Luck

Table Tennis Discussion

Last updated 8 years ago

George togonidze

George togonidze Asked 8 years ago

How important is the luck of the game?

What is the place of fortune during the game.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago

Hi George,

I don't think it has much of a bearing at all in the overall result.

There may be a match where your opponent gets a bit more luck but it will all even out in the end.  In another match you may get more luck too.

I know that it is easier to remember the luck that goes against us than the luck we get in our favour...

As they say... "the harder I work, the luckier I seem to get"


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Thoughts on this question

Johan B

Johan B Posted 8 years ago

You can definitely get more luck, in the sense of nets and edge hits, by playing lower and deeper/wider


Richard Sanderson

Richard Sanderson Posted 8 years ago

An older guy I've now played in the league twice and beat keeps complaining about how "lucky" I am and the quote Alois put is what I then told him haha "the harder I work the luckier I seem to get". 


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

Just doing a bit of googling about where the quote came from.  Some say Thomas Jefferson but others say no... anyone have any insights?


Jeff Plumb

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

I thought it was Thomas Jefferson too!


Nykolis Fuegomyego

Nykolis Fuegomyego Posted 8 years ago

It was


Nykolis Fuegomyego

Nykolis Fuegomyego Posted 8 years ago

They call me lucky where I play from 


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

I think that sometimes luck matters. For example, when it is the deciding game, the score is 9-9 and your opponent hits an edge twice in a row. I also believe that luck matters a lot when someone goes for a really wild swing being desperately out of position, inventing totally new stroke on the move and somehow hitting the table in the end. Normally, it is a 1 out of 100 shot, but if it works in a critical situation, that should be a lot of luck.


Jeff Plumb

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

@Ilia, it certainly is luck if someone gets 2 edges in a row at 9 all. But I don't think that happens very often and even if it does, it is probably not the deciding factor in whether you win or lose the match. You still have 6 other sets (in a best of 7 match) and if you played the first 18 points slightly better their luck would matter even less.



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