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The Rules of Table Tennis can be thought of as what players are allowed to do and use during a table tennis match.

These 'Rules of Play' have been regulated internationally by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) since 1926, when the ITTF was formed and the first World Championships were held in London, England.

The Rules change and evolve over time based on equipment advancements in the sport and to protect the integrity and fairness of the game.

For convenience, let's organize the Rules of Play into these categories:

Objective:

• A match typically consists of a 'Best of 3' (i.e. first player or team to win 2 games wins the match) or 'Best of 5' set of games.  International matches often play 'Best of 7' matches (sometimes only in the final rounds).  In casual play, players sometimes elect to play just a single game before switching playing partners or will agree on using a common 'Best of 3' format.

Scoring:

• A game is won by the first player or pair reaching 11 points however the leading player/team must win by at least 2 points.  Therefore 11-9 is a win whereas if the score reaches 10-10, play continues until one player gets ahead by two points, e.g.: 10-12, 15-13, 17-19.

Service:

Net Ball (aka 'Let'):

Fouls: