How to play against blockers
Table Tennis Match Strategy
Last updated 2 weeks ago
Ardak Mirzakhmedov Asked 1 year ago
Hi coaches!
Recenly I played with blocker. He doesn't look like a professional player, he doesn't do topspins, there is no spin on his balls. Even his racket is not professional. He hits flat and fast, blocks are very accurate. When I do topspin, he returns very fast and to different sides each time.
What strategy should I use?
Alois Rosario Answered 1 year ago
Hi Ardak,
The main thing when playing against a Blocker is to vary the spin and speed on the ball. The worst thing you can do is play every ball fast because they love the speed coming to them and they will use that to place the ball well and get you out of position.
We have a tutorial on how to play against a blocker for our Premium members in our Playing Against Series. Take a look at the tutorial on Playing A Blocker.
Thoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
Ardak Mirzakhmedov Posted 1 year ago
Thank you, coach!
Today I played again against that blocker. He is better player than I expected. He controls the ball good and does adjustments during the game. Today I lost again, but this time scores were very close. Won 11:8, lost 9:11, 9:11, 14:16. But when we played first time I lost 2:11, 4:11, 4:11. Then I did the worst mistake that you said :)).
Today I tried to apply the strategy you suggested. That's why today scores were close. Couldn't win because of my own problems in technique of strokes.
Hope, next time I will add more variations of spin and speed to my strokes. Thank you, again!
Ardak Mirzakhmedov Posted 1 year ago
PS. My opponent was very surprised! After the game he said: " Didn't I beat you easily when we played first time?"
Because he doesn't know about your coaching :)))
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 1 year ago
Well done Ardak! Great to hear about your improvement.
Ardak Mirzakhmedov Posted 2 weeks ago
Hello, coach!
One year past. I still can't beat that blocker. I want to say more about him. He is not a pure blocker. He is also a counter-attacker. If I do fast topspin, then he does aggressive fast blocks with changing directions which is trouble for me. If I do slower topspin, or some higher strokes then he smashes. So topspin is not effective. Recently I noticed that he struggles against players who doesn't (can't) do topspins. He usually looses to a player who plays only with pushes, chops and smashes (without any topspins). So now I am playing only with chops vs him. With this tactic games become more competetive but I still loose. You suggested to vary spin and speed of strokes vs him. Can you say more details about it? Some exact tactics? (sorry for strange questions)
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 2 weeks ago
Hi Ardak,
I am glad you are learning from watching other players too. Now think about the ideal opportunity to make that first topspin in the rally. It sounds like you have time to do this and can push and wait for the best opportunity. When you decide to make the topspin make it effective with good spin or speed or placement.
Ardak Mirzakhmedov Posted 2 weeks ago
Thank you very much, coach!!!
What he mainly does in the game is to wait for my topspin. He even returns my chops with less backspin to force me do topspin. I will wait and think about ideal attack. As I said in the other question topic, it seems my problem in doing topspin is not varying the placement&spin&speed. I will try hard to learnt it. Thank you coach!