Do you have a Table Tennis Rules Question? If so email IDTTL and Dodgy Umpire will attempt to give you an  answer.

Dodgy Umpire has witnessed an increase in foul serving, Please refresh yourselves regarding the rules:
Here are the most common mistakes:

• Player stands sideways to the table during the Service action.
  Not a fault in itself - but how can you expect to have your free arm behind the ball!
• Player not holding ball in palm of hand.
  This speaks for itself.
• Player not throwing the ball high enough.
  Lets think this through.....
  • The ball MUST rise 16cm (6in) after leaving the hand
  • The serving hand MUST be above the surface of the table at the start.
  I know very few people capable of throwing the ball without moving their hand!
  Therefore, the hand will rise at least 8cm (3in) before releasing the ball, add on the required 16cm (6in) flight, that puts the ball well over the height of the net!
  Is your service throw above the net?
  

Recommended Service Action to remove the free arm.

It is up to people umpiring the matches to make those falling foul of the rules, aware of their transgression so they may correct it. These players are usually easy to spot in that they use a service that requires them to put in a fair degree of effort, and in doing so are attempting to gain the maximum benefit from the service. However, it doesn't run that a more complex service action is more likey to break the rules.

Darren Morgan asks: What are the rules regarding Time Outs and Coaching for our league?
Ans. Part 1: Time Outs are only officially noted in the Rules for International Competitions. The IDTT League currently has no provision for them in its own rules. To Quote from the ETTA: 'It is mandatory for Local Leagues to adopt the ETTA approved Laws of Table Tennis only. Any part of the ITTF Regulations can be adopted by the Local League if they so wish but that must be done within the Local League AGM and at the approval of all its members'. Therefore, it is not legal for players or teams to call Time Outs in the normal IDTTL match framework!

Ans. Part 2: Coaching is generally accepted between games. However, there is a maximum 1 minute limit applied to International Competitions. As there is no actual rule covering this in the Ipswich League, the discretion of the umpire should be applied. If he feels there is no reason to delay the next game he should call 'Time' so the match continues.

While researching this topic, Dodgy Umpire found this little snippit in the STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR UMPIRES: '...make sure that play is continuous with no excessive delays during towelling. Between points and particularly during a change of service or ends, the umpire should turn his/her head and look at both coaches.' - If a coach is found to be coaching during the game they are warned the first time and asked to leave on the scond.

Darren also asks: What are the rules for pimpled bats?
Ans. Rule 2.4.5 States 'The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or adhesive on a side for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even thickness'. If your rubber develops a pimple it won't comply with this rule, however, a good application of Zit cream should sort your rubber out. For those of you who want to use a rubber covered in pimples you must make sure they have an aspect ration (pimple height / diameter) of no more that 1.3 : 1 and they grow so there are not less than 10 per sq. cm, or no more than 30 per sq. cm. The maximum allowable total thickness of pimpled rubber is 2mm, so with a possible maximum pimple length of 1.8mm, the remaining 0.2mm will be represented by the rubber.
Is your rubber legal? Check out the Official ITTF list of approved rubbers.

Q. What is the maximum height you can throw the ball when serving?
Ans. There's no restriction, as long as it doesn't touch anything other than the servers bat and table during the serving motion. Also make sure the ball doesn't stay in flight for more than 30 seconds else I'll penalise you for time wasting!

Q. What restrictions apply to gluing up?
Ans. Gluing is not allowed in the same room as you are playing. You also can't glue between games of a match (you must finish the game with the same bat you started with). This means no gluing between throwing the ball up during the service and hitting it (unless you can throw the ball up vacate the room, glue your bat, return to strike the ball - all within the 30 secs mentioned above. Of course this still falls foul of starting and finishing with the same bat!).

Q.  My opponent keeps giving me 'The Finger'. Am I allowed to go and belt him one?
Ans. I'm afraid you are misintepreting the meaning behind the Table Tennis Finger. You'll usually find it follows a rally and usually means 'Good Shot', 'Let' or 'I'm sorry' after a net or edge.