Table tennis: how it is set up and scored.
Table tennis is played one against one, or in doubles, on a table of 2.74 by 1.525 metres divided by a 15.25 centimetre net. A match is the best of five games, or seven in some competitions, each game to 11 points won by two clear points. Service alternates every two points, and a point is won when the opponent fails to return the ball onto the table. ITTF Laws apply, administered in England by Table Tennis England.
How table tennis is set up.
- Size
- 2.74 m by 1.525 m
- Match
- 5 games
- Squad
- 1 on the field per side, no rolling substitutes
- Scoring
- A score is a point; the result is in points.
- Rules
- ITTF Statutes 2026
How a result is recorded.
There is no lineup to pick in table tennis. A coach records these for each athlete at every competition.
Scoring and results
- Point Won
- Service Ace
- Winner
- Game Won
- Match Won
Defending
- Return Winner
Turnovers and non-finishes
- Service Fault
- Unforced Error
- Forced Error
Discipline
- Yellow Card (Warning)
- Yellow and Red Card (Penalty Points)
- Red Card (Disqualification)
Pick the shape, drag your players onto it and share the team sheet with parents before the game. The Vanta Club app is free.
