Rules of Play

TTNZ National Tournament Regulations

The National Tournament Regulations for TTNZ National Tournaments set the standards for all national competitions in New Zealand. These regulations cover various aspects, including player eligibility, event fees, tournament organisation, and playing conditions. They also outline the roles of referees and umpires, medal and prize distribution, and guidelines for live-streaming matches.

TTNZ National Tournament Regulations apply to the following tournaments:

New Zealand Open Championships
New Zealand Veteran Open Championships
North Island Open Championships
South Island Open Championships
New Zealand Para Open Championships
New Zealand Hopes Week and Challenge
AIMS Games
New Zealand Secondary Schools Cup
North Island Teams Championships
South Island Teams Championships

In addition to National Tournaments, TTNZ also organise a series of social/community tournaments, these appear on the TTNZ calendar and have their own entry regulations. Regional Associations also host their own tournaments.

The Regional Association Tournaments that appear on the TTNZ calendar have been sanctioned by TTNZ and therefore these are subject to TTNZ Ranking Regulations.

Any player wishing to enter a Regional Association Tournament must be an approved member of a Regional Association that is affiliated to TTNZ and they must have a TTNZ IMR number. All Regional Associations will additionally have their own entry conditions.

View The TTNZ National Tournament Regulations

TTNZ Ranking System Overview & Regulations

General statement:
TTNZ has adopted a new ranking system designed with the future in mind. This system is modelled after the highly successful ITTF ranking system. More information regarding the new system can be found in this document.

Overview:
Players will earn points by progressing through tournaments, which scale up in value from Association closed tournaments to regional tournaments to National Tournaments. TTNZ has approximately 50 tournaments on the 2025 calendar. The top seven results from the prior 12 months will go towards each player's current ranking and will therefore expire on a 12-month rolling basis.

The system will be easier to follow, as points are like building blocks rather than a complex calculation. Players will battle for points to climb the Men’s or Women’s Ranking lists, with Merit lists (top ten) for age categories being released periodically. In addition, TTNZ aims to launch a Para ranking list in 2025 for the first time.

Rationale for the new system:

A system to encourage and promote greater player participation.
Players are rewarded based on participation and results.
Participation and results take precedence over history of the player.
Rolling 12-months of performance.
No loss of points for defeats.
Simplified system. Easier for players to know how many points they will receive, based on their placing in a tournament.

View The TTNZ Ranking System Regulations

International Table Tennis Rules and Regulations

For complete and up-to-date table tennis rules and regulations, please visit the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Handbook.

This handbook is the official guide used worldwide and contains all the detailed rules of the sport, equipment specifications, and competition regulations.

While our guide covers the basics you need to get started, the ITTF Handbook is helpful when you want to learn more about official rules or if you're planning to participate in formal competitions.

View The ITTF Handbook

A Simple Guide for Beginners

First up you will need some basic equipment: A table tennis table with net, bats and ball (40mm in diameter, white or orange). Once you have these follow our simple beginners guide below for how to play and score:

Serving

The server must hold the ball flat on their open palm.
Toss the ball upward at least 16cm.
Strike the ball so it bounces once on your side, goes over the net, and bounces on your opponent's side.
In doubles, serves must go from right court to right court diagonally across the table.
Each player serves twice before switching to the other player on their team.

During Play

Players must allow the ball to bounce once on their side before returning it.
Players must not touch the table with their free hand.
Players can hit the ball only once before it goes over the net.
The ball may touch the net during play as long as it lands on the correct side.
If the ball touches the net during a serve but otherwise is good, it's called a "let" and the serve is retaken.

Scoring

Games are played to 11 points, and the first player to reach 11 wins the game.
However, players must win by at least 2 clear points.
If the score reaches 10-10, play continues until one player leads by 2 points, this is called deuce.
A point is awarded on every rally, not just on your own serve.
Either player can win a point at any time, which makes every rally matter.

Common Faults (Loss of Point)

Failing to make a correct service
Failing to make a good return
Striking the ball twice
Moving the table during play
Touching the net or its supports
Your free hand touches the playing surface
In doubles, playing out of correct sequence

Match Format

A match is usually played as the best of 5 or 7 games.
Players switch ends after each game to ensure fairness.
In the final game, players change ends when the first player reaches 5 points.
This helps balance out any advantages from table conditions like lighting, airflow, or floor grip.

Special Rules for Doubles

In doubles, partners must alternate hitting the ball during a rally.
The serve must be delivered diagonally from the right-hand side of the server’s court to the right-hand side of the receiver’s court.
Teams alternate serving every 2 points, ensuring equal opportunities for both sides throughout the game.