Table tennis - ping pong

[Renton]

Question about the table tennis racket, is one of the sides for attacking and the other one for defending? Usually one is red and the black.

[steve.m]

from my experience, I use the red side for top spin and slice (imparting spin) thats why it has dimples (on inner side). I use the black side for more control retuns and smashing when the opponent floats the ping pong ball. edit: My black side (flat both inner and outer side) is much more cushioned, thicker and slippery rubber. I must have the Inverted (not Chinese) from below. This would explain why my black side does not give as much speed as the red ,but black gives me more control when i smash hard.

hmm wiki says
Different types of rubber sheets

Inverted (not Chinese): This is the most widely used rubber type. The surface is smooth, with the pimpled side facing inwards toward the blade. This enables the player to generate high levels of spin and speed. Spin is mainly generated not by the topsheet, but by the ball sinking into and being gripped by the sponge, before being catapulted from the racket.

Inverted (Chinese): Chinese rubbers typically have stickier (or "tackier") topsheets. Spin is generated mainly by the topsheet, as opposed to the sponge.

Short pimples (or "pips"): Short, pimples out rubbers are usually used by close to the table hitters (for example, Liu Guoliang). They do not generate as much spin as inverted rubbers, but also make the user less susceptible to the opponent's spin.

Long pimples (or "pips"): Long pimple out rubbers do not have the ability to generate any real spin of their own, but feed off the opponent's spin, to allow the user to confuse the opponent and upset their rhythm. They are usually used by close-to-the-table blockers, or choppers. They are usually only used on the backhand side, as they offer very limited attacking capabilities.

Anti-spin: Anti-spin, like long pimples, cannot generate any real spin, but just allows the user to produce a no-spin ball. Anti-spin is also not very susceptible to the opponents incoming spin, due to the low coefficient of friction of the rubber's surface. This is also used to confuse the opponent, and is not widely used at international level.

[Cacti]

Question about the table tennis racket, is one of the sides for attacking and the other one for defending? Usually one is red and the black.

I thought it was just a back up if the other side was busted or something.

[evman150]

I thought it was just a back up if the other side was busted or something.

Ummm...backhand?

It's not like only one side is used.

I used to play table tennis almost every day in high school. It was part of our PE curriculum and it was really popular at lunch and after school.

[xIcewind]

Actually, I just only use one side playing pingpong - the plasticked side. The other side for me was wood.