TCS-CIBC Indoor Games Championship League – Mumbai 2023
Table Tennis - Rules
1. GAMES ARE PLAYED TO 11 POINTS
A Game is played to 11 points.
2. ALTERNATE SERVES EVERY TWO POINTS
Each side of the table alternates serving two points at a time. EXCEPTION: After tied 10-10 (“deuce”),
service alternates at every point. Can you lose on a serve in ping pong? Yes! There is no separate rule
for serving on Game Point.
3. TOSS THE BALL STRAIGHT UP WHEN SERVING
How do you serve the ball in ping pong? Hold the ball in your open palm, behind your end of the
table. Toss at least 6” straight up and strike it on the way down. It must hit your side of the table and
then the other side. NOTE: Once the ball leaves the server’s hand it is in play, and so counts as the
receiver’s point if the ball is missed or mishit.
4. THE SERVE CAN LAND ANYWHERE IN SINGLES
There is no restriction on where the ball lands on your side or your opponent’s side of the table. It
can bounce two or more times on your opponent’s side (if so, that’s your point), bounce over the
side, or even hit the edge.
5. DOUBLES SERVES MUST GO RIGHT COURT TO RIGHT COURT
The serve must bounce in the server’s right court, and receiver’s right court (NOTE: landing on
center line is fair). Doubles partners switch places after their team serves twice.
6. A SERVE THAT TOUCHES THE NET ON THE WAY OVER IS A “LET.”
Can the ball hit the net in ping pong? Yes, during a RALLY, if it touches the top of the net and then
otherwise lands as a legitimate hit. BUT not when serving. If a served ball hits the net on the way
over and otherwise legally bounces in play, it’s a “let” serve and is done over. There is no limit on
how many times this can happen.
7. ALTERNATE HITTING IN A DOUBLES RALLY
Doubles partners must alternate hitting balls in a rally, no matter where the ball lands on the table.
8. VOLLEYS ARE NOT ALLOWED
Can you hit the ball before it bounces in ping pong? No. In regular tennis you may “volley” the ball
(hitting the ball before it bounces on your side of the net). But in table tennis, this results in a point
for your opponent. NOTE: When your opponent hits a ball that sails over your end of the table
without touching it and then hits you or your paddle, that is still your point.
TCS-CIBC Indoor Games Championship League – Mumbai 2023
9. IF YOUR HIT BOUNCES BACK OVER THE NET BY ITSELF IT IS YOUR POINT
If you hit the ball in a rally or on a serve and it bounces back over the net after hitting your
opponent’s side of the table (due to extreme spin), without your opponent touching it, that is your
point.
10. TOUCHING THE BALL WITH YOUR PADDLE HAND IS ALLOWED
What happens if the ball hits your finger or hand during a ping pong rally? If the ball touches your
PADDLE hand and otherwise results in a legal hit, there is no rule violation and play shall continue as
normal. Your paddle hand includes all fingers and hand area below the wrist. But what if the ball
touches a player’s body anywhere else during a ping pong rally? You may not touch the ball with
your non-paddle hand for any reason. It will result in a point for your opponent. BUT if your
opponent’s hit sails over your side of the table without touching it, and hits any part of you or your
paddle, that is still your point.
11. YOU MAY NOT TOUCH THE TABLE WITH YOUR NON-PADDLE HAND
You may touch the ball or the table with your paddle hand (after reaching in to return a short serve,
for example), or other parts of your body. NOTE: If the table moves at all from your touching it
during a rally, that is your opponent’s point.
12. AN “EDGE” BALL BOUNCING OFF THE HORIZONTAL TABLETOP SURFACE IS GOOD
An otherwise legal serve or hit may contact the top edge of the horizontal tabletop surface and be
counted as valid, even if it bounces sidewise. The vertical sides of the table are NOT part of the legal
playing surface.
TCS-CIBC Indoor Games Championship League – Mumbai 2023
Chess:
Game Rules:
Touch-Move Rule:
If a player touches a piece, they must move it if it has a legal move. If they touch an
opponent’s piece, they must capture it if possible. This helps prevent potential manipulation.
Check and Checkmate:
When a player’s king is under attack, it’s in check. If a player’s king is under attack and
there’s no legal move to remove it from attack, its checkmate, and the game ends.
Castling:
A move involving the king and a rook of the same colour along the player’s first rank. It’s the
only move that allows the king to move two squares towards a rook while the rook moves to
the square over which the king crossed. Conditions for castling: neither piece has moved
before, the squares between them are unoccupied, and the king is not in check.
Pawn Promotion:
When a pawn reaches the opponent’s back rank, it promotes to any piece (except a king) the
player desires – typically a queen as it’s the most powerful.
Stalemate:
If a player is not in check but has no legal moves, it’s a stalemate, resulting in a draw.
Time Controls:
Initial round games will have 10 mins. One to reach 5 mins game over. Points will be counted
after one player reach 5 mins. Semi finals and Final will have 20 mins each game.
In case of Draw:
If game results in time out and it’s a draw then the player with minimum time consumed will
be declared as winner.
Spectator and Player Etiquette:
Silence during play, no communication between players during the game, and respecting the
rules and decisions of the tournament director or arbiter.
TCS-CIBC Indoor Games Championship League – Mumbai 2023
Points:
Pointer for Chess Game
Piece Pawn Knight Bishop Rook Queen
Value 1 3 3 5 9
