fponticelli / combattabletennis

Rules for Table Tennis with a twist

Combat Table Tennis

Rules for Table Tennis with a twist.

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0. Definitions

0.1 Normal rules, a normal point

With some noted exceptions, the term "normal" refers to the ITTF official table tennis rules.

0.2 The Point

The Point is a time period that begins when the ball leaves the hand of the serving player. The Point ends when play stops, as defined through the rest of this document.

0.3 Point counter

During The Point, each team has a point counter that tracks points they have earned during The Point. At the end of The Point, the team that scored most recently applies the points from their point counter to their total score. Both point counters are then reset to 0.

0.4 Scoring a point

This simply means incrementing the point counter for a given team. Note that this does not affect a team's total score, as the total score is only updated after The Point has ended.

1. Phases of The Point

Each Point in combat table tennis is broken into multiple phases. Transitions between phases happen when criteria is met, and these phases may loop an unlimited number of times.

1.1 The Normal Table Tennis Phase

1.1.1 Beginning the Normal Phase

The normal phase begins when the ball has left the hand of the serving player.

1.1.2 Scoring During the Normal Phase

A point is scored, following normal table tennis rules, when the normal phase ends.

1.1.3 End of the Normal Phase

The normal phase ends any time a point would have finished following normal table tennis rules. This includes the ball hitting the ground, the ceiling, or a player, as well as bouncing on the wrong side of the table. At least one point must be scored during the normal phase.

1.1.4 Special Rules During the Normal Phase

1.1.4.1 The Net During a Serve

Unlike standard table tennis rules, the ball may touch the net on a serve. Play may continue normally after this happens.

1.1.4.2 Hitting the Back Wall During a Serve

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1.1.4.3 "Still in Game"

During normal play, if the ball strikes the back wall and returns to the table, hitting the side controlled by the team that last hit the ball, the team that was supposed to receive the ball may call "still in game," in which case the wall acts like a teammate and the ball is still in play.

1.2 The Combat Phase

1.2.1 Beginning the Combat Phase

The combat phase begins as soon as the normal phase ends.

1.2.2 Scoring During Combat

During combat, a team scores a point when the ball makes contact with an opposing player.

Once combat has started, normal points (unreturned shots that hit the opponents' side of the table, following normal table tennis rules) are no longer scored.

1.2.3 End of the Combat Phase

Combat ends when the ball touches the ground. If the normal phase ended with the ball touching the ground, the combat phase has simultaneously ended.

1.2.4 Special Rules During Combat

1.2.4.1 Hands During Combat

Once The Point has entered combat, contact between the ball and a player's hands is equivalent to cantact with a wall. No points are scored for contact with hands, and the ball is still live until it touches the ground. Walls can't catch, and the result of catching a ball during play is a Foul.

1.2.4.2 Bonus Combat Points

If the ball makes contact with a player's forehead or front of the Speedo region, an additional point is awarded.

1.3 Revive!

1.3.1 Beginning the Revive Phase

The revive phase begins as soon as the ball touches the ground.

1.3.2 Scoring During the Revive Phase

No points can be scored during the revive phase.

1.3.3 Ending the Revive Phase

During the revive phase, if one player strikes the ball a single time with their paddle and returns it to the opponents' side of the table, the ball has been successfully revived. This begins a new normal phase (which can lead to an additional combat phase, and so on). Points continue to accumulate.

All other results of the revive phase (such as the ball bouncing on the floor twice, the player touching the ball twice, the ball bouncing on the wrong side of the table, etc) result in the end of The Point.

2. Special Points

2.1 Bucket!

2.2 The Unicorn Shot

3. Fouls

All fouls, unless otherwise noted, result in the following:

• The opponent of the team committing the foul increments their score counter by one
• The Point ends

3.1 Offsides

During combat, a player must stay on their side of the plane created by the net. Players may not lean over the net to block a shot, or slide their paddle under the net.

4. Winning the Game

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Sportsmanship

This is not a thing. When a player has the ball and it is their turn to serve, they should feel no obligation to wait for their opponent to be ready. There are no "time-outs" for rules clarifications.

combattabletennis's Issues

add blind shot to the rules

Team with the point is punished for triggering combat after revival

Scenario:

1. Team A serves, Team B fails to return: Team A is +1
2. The ball hits the ground: Team A is still +1 (0 points scored during combat)
3. Team B revives on the first bounce: Team A is still +1 (0 points scored during revival)
4. A normal phase begins
5. Team A hits the ball directly at a member of Team B and makes contact

With the phases and scoring that I've described in the rules so far, technically Team B wins the normal phase that began in step 4 because Team A doesn't make contact with the table when they begin the combat phase in step 5.

If they had continued the normal phase, they would have had a chance to accumulate more points. By ending (losing, by our current definition) the normal phase and beginning a (winning) combat phase, they forfeit their chance to accumulate points. This punishment seems unnecessary.