Hi,
Each player serves 2 points.
Each player serves 2 points, with the exception that occurs when, in a game to 11 points the score reaches 10 - 10, in which case the players alternate serve (one serve each) until one player obtains a two point advantage, at which point that player wins the game.
They have a name for a score of 10 - 10, which is "deuce." It is the only score in table tennis that has its own name. [Personally, I have a whole series of terms I use for ending scores that are highly unfavorable to me, scores like 2 - 11, or 3 - 11, however I will not relate them as the Forum as language standards of which these expressions are far out of bounds.] Technically, the term "deuce" only applies to 10 - 10. However, from the score 10 - 10, as a convention many players will say they are "in deuce," meaning they alternating serves in their attempt the finish the game. All the tied scores after 10 - 10 are, technically, not deuce, however many players will call all these tied scores as "deuce" also.
When "in deuce," a common convention is to express the score in one of three ways. Either the score is "deuce" (the score is tied) or "my ad" (an abbreviation of "my advantage," meaning I am one point ahead,) or "your ad," meaning that you have the advantage by one point. In formal settings, this triad is not used. Each score is called by the umpire as the exact score (e.g., 14 - 13, or 11 - 12).
Of the grandest importance is to call out the score in deuce every point. As simple as this scoring process seems to be, remarkable confusion can easily arise as to the score (and an accompanying rise in forehead temperature of the players too).
One other quick rule: a match is defined as any odd-numbered number of games, so a match may be one game, or three games, or five games, and on and on. I mention this rule for there are those you many encounter that, being so imposed upon when subjected to the uncomfortable losing side of, say, a five game match, advocate with insistence that "let's make it best of nine!" prior you departing the court. You need to be prepared.
Welcome to you to the Greatest Sport On Earth!
------------- Tenergy: Two weeks of heaven, followed by three months of excellence, then, a nice rubber.
|