How to play against long pips-out rubbers
In my early table tennis years I was very lucky to be on the same team with a defensive player and an offensive player both with pips-out on the BH. Needless to say I became so comfortable playing against pips-out whether the opponent was a chopper or an offensive player with pips-out that when I had to play against them I wouldn't get nervous at all.On the contrary I felt like I can use the pips-out side to my advantage into getting an easy ball so I can attack it.
I know a lot of players who get very nervous when they learn that their opponent has pips-out, not to mention that many players switch to pips-out just to have that phycological advantage on their opponents.Here are some simple rules to follow when playing against long pips.
Serves: Your serves should be kept simple (one type of spin or no spin) and without much power. So if they return with the pips-out side you have a no spin ball that you can easily attack to the side they have the regular rubber (just to get an easier ball if they return your attack). If you serve with combination spin or a fast serve then the return will come back to you with a lot of spin, then it's best to just do a small push back to the pips so the next ball will be a no spin ball that you can easily attack.
During play: When you attack by looping, countering or smashing into the pips-out side of your opponent the return will come back with a lot of spin, if you continue looping every return will be even more spiny.That's why I always alternate from loop to push until I get that perfect no spin ball and then I just smash it to finish the point. Remember that long pips cannot generate a lot of spin when you are just pushing.One good way to know whether there is spin or not in the push or chop by long pips, is to look at the player's arm.If their arm goes straight toward you then there is no spin on the ball, if you see the arm going down/sideways then there is spin on the ball.One important thing to remember is to attack the ball on the highest point on both occasions before it starts dropping as it is much easier to loop/attack.
Long pips-out are the most difficult to deal with, the other pips-out rubbers (medium and short) have the same effects like long pips-out but not as difficult to deal with.I would say the effect goes down to 50% on the medium and like 80% on the short (that's my opinion the % may be more or less). Essentially, for the medium pips-out keep in mind everything we talked about above, and when playing with short pips just think you are almost dealing with a regular pips-in rubber which just slows down the ball, so come closer to the table to receive the ball.
And I saved the best for last... All serves with pips-out have very little to no spin! A very good opportunity to initiate an offensive play.
That's just my opinion and what I do, hope it helps you out!
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Comment by Matt Hetherington on January 6, 2013 at 7:50pm -
Nice post Ioanna, I agree many players make playing against long pips a lot more complicated than it really is! :) Personally I love playing people with long pips.
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Comment by Ioanna P on January 7, 2013 at 3:16am -
Once you get over the phycological barrier, it's very easy!
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Comment by tomas oravec on January 10, 2013 at 12:44pm -
Very helpful for me........thank you
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Comment by Ferdinand Castillo on January 11, 2013 at 6:09am -
thanks,i don't play pips out players very well
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Comment by Edwin Ventura on January 11, 2013 at 7:32am -
One of the topics I was planning to ask about in the near future. This was a very informative response to the subject, thanks.
Just yesterday was playing against long-pips, not the highest level but still, just by showing the pips the psychological factor starts to affect your game (lol). There is a small but very important detail I had heard before and didn´t quite get until yesterday when I broke the psychological barrier (finally!!!): "if you are a good offensive player the pips will be destroyed by your smashing and spinning skills..." In other words, don´t be afraid to attack if you are confident about your attacking skills (that´s what I understood at first). However, is not that easy, its like Ionna well said, it is very important the variation in the type of attack, attacking to different sides of the player as well as with different techniques (smashing, pushing, spinning). Overall, other than psychological control, it is very important to be in physical conditions focusing on the leg work to be able to successfully move the ball at your will (position-power-spin) and break out the pips "strategy".
The reaction in the attack decision of all those elements (left, right, center? smash, push, spin?), happens in a matter of a fraction of seconds (and thats assuming that the technique is well into you to not even think the angle of the racquet, body postion, leg work)...Table tennis is such a great sport!!!
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Comment by gkoutzidis dimitrios on January 12, 2013 at 12:05pm -
GREAT ARTICLE!!!
"Remember that long pips cannot generate a lot of spin when you are just pushing"
YEP,thats what i thought 2..
i just LOVED 2 play against defensive long pimps out!!!push 2 backhand (usually there's where they use the pimps most of the time) and then strong finishing loop,BOOM!!NIIICE!!!
14 years same story...even when i played against panagiotis gionis (before he became 1 of the best defense players in the world) push and BOOM BOOM BOOM shake the room!!! ;-)
and then...well...then i met DANNY !!!(daniel tsiokas)..push 2 his backhand,turned around,smiled,and BOOM!!!ball went straight into the net!!!!LOOL!!!hmmmm...cant b...just CANT B!!!long pimps just CANT generate strong underspin against push!!!
so again...push 2 his BH...turned around..BOOM!!!ball touched MY SIDE OF THE TABLE!!!LOL!!!in SHEER DISBELIEF i look at my rubber-no,its not wet-i look at danny,he SMILES!!!LMAO!!!
this season i played again against him...same story,no,even WORSE!!!i ball into the net,one ball 3 meters above the table!!!lol
i watched the video of the game again and again and AGAIN 2 figure out how the F.... he does it!!!!couldnt figure it out,SAME MOVE!!!!but...i didnt pay 2 much attention on the SIDE MOVE u mentioned...so i will watch the video again and look if THATS the tricky thing he does...
and if i beat him next time i play against him...i will buy u a drink!!!ok ok,7 drinks!!!LOL ;-)
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Comment by Ioanna P on January 12, 2013 at 3:44pm
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At least you have the opportunity to test it with the best, that's pretty cool. Thanks for liking it! I ll take you up on those drinks!
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Comment by Cecep Nurhadi on January 13, 2013 at 3:37pm -
Yep! This is the article I’ve been waiting for…Thanks guys it’s very helpful and looking forward to practicing it.
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Comment by Luis Felipe Marcos Gutiérrez on January 16, 2013 at 1:03am -
Muy buen comentario. En próximos días jugaré contra uno que lleva picos largos en el revés y es muy difícil ganar.
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Comment by Ives Ferrari on January 21, 2013 at 12:50pm -
Cazuo Matsumoto, the great winner from Spanish Tour !! Great Cazuo!!
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