LP strategy

Hi Sasha,

YOu can use any long pimple to chop with .  The OX makes it easier to revers the spin.  It is harder to control the ball without sponge however.  So the thicker the sponge the better control.  The thinner the sponge the better the effect.

So, you are saying that I could chop from distance as easily with, for example, Feint Long II with 0,5 mm sponge, as with my current rubber Destroyer 1,5 mm, if I am correct. The thing is, other players have tried my rubber, and they say that it's not too deceptive. For instance, I still struggle with backspin, because my opponents keep sending me backspin, and I cannot attack it, the ball sometimes goes over the net, often in the net. I know you suggested me flat pushes, but, I can't set my blade vertical on short backspin. Can you tell me where can I find a player who plays that way? And what is the way to make good deception, is thinner sponge better for deception?

Hi Sasha,

Some pimples may be easier than others but you can chop with any long pimples.

Others may have suggestions for players to watch out for.

Thinner sponge will give you more effect with the long pimples.

As Alois says, there are differences between LPs, but one can make some rule-of-thumb generalisations (keeping in mind that they ARE generalisations).

OX is generally used more for close-to-table player, LP with sponge more for away-from-table chopping.

You can however chop with OX too.  Apparently (can't confirm this but read it somewhere) Sun Jian Fei is the highest rated OX chopper in the world.  However, the top world class choppers predominantly use sponge.  I heard Joo uses 1.5mm, Chen Weixing uses 1mm, and the recent winner of the 2013 Japan Open and 2013 Czech Open, Shiono, uses 0.5mm.

As a general rule, as Alois said, OX LP = more spin reversal.  More spin reversal is good and bad.  It's good against weaker players and players who are not familiar with playing against LP because it is MOST different from the way inverted rubbers behave.  It can be a liability against strong players and players who know how to play against LPs because it is quite passive.  More spin reversal means your spin depends on whatever spin the opponent gives you, and so good players know exactly what they are getting back and can set you up.

The benefits of LP with sponge are that, when you get further from the table, it is easier to land the chops on the table because the sponge gives more oomph off your bat.  With OX, you have to put a lot more effort just to get the ball back on the table.  Also, less spin reversal means you can manipulate spin more yourself...i.e. you can vary the spin on your chops more which makes it harder for the attacker.

I've never tried the Stiga Destroyer but it is a highly regarded LP rubber.  If you are not having much success with it (with all due respect) I suspect it is more a problem of technique than the rubber itself.  Also, if you are fairly new to LP chopping, 1.5mm sounds rather thick.  With that thickness the LP may be too fast which inhibits development of proper chopping technique.  I would go with 1mm or even 0.5mm.  I think the success of Shiono demonstrates 0.5mm is a perfectly viable sponge thickness which allows for chopping but also gives good control.  I myself use TSP Curl P1r in 0.5mm and find it very effective.

Hi, Ji-Soo Woo

You are absolutely right. I am new at chopping. But, my problem is not so much chopping away from the table, as serve returns and playing against backspin are. You see, it seems like there is not too much deception on it. My pushes, especially when I push with my blade horizontally, are flat, and easy to attack. When I am away from the table, I am good, but, my opponents keep me close, and I can't play my game. What are your experiences on that, how do you perform? How to vary those spins with chops? And many thanks for this exquisite explanation.

And, Alois, I have a question for you. I will try to play with a sponge, but, if I decide do play OX, here are my doubts: will my chops have enough power to get to my opponent's side of the table ( I am standing far from the table, of course ), even if I am using defensive blade Matsushita Pro? And, is it possible, if I try to play OX, just to remove, or better say, separate the tops heet from sponge and just glue the top sheet? If possible, is there any special procedure, or I could just as do it as I glue normal rubber with sponge. Thanks

Hi Sasha,

You will have enough power with the OX.

You are better off to get a rubber that is prepared already.  It is messy trying to separate or stick down the sponge and the rubber.

If you are looking to win with "deception", I suspect you might do well with an OX LP with maximum spin reversal.  I've been told Tibhar Grass Dtecs OX has one of the heaviest spin reversals around (I've used this rubber before - but only in 1.2mm).  In terms of what to do in the case where someone heavy loops, you chop, and they then do a gentle push to bring you in to the table, my main objective is not so much to trick them with deception but to stop them from being able to do a strong follow up attack with me close to the table to win the point.  One option that some players use is to twiddle and to push with the inverted side...which allows you to return the ball with heavy backspin.  If you twiddle some times and not twiddle other times, this can also be a good tool for deception - especially if you push below the table and they can't see which rubber you used.  If you push with the LP, there won't be much backspin on the ball and they could easily hit their attacking shot long.  If you push with inverted, there will be heavy backspin and they can dump their next shot into the net.  If pushing with LP, key thing is to keep the ball low.  A low, dead ball can be really hard for even good players to attack strongly.  You should also develop a fast push to the corners because if you force them to move AND attack, it makes it less likely they can attack strongly.

Generally if someone is just pushing to you, LP players generally do well in that exchange because when they push to your LP and you push back, the ball comes back dead or with light topspin even and their next push often pops up.

Thank you, Alois and Ji-Soo Woo. But, tell me, Ji-Soo, what kind of a push you think is good: should I go under the ball, like you do with inverted rubber, or flat, with blade horizontal or vertical. And, since I had a sponge, I couldn't make too much deception, but, is there a way to deceive my opponents with LP, how can I vary the spin?

Hi Sasha
under ball or flat stroke...you can do both,it is just about the angle of the bat