The table

The Pin Pong table has a short net across the center. White lines mean nothing in singles games (two players). But in double games (four players) one must serve diagonally from right to left.

The goal of Ping Pong

A game is won when one player, or team, reaches 11 points, however a game must be won by at least a two point margin. Several games in a row can create a match, such that the champion wins the most out of an odd number of games, such as 4 out of 7. Players switch sides between each game of a match.

The Serve

Usually the player who gets the first serve is determined by the flip of a coin. A serve is comprised of throwing the ball in the air and hitting it on its way down such that it bounces once on your side of the net, then bounces over the net to land anywhere on your opponent’s side. The first player serves two points, then the serve is traded off so your opponent serves for two points, and so on. It is all right for the ball to hit the net initially, as long as it continues and lands on the opponent’s side thereafter. This is called a “let” serve and the server is allowed to reserve the ball.

Scoring

A point is scored after each ball is put into play. If the server misses the ball, hits the ball twice in a row, or hits the ball somewhere off the table, the server loses their point. If the opponent has served, and you miss the ball, your opponent get a point. A game must be won by two points, therefore at a score of 10-10, Ping Pong rules dictate you trade off every serve until someone gets ahead by two. The edges of the table are part of the legal table surface, but not the sides.

See the official rules of Table Tennis.

Related posts:

1. The Official Rules of Ping Pong (Table Tennis)
2. The Rules of Bowling (Ten Pin Bowling)
3. The Rules of Snooker

(Current as of January 2003)

1 The Table

1.1 The upper surface of the table, known as the playing surface, shall be rectangular, 2.74m long and 1.525m wide, and shall lie in a horizontal plane 76cm above the floor.

1.2 The playing surface shall not include the vertical sides of the tabletop.

1.3 The playing surface may be of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it from a height of 30cm.

1.4 The playing surface shall be uniformly dark coloured and matt, but with a white side line, 2cm wide, along each 2.74m edge and a white end line, 2cm wide, along each 1.525m edge.

1.5 The playing surface shall be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net running parallel with the end lines, and shall be continuous over the whole area of each court.

1.6 For doubles, each court shall be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white centre line, 3mm wide, running parallel with the side lines; the centre line shall be regarded as part of each right half-court.

2 The net assembly

2.1 The net assembly shall consist of the net, its suspension and the supporting posts, including the clamps attaching them to the table.

2.2 The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25cm high, the outside limits of the post being 15.25cm outside the side line.

2.3 The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing surface.

2.4 The bottom of the net, along its whole length, shall be as close as possible to the playing surface and the ends of the net shall be as close as possible to the supporting posts.

3 The ball

3.1 The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.

3.2 The ball shall weigh 2.7g.

3.3 The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.

4 The racket

4.1 The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid.

4.2 At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.

4.3 A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either ordinary pimpled rubber, with pimples outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 2mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples inwards or outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4mm.

4.3.1 Ordinary pimpled rubber is a single layer of non-cellular rubber, natural or synthetic, with pimples evenly distributed over its surface at a density of not less than 10 per sq. cm and not more than 50 per sq. cm.

4.3.2 Sandwich rubber is a single layer of cellular rubber covered with a single outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber, the thickness of the pimpled rubber not being more than 2mm.

4.4 The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material.

4.5 The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or adhesive on a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even thickness.

4.6 The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on the other.

4.7 Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of colour due to accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not significantly change the characteristics of the surface.

4.8 At the start of a match and whenever he changes his racket during a match a player shall show his opponent and the umpire the racket he is about to use and shall allow them to examine it.

2.5 Definitions

5.1 A rally is the period during which the ball is in play.

5.2 The ball is in play from the last moment at which it is stationary on the palm of the free hand before being intentionally projected in service until the rally is decided as a let or a point.

5.3 A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.

5.4 A point is a rally of which the result is scored.

5.5 The racket hand is the hand carrying the racket.

5.6 The free hand is the hand not carrying the racket.

5.7 A player strikes the ball if he touches it in play with his racket, held in the hand, or with his racket hand below the wrist.

5.8 A player obstructs the ball if he, or anything he wears or carries, touches it in play when it is above or travelling towards the playing surface and has not passed beyond his end line, not having touched his court since last being struck by his opponent.

5.9 The server is the player due to strike the ball first in a rally.

5.10 The receiver is the player due to strike the ball second in a rally.

5.11 The umpire is the person appointed to control a match.

5.12 The assistant umpire is the person appointed to assist the umpire with certain decisions.

5.13 Anything that a player wears or carries includes anything that he was wearing or carrying, other than the ball, at the start of the rally.

5.14 The ball shall be regarded as passing over or around the net assembly if it passes anywhere other than between the net and the net post or between the net and the playing surface.

5.15 The end line shall be regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions.

6 A good service

6.1 Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server’s stationary free hand.

6.2 The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck.

6.3 As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his court and then, after passing over or around the net assembly, touches directly the receiver’s court; in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the right half court of server and receiver.

6.4 From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the level of the playing surface and behind the server’s end line, and it shall not be hidden from the receiver by any part of the body or clothing of the server or his doubles partner.

6.5 It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the assistant umpire can see that he complies with the requirements for a good service.

6.5.1 If there is no Assistant Umpire, and the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service he may, on the first occasion in a match, warn the server without awarding a point.

6.5.2 If subsequently in the match a service by that player or his doubles partner is of dubious legality, for the same reason or for any other reason, the receiver shall score a point.

6.5.3 Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the requirements for a good service, no warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.

6.6 Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a good service where he is satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical disability.

7 A good return

7.1 The ball, having been served or returned, shall be struck so that it passes over or around the net assembly and touches the opponent’s court, either directly or after touching the net assembly

8 The order of play

8.1 In singles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter server and receiver alternately shall each make a good return.

8.2 In doubles, the server shall first make a good service, the receiver shall then make a good return, the partner of the server shall then make a good return, the partner of the receiver shall then make a good return and thereafter each player in turn in that sequence shall make a good return.

9 A let

9.1 The rally shall be a let

9.1.1 if in service the ball, in passing over or around the net assembly, touches it, provided the service is otherwise good or the ball is obstructed by the receiver or his partner;

9.1.2 if the service is delivered when the receiving player or pair is not ready, provided that neither the receiver nor his partner attempts to strike the ball;

9.1.3 if failure to make a good service or a good return or otherwise to comply with the Laws is due to a disturbance outside the control of the player;

9.1.4 if play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

9.2 Play may be interrupted

9.2.1 to correct an error in the order of serving, receiving or ends;

9.2.2 to introduce the expedite system;

9.2.3 to warn or penalise a player;

9.2.4 because the conditions of play are disturbed in a way which could affect the outcome of the rally.

10 A point

10.1 Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point

10.1.1 if his opponent fails to make a good service;

10.1.2 if his opponent fails to make a good return;

10.1.3 if, after he has made a good service or a good return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being struck by his opponent;

10.1.4 if the ball passes beyond his end line without touching his court, after being struck by his opponent;

10.1.5 if his opponent obstructs the ball;

10.1.6 if his opponent strikes the ball twice successively;

10.1.7 if his opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface does not comply with the requirements of 2.4.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5;

10.1.8 if his opponent, or anything his opponent wears or carries, moves the playing surface;

10.1.9 if his opponent, or anything his opponent wears or carries, touches the net assembly;

10.1.10 if his opponent’s free hand touches the playing surface;

10.1.11 if a doubles opponent strikes the ball out of the sequence established by the first server and first receiver;

10.1.12 as provided under the expedite system (15.2).

11 A game

11.1 A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when the game shall be won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.

12 A match

12.1 A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.

13 The order of serving, receiving and ends

13.1 The right to choose the initial order of serving, receiving and ends shall be decided by lot and the winner may choose to serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end.

13.2 When one player or pair has chosen to serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end, the other player or pair shall have the other choice.

13.3 After each 2 points have been scored the receiving player or pair shall become the serving player or pair and so on until the end of the game, unless both players or pairs score 10 points or the expedite system is in operation, when the sequences of serving and receiving shall be the same but each player shall serve for only 1 point in turn.

13.4 In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so and in the first game of a match the receiving pair shall decide which of them will receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first server having been chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to him in the preceding game.

13.5 In doubles, at each change of service the previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall become the receiver.

13.6 The player or pair serving first in a game shall receive first in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a doubles match the pair due to receive next shall change their order of receiving when first one pair scores 5 points.

13.7 The player or pair starting at one end in a game shall start at the other end in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a match the players or pairs shall change ends when first one player or pair scores 5 points.

14 Out of order of serving, receiving or ends

14.1 If a player serves or receives out of turn, play shall be interrupted by the umpire as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with those players serving and receiving who should be server and receiver respectively at the score that has been reached, according to the sequence established at the beginning of the match and, in doubles, to the order of serving chosen by the pair having the right to serve first in the game during which the error is discovered.

14.2 If the players have not changed ends when they should have done so, play shall be interrupted by the umpire as soon as the error is discovered and shall resume with the players at the ends at which they should be at the score that has been reached, according to the sequence established at the beginning of the match.

14.3 In any circumstances, all points scored before the discovery of an error shall be reckoned.

15 The expedite system

15.1 Except where both players or pairs have scored at least 9 points, the expedite system shall come into operation if a game is unfinished after 10 minutes’ play or at any earlier time at the request of both players or pairs.

15.1.1 If the ball is in play when the time limit is reached, play shall be interrupted by the umpire and shall resume with service by the player who served in the rally that was interrupted.

15.1.2 If the ball is not in play when the time limit is reached, play shall resume with service by the player who received in the immediately preceding rally.

15.2 Thereafter, each player shall serve for 1 point in turn until the end of the game and if the receiving player or pair makes 13 good returns the receiver shall score a point.

15.3 Once introduced, the expedite system shall remain in operation until the end of the match.

Related posts:

1. The Rules of Ping Pong (Table Tennis)
2. The Rules of Snooker
3. The Rules of Bowling (Ten Pin Bowling)

Bowling is one of the most popular indoor games for party. Everyone can play it. The rules of bowling aren’t difficult. If you want to have a good time, go to the bowling with your friends.

The Lane

The length of bowling lane (or alley) is 18.2 m and the width is 1.7 m. On the both side of the lane there are gutters. If the ball goes in the gutter it will pass by the pins and you will score 0 points. The zone for run and throwing the ball calls “the approach“. The length of approach is 4.68 m. The approach finishes with the “foul line“. If the bowler step over the line it will be a foul, his throw won’t score. 10 pins form a triangle with 4 rows: the first row — 1 pin, the second row — 2 pins, the third — 3 pins, the forth row — 4 pins.

The pins and the balls

The are different balls for bowling which differ one from another by size and weight. Each bowler chooses ball to his liking. But there are some recommendations: for children — 4kg ball, for women — 4.5-5.4 kg balls, for men — 5.9-7.2 kg balls. The ball has 2 or 3 holes for fingers.

The tall of pin is 38 cm and the width is 12 cm at the widest point (where ball contacts with the pin).

The game

A game (it calls sometime “string“) consists of 10 frames. In frame each player rolls the ball two times.

When the bowler knocks down all 10 pins with his first roll, it is a strike.

When all the pins are knocked down after second ball, it is a spare.

If any pins are left standing at theirs places, it is “open frame“.

If player steps over the foul line during delivery, it is a foul and it counts as a roll. If any pins are knocked down they will be respotted without counting.

If some pins are knocked down by a ball that has dropped in the gutter, or by a ball bouncing off the rear cushion, they won’t count, and will be respotted.

Scoring

In an open frame, a player simply gets point for the number of pins that he knocked down.

When it is a spare, a slash mark is recorded in a small square in the upper righthand corner of that frame on the score sheet, and no score is entered until the first ball of the next frame is rolled.

Then point is given for 10 plus the number of pins knocked down with that next ball. For example, a player rolls a spare in the first frame; with the first ball of the second frame, the player knocks down 6 pins. The first frame, then, gets 16 points. If 1 of the remaining 4 pins get knocked down, 7 points are added, for a total of 23 in the second frame.

In the case of a strike, it is recorded with an X in the small square, the score being 10 plus the total number of pins knocked down in the next two rolls. Thus, the bowler who rolls three strikes in a row in the first three frames gets credit for 30 points in the first frame.

In the case of spare in the last frame, player must do one more roll to close frame.

When the bowler gets strike in the last frame, he rolls two times again before the final score can be tallied.

The maximum score is 300 per game.

Do you have some difficulties with terms of bowling? Read the Glossary of Bowling Terms.

Related posts:

1. Bowling Terms
2. The Rules of Snooker
3. The Rules of Ping Pong (Table Tennis)

Curling is called sometimes Chess on ice. Curling is a team sportgame. It is played by 2 teams of 4 players each on a rectangular rink. Shooter send heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the the house. Two sweepers with brooms accompany each rock and direct the stones to the target.

The aim of curling is to gain a greater number of points than the opponent team.

The Rink

The length of the rink is 45.720 m. The width is 5 m. This area is devided by lines drawn, or by dividers placed on the perimeter.

In the left and in the right of the rink there are parallel lines in the ice as follows:

• the tee line is placed so that the centre of the line is 5.487 m. from end of the rink.
• the back line is placed so that the outside edge is 1.83 m. from the centre of the tee line.
• the hog line is placed so that the inside edge is 6.401 m. from the centre of the tee line.
• A centre line joins the midpoints of the tee lines and extends 3.658 m. beyond the centre of each tee line.
• A hack line is placed parallel to the tee line, at each end of the centre line.
• A courtesy line is placed 1.219 m. outside and parallel to the hog lines, on each side of the rink.
• A centre hole (tee) is placed at the intersection of each tee line and centre line. With the tee as centre, there are four concentric circles placed at each end of the rink, with the outer edge of the outer circle having a radius of 1.829 m, the next circle a radius of 1.219 m, the next circle a radius of 0.610 m, and the innermost circle having a minimum radius of 15.24 cm.
• Two hacks are placed on the hack line, on opposite sides of the centre line, with the inside edge of each hack 7.62 cm from the midpoint of the centre line.
  

  Stones

  A curling stone has circular shape, his circumference is no greater than 91.44 cm, a height is no less than 11.43 cm, and a weight is no greater than 19.96 kg and no less than 17.24 kg.

  Each team uses a set of 8 stones with the same handle colour.

  If a stone is broken in play, a replacement stone is placed where the largest fragment came to rest.

  If a stone rolls over while in motion, or comes to rest on its side or top, it is removed from play.

  A stone that does not come to rest completely beyond the inside edge of the hog line at the playing end is removed from play immediately, except when it sticks another stone, in which case it remains in play.

  A stone that completely crosses the outside edge of the back line is removed from play immediately.

  A stone that touches a divider or a side line is removed from play immediately and is prevented from entering adjacent rinks.

  A stone may be measured only visually until the last stone of the end has come to rest, except to determine if a stone is in play, or, prior to playing the second, third, or fourth stone of an end, to determine if a stone is in the Free Guard Zone.

  Teams

  There are 4 players in a team. Each player delivers two stones, in consecutive order in each end, while alternating with an opponent.

  The free-guard (FGZ)

  The free-guard zone is between the hogline and teeline. It is illegal to remove an opponent’s stone from the FGZ before the first four stones of the end have been played, but a team can remove its own stone from the zone.

  Sweeping

  The sweeping motion is in a side-to-side direction, deposits no debris in front of a moving stone, and finishes to either side of the stone.

  A delivered stone may be swept by one or more players of the delivering team until it reaches the tee line at the playing end.

  The players of opponent team may not sweep an opponent’s stone until it reaches the tee line at the playing end.

  Behind the tee line at the playing end, only one player from each team may sweep at any one time. This maybe any player of the delivering team, but only the skip or vice-skip of the non-delivering team.

  Behind the tee line, a team has first privilege of sweeping its own stone, but it must not obstruct or prevent its opponent from sweeping.

  If a sweeping violation occurs, the non-offending team has the option of allowing the play to stand, or of placing the stone, and all stones it would have affected, where they would have come to rest had the violation not occurred.

  Touched moving stones

  Between the tee line at the delivering end and the hog line at the playing end:

  if a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the team to which it belongs, or by its equipment, the touched stone is removed from play immediately by that team;

  if a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an opposition team, or by its equipment, or by an external force:

  1) if the stone was the delivered stone, it is redelivered
  2) if the stone was not the delivered stone, it is placed where the team to which it belongs reasonably considers it would have come to rest had it not been touched.

  Inside the hog line at the playing end:

  if a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the team to which it belongs, or by its equipment, all stones are allowed to come to rest, after which the non-offending team has the option to:

  1) remove the touched stone, and replace all stones that were displaced after the infraction to their original positions; or
  2) leave all stones where they came to rest; or
  3) place all stones where it reasonably considers the stones would have come to rest had the moving stone not been touched.

  if a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an opposition team, or by its equipment, all stones are allowed to come to rest, after which the non-offending team places the stones where it reasonably considers the stones would have come to rest, had the moving stone not been touched.

  if a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an external force, all stones are allowed to come to rest, and then placed where they would have come to rest if the incident had not occurred. If the teams cannot agree, the stone is redelivered after all displaced stones have been replaced to their original positions. If agreement on the original positions cannot be reached, the end is replayed.

  Displaced stationary stones

  If a stationary stone, which would have had no effect on the outcome of a moving stone, is displaced by a player, it is replaced in its original position by the non-offending team.

  If a stationary stone, which would have had no effect on the outcome of a moving stone, is displaced by an external force, it is replaced in its original position, with agreement of the teams.

  If a stone which would have altered the course of a moving stone is displaced by a player, all stones are allowed to come to rest and then the non-offending team has the option to:
  - leave all stones where they came to rest; or
  - remove the stone whose course would have been altered from play and replace in their original positions any stones that were displaced after the violation; or
  - reasonably place stones in the positions they would have come to rest had a stone not been displaced.

  If a stone which would have altered the course of a moving stone is displaced by an external force, all stones are allowed to come to rest, and are then placed in the positions in which they would have come to rest had a stone not been displaced. If the teams cannot agree, the stone is redelivered after all displaced stones have been replaced to their original positions. If agreement on the original positions cannot be reached, the end is replayed.

  If a displacement is caused by stones deflecting off the rink dividers, the stones are replaced to their original positions by the non-delivering team.

  Scoring

  The team who scored a majority of points at the completion of the scheduled ends of play wins. If the score is tied at the completion of the scheduled ends, play continues with extra end(s) and the team that scores first wins the game.

  At the completion of an end, a team scores one point for each of its own stones located in or touching the house that are closer to the tee than any stone of the opposition.

  The score of an end is decided when the skips or vice-skips in charge of the house agree upon the score. If stones that may have affected the points scored in an end are displaced prior to that decision, the nonoffending team receives the benefit that might have accrued from a measurement.

  When determining the score of an end, if teams cannot visually decide which stones are closer to the tee, or whether a stone is touching the house, a measuring device is used. Measurements are taken from the tee to the nearest part of the stone.

  If two or more stones are so close to the tee that it is impossible to use a measuring device, the determination is made visually.

  If a decision can not be reached, either visually or with a measuring device, the stones are considered equal, and:
  - if the measure was to determine which team scored in the end, the end is blanked;
  - if the measure was to determine additional points, only the stones closer to the tee are counted.

  Should an external force cause the displacement of stones that would have affected the score prior to agreement of the score, the following applies:
  - if the displaced stones would have determined which team scored in an end, the end is replayed.
  - if a team secured a point(s), and the displaced stone(s) would have determined if an additional point(s) was scored, that team has the option of replaying the end or of keeping the point(s) already secured.

  A team concedes a game only when it is the delivering team. When a team concedes the game before the completion of an end, the score of the end is determined at that time, and posted on the Scoreboard, except when a team is mathematically eliminated, in which case points are not counted and the end is marked with two Xs on the Scoreboard.

  If a team does not commence play at the designated time, the following takes place:
  - if the delay of the start of play is 1-15 minutes, then the nonoffending team receives one point, and will have last stone in the first end of actual play, one end is considered completed;
  - if the delay of the start of play is 15-30 minutes, then the nonoffending team receives one additional point, and last stone in the first end of actual play, two ends are considered completed.
  - if play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending team is declared the winner by forfeit. A forfeited game is recorded as 1 point in the first end, 1 point in the second end and the third end is marked with Xs. The final score is recorded as 2-0.

Related posts:

1. The Rules of Snooker
2. The Rules of Bowling (Ten Pin Bowling)
3. The Official Rules of Ping Pong (Table Tennis)