- The player serving the ball may do so in one of two ways:
- The server strikes the ball causing it to strike in his court, bounce over a bumper into an opponent’s court, striking that court, then on to play. This is the preferred method of serving.
- The server may bounce the ball in his own court, then strike it with his paddle lofting it over a bumper, then to bounce in an opponent’s court, then on to play. It may not be slammed into the opponents court.
- A serve is declared “bad” if the ball strikes any bumper during service. A serve which fails to strike an opponent’s court during serve results in the loss of the serve.
- A server is allowed to replay one bad serve during his time of service. On his/her second failed serve in the set, he/she looses service and the new server becomes the player in whose court the server was attempting to place the ball unless otherwise specified in the rules of your particular game.
- A ball may strike a bumper as many times as it will during play of the game. A player who receives a ball from off a bumper must play the ball as if it had come directly from an opponent.
- A player may return a ball when it enters his court before it bounces in his court but may result in a foul if it fails to strike an opponent’s court or is not played by his opponent.
- A player must return a ball that has bounced in his court before the second bounce. The only exception is when a ball bounces once in his court then goes over the bumper to an opponent’s court. This ball become the responsibility of the player in that court. This is true also during service.
- A player may replay a ball that he has returned but strikes a bumper then returns to his own court.
- A player fouls by:
- Failing to return a ball that has bounced once in his court. The exception to this is when a ball bounces once in one court then goes over a bumper, then into another players court. That player is then has the responsibility to play the ball.
- Failing to cause his returned ball to bounce in his opponent’s court or having been played by his opponent.
- Returning a ball to an unauthorized court as in color rotation and two player games.
- Returning a ball by some other means other than by a paddle.
- Playing a ball which is in an opponents court. A player fouls when he/she reaches over a bumper to play a ball in his/her neighbors court.
- A player fouls when he/she is struck by the ball when attempting to block an opponents ability to return a ball provided that their body is extending over their own court shielding it from play.
- A player fouls when he/she touches the table with their hands during play.
- A player fouls when he/she plays a ball which is not in his/her defined court area or the extending boundaries behind the court.
- The player’s position on the court at the beginning of a game is determined by drawing lots, or any way you would like as agreed by all players.
NOTE: Some tables may not have a color designation. It is intended that the colored paddles remain in their assigned courts and not move with the players. The colored paddles then designate the courts.
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