team play
Four to six players are evenly distributed around a table. Once a player has played the ball, he runs to the other side and lines up at the back until it is his turn to hit again. Whoever makes a mistake is eliminated. At the end of the game there are two players left, who determine the winner in a mini-match until three.
You can make the final even more difficult by playing round robin in pairs. Each player has to play his own ball back after the serve before it is the partner’s turn. This will give you some headaches. Nevertheless, give it a try!
Attack against defense
Make a game, one plays only attack, the other only defense. What does a consistent attacking player think, what does a tough defending player think? You will find out!
Hand change
Pick up your racket with the other hand. You will be surprised how skillful you are. Practice a little with your partner. Who knows, maybe you will be able to play a ball back from the far corner by changing rackets.
A game of nerves
You love the tension, the thrill. Then your sets only start at 18:18. The first one to win eight times is the one with the strongest nerves.
Racket exchange
Can you change your rackets? How long will it take you? Just change the rackets. At the beginning it’s a little bit unfamiliar. After a few minutes, however, the excuse “the racket is too heavy, the racket is too fast” should no longer be heard.
Variations:
Use only the red side of your racket
You even can use a pickleball paddle just for fun.
Count differently
Change the counting method once. Only those who serve can score a point, and if the ball is missed, the serve is also changed. You will notice that you are much more concentrated on your serve. You will succeed with one or two trick serves.
Marathon sets
Sometimes everything goes much too fast in table tennis. A set can be over after only five minutes. That’s why we sometimes play a few marathon sets up to 31 or 51, which will challenge your stamina and concentration until the last set.
Replace
The game is played individually, but each player has one or more partners, with whom they alternate by arrangement.
The substitution can take place:
- after a certain number of points
- after a certain number of rallies
- after a net or edge ball
- by time
Variations:
Each party may only use certain strokes. It is played in a sitting position. Play doubles.
Trench the table
The two halves of the table are placed about thirty to fifty centimeters apart. The ball is played according to table tennis rules in such a way that it does not fall “into the ditch”.
Variations:
Widen the ditch.
Sit down table tennis
The game is played in a sitting position. Two partners pass the ball to each other diagonally or parallel.
Setup:
- Four of you at one table
- everyone “owns” a quarter of a table
- 2 balls
Variations:
Everyone has one more partner and changes with this one (after each stroke, by time, by points, etc.).
Target Shooting
By “shooting” various targets, the aim is to train the accuracy of the game.
Shots with double touch
The ball is played by the partner after he has hit the ball on his own half of the table two times. The opponent plays the ball back in the same way.
Serve forever
A player has the right to serve for an entire set. After the end of the set, the right to serve changes to the opponent for the entire next set.
Game according to volleyball rules
Only the serve player can score a point; if he does not manage to score a point, the right to serve changes. If a weaker player scores a point, the point is doubled. Conversely, errors made by the stronger player could also be counted twice.
Game with long rallies
The two players who reach the longest rally are the winners.
Game with many ball contacts
The aim here is to achieve as many ball contacts as possible in a given time by playing the ball shorter and faster, but still safely. This form of play trains the ability to react and concentrate.
Replacement games
Variations:
Several players play at the same table, but always in singles against each other.
Usually two teams of equal numbers play against each other, but an unequal number of players (e.g. 2:3) is also possible.
Two players can also play as a team against a single player.
Handicap Games
Handicap by allowing only individual shot techniques: A player may only play with two techniques, forehand loop or backhand block.
Doubles play with one racket
Two pairs of doubles face each other, with only one racket per pair. This must therefore be handed over as quickly as possible so that the partner can hit the next ball.
