Table Tennis Rules - Changing Rackets

Of course the key word in the rule is "accidentally".  From my understanding, if you deliberately break your racquet (like smashing it in frustration) you forfeit the match. 

But just further to the original question, is the warm up counted as part of the match?  Is it permissible to warm up with one racquet and then change when the actual match starts?  I don't know how the rules would apply, but personally it seems to me to be tantamount to cheating since during practice you are also getting a feel for the opponent's rubber.

I think its legal.

A racket shall not be replaced during an individual match unless it is accidentally damaged so badly that it cannot be used; if this happens the damaged racket shall be replaced immediately by another which the player has brought with him to the playing area or one which is handed to him in the playing area. 

 A warm up isn't a match.

I think he does this so during the match, you don't know what kind of rubber he's gonna use.

I have checked with Graeme Ireland an International Referee and one of the most knowledgeable people I know on table tennis rules and regulations. This is his response.

Hi Alois,

The bad news is that the warm up period is not considered part of the match (see 3.5.1.3 "... not between the end of practice and the start of a match...") so you can change your racket between the warm up and the start of the match. It is not very sportsmanlike. However you don't have to practice before the start of the match. Players are entitled to practise for up to 2 minutes so if the opponent is known to be unsportsmanlike, have 1 hit, and say you are ready to start, and refuse to have any further practice.

Thanks Graeme.

Alois

thanks for chasing it up...interesting info!

Yeah, it would be pretty unsportsmanlike...

Ji-Soo