I need some tips on tournament play.

frankie cannon wrote: NextLevel:Your reply is interesting and seems to apply to my game and my recent tournament difficulties too.I'm about 1600 to 1700 rated, short pips both sides, and have been training with a 2300-level coach for a couple of years.I play fairly well against players rated above me, managing an occasional good upset win because I hit and block them out of positionBUT... I'm finding I'm losing more and more to players at or below the 1500 level.  The weaker their shots, the worse I play!If I attack, I often miss FHs and BHs off the end of the table.If I soften my shots so I don't miss, then the weaker players attack and I fall apart.So how do I train to adapt my short pips attacks to handle the lack of spin and pace from weaker players?It seems I have a "high gear" for attacking and blocking against good players but I lack the "low gear" to attack against weaker players who hit with little or no pace.It's frustrating because I'm getting nowhere rating-wise.Any additional advice would be most appreciated!Thanks!

I'm probably about your rating and have some of the same issues, though mine are with inverted. Ultimately, you need to improve your control/consistency, which means more spin or better touch. If you played with inverted, you would simply be told to close your racket face more. Have no clue what the pips equivalent is.

+1 on Nextlevel's comment about needing to play unfamiliar opponents to get better. If you play with the same people, you get used to their games and not progress, no matter what the level.

To say that your rating is higher when you play familiar people, then drops when you play unfamiliar people in tourneys is nonsense. It means that you cannot adapt. You must learn to play opponents other than conventional loopers.

@ frankie cannon
From your description, I expect that you don't play any higher level players who use hardbat, pips, etc. I expect that you would lose badly to them because you are stuck in a one dimensional blocking game. If your opponent doesn't do exactly what you want, you can't compete.

Play as many different types of players as possible. you will always run into a few pips players at tourneys. Last night I played several matches with a LP/inverted player who chops and attacks with LP. He's a much higher level player than me and even though I lost every match, it was great fun and I learned a few things. I stayed longer at the club than I normally do just to play him more.

As for playing with SP, I normally play double inverted but experiment with all types of pips. I find playing SP helps my inverted hitting game. When playing with SP, hit the ball at the top of the bounce and FINISH the stroke. If someone gives you a ball with little spin, step in and CRUSH it. You are too used to playing loopers and using their spin, you must learn how to create your own power. Watch videos of Johnny Huang. Note how he commits to every shot.

Speedplay wrote: Nick1996 wrote: I played in a tournament today. I play in the lowest division and I'm loosing to people that I should slaughter. I don't know what's wrong. When I play at my club I'm playing with people that are more experienced and I'm smashing shots every time. When I play in the tournaments with the less experience people My counter loops against under spin are going past the table every time, and I'm always blocking because I'm so focused on getting the ball over the net. And When I play offensively I hit the ball too hard and it goes past or into the net. When playing against these players that hit the ball slower then the players at my club should I be hitting the ball with medium powered strokes. Enough to get over the net and give them a challenge, but not trying to hit the cover off the ball? I don't know what's wrong with my play. Someone PLEASE help me. I went 3 for 5 today and I could have been 6 for 2 or maybe even 8 for 0. I need help ASAP. Seems as if I must take on the part as the bad guy here and raise some questions; First, why do you think you should slaughter some of these players? If you think you should slaughter them, but fail to do so, it might be a case of you underestimating your opponents. Remember that TT, especially at the lower levels, can be very deceptive. I remember when I begun playing, I thought for sure that I would slaughter some people because they didn't look impressive, with big fance shots and stuff like that. Still found myself losing, cause they had good pushes and good consistency, things that shouldn't be underestimated at the lower level. Second, do you always practice with "better" players? Cause, even though we all agree that you need to play against better players to develop your skills, there is also a risk with it. If all you ever do is practice with better players, you might be developing a habit to react rather then to act. So, when you face lesser players, you can't play like you do in practice, cause there isn't much to react to, but a lot to act on. Not easy, if you aren't used to it. If you still feel you are the superior player and you want to take control against them, go for controlled spin shots rather then speed. reduce the risk you are taking at all costs and don't go in for the kill until you have a "sitting duck" waiting for you to hit at. I've seen plenty of players who beats them self by missing way to many shots, cause they are going for the quick kill shot rather then trying to build the point. If your opponents truly are lesser players then you, force them to work for the point, don't give it to them by going for risky shots.

I'd like to add one more thing . What you say about doesn't only count for lesser players only practicing with better players it also counts for people with a counter style of play. Like blockers and flat Hitters. As a blocker myself, I sometimes have problems to score my own points if I play against players who are very passive(I'm not talking about choppers here). It's a playing style related thing. Let me give you an example I know a player(looper) who beats the passive player I can't beat easily. While I'm beating the looper easily. The three of us all have similar rating.

Tournament play is 'physical chess'.  You need to think a few moves ahead of your opponent. You get that by playing more tournaments.

Skyline wrote: I'd like to add one more thing . What you say about doesn't only count for lesser players only practicing with better players it also counts for people with a counter style of play. Like blockers and flat Hitters. As a blocker myself, I sometimes have problems to score my own points if I play against players who are very passive(I'm not talking about choppers here). It's a playing style related thing. Let me give you an example I know a player(looper) who beats the passive player I can't beat easily. While I'm beating the looper easily. The three of us all have similar rating.

As a former defender myself, i can relate to this. I could beat offensive players, but struggle against lesser opponents who didn't put speed or spin on the ball, the same guys as the attacker would eat for breakfast.

So, the OP here might very well be a blocker or counter attacker, but if that's so, he needs to work on his offensive game, and this is often easier to do against lesser opponents, as better opponents have a nasty habit to get in first.