Losing even with Better Strokes

Hello Ji-Soo,

 Do you have any advice for me? Make no mistakes, I will go down the path of (2) (but I dream of playing like Wang Liqin :-)), since I think that's the more exciting, creative and challenging path to go.

I have already started considering parts of my game that I previously would ignore or not consider as important - most importanly my chops. This has benefitted me greatly, as I'm no longer "smothered" (i.e. not being able to return low shots with heavy backspin) easily in the early game and also improved my serve.

But anything other advice you can impart? 

Cihan

not sure how much help I can be since I am myself going through that phase at the moment... :o)

Trouble for players like us is that practice is minimal help (Alois would say untargetted practice).  Every time you have "just a hit" with someone, everyone always does top spin loops and drives, and it\'s easy for us to look competent.  Then the next time you play a real game, it slows down to pushes.  How frustrating is that!

My observation is that there are two phases I seem to alternate in my development.  There are periods when I try to play aggressively, and attack long pushes etc...  Then, there are periods when I follow pingskill\'s advice about the most important skill in table tennis and just try to keep the ball on the table.  I think both periods are useful and you need to alternate.  The first period is useful to push the envelope and develop the shots you need.  The second period is useful to learn HOW TO WIN, which is a different skill altogether.

Oh, one other advice I can offer.

A friend of mine had a 20 year break from the sport (like me) and recently started pennant competition at a low level.  He complained that he was playing beneath himself.  He claimed his opponents were all weak players who didn't know how to play properly (fast, topspinny games)...and they were dragging him down to their level with their craftiness.  The trouble was, he was getting beat every week!  He thought if he could move up a level or two, he would do better against 'real' table tennis players, but the trouble was he could never move up with his record.  He eventually got disheartened and quit.

My advice to him was to learn some humility.  If you are getting beat, it means that your opponents are too good, period.  I am enjoying learning to play against the unorthodox styles because this is still table tennis..it's not like they are cheating!  And learning to beat these styles will help you develop into a more well-rounded player by the time you do move up to the more conventional styles.

So enjoy it.  Don't complain about wanting to play against 'real' players.  Just take it as an important step in your training.

Hi Ji-Soo

I couldn't agree more when you said

I am enjoying learning to play against the unorthodox styles because this is still table tennis..it's not like they are cheating!

To become a better player you do need to learn how to play against all sorts of players. And it certainly does help improve your Table Tennis to play against these styles. It is all about having the right attitude.

Ji-Soo,

I don't think looping and doing other aggressive shots are "a totally different skill from winning." If I just try to keep the ball on the table, I don't look for an opportunity to attack - and thus am smitten by the consistency of the others. If I attack heedlessly though, I'm smitten by my own inconsistency. Being a good player involves finding a good balance. And as you keep practicing, your "threshold for looping" decreases, too - you begin looping balls that are lower and have heavier backspins. Thus my plan is not to alternate but try to combine the two perspectives you mention.

And I totally agree with your humility. In fact, at the club I play, I'm routinely beaten by players who, I would argue, have less of a technique when it comes to attacking. But I know with practice and patience, I can do better in the future.

And while I agree, as you say, that these 'unorthodox' styles do not amount to cheating, I think the players who stick to these styles are doing their games a disservice - thus while I wouldn't be to surprised to be beaten by some such style, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. There are some guys who have been at it for 10-15 years with the same pushes and same (ineffective, deadball) serves. By staying in their little nest of secure shots and not taking risks, I think they are missing on an important chance to develop and grow.

Thanks!

No worries Cihan...

Yeah, whenever I get beaten by an unorthodox player with a one-dimensional game, I console myself by thinking how much better I will be than them long after their game has hit the ceiling!

Heh heh!  ;o)

Ji-Soo

hi guys

 you have great comments Ji Soo and Cihan. Im always getting beaten by this kid whos strokes are absolutely ridiculous but i keep trying. ive beet him 3 times whoa (sarcasim) i wont stop trying till i find a gap in his defence you should do the same Cihan it may seem imposible but once you find that gap and keep your offence consistant (as well as your defence) you will get them

but just because there strokes aren't good doesn't meen there not good. just wont improve as fast as you

I've not posted here for a while and found this thread.

I've started playing not so long ago, but immediately began training with a coach. I was beaten frequently and badly in the beginning. Now, alittle bit more than a year since then. Players are making bets of how long it will take for me to break 2000 USATT.

All I can tell you is keep practicing the right way. Why? Because the shortcuts do not let your losses disappoint you. In the long run it will pay off. My coach always says "against unorthodox players, if you make a good technically solid stroke, they need to respond with another technically solid stroke. Otherwise, they will miss."

As an example, I used to loose to a player who flathit a lot. He was able to take my opening loop and simply smash it on me. He always laughed since it didn't matter how hard I tried to spin the ball, he was able to take the point from me with a single next shot. Pretty disappointing until my training took me to another level. Not only being able to open up with stronger spin, but controlling placement, being able to block and counter his shot. Improving serves and 3rd ball attacks. Last time we played I lost 1 game out of 5 matches we played. So I won 4 sets 3-0 and 1 set 3-1. 

Keep practicing and it will all pay off.

One thing when it comes to playing against unortodox players that I remember is trying to find a way to make their poor technique start to backfire so that they miss more often.

For example placing them in a position where they can't reach for it and their footwork isn't very good and they completely miss the ball because there not in the right ready postion to take their poor technique shot.

Another example would be not nessercarily having the best placement in the world, but putting a spin on the ball that their not quite use to or know how to deal with so they hit it into the net or make the ball fly off the table.

Even if you lose a game to someone who doesn't nessercarily play in a very othodox method, its still experience that you've gained and next time you play against him you could try something different. After all isn't the basis of a successful table tennis player the ability to change their approach to a situation to confuse their oppenent (like changing the tactic used) depending on who their playing against.