The Rules of Ping Pong

(Disclaimer: These rules do not apply if you play ping pong as a game-competitive event. We play the game most weekday mornings, competing point-for-point, with an objective of exercising our bodies and having a ton of fun.)

- General Rule: Most standard rules of ping-pong apply, including the rule that (most of the time) the person who reaches 21 points first is declared the winner.

- Double-Back Rule: If one player achieves 10 points above his or her opponent, then the player with the greater number of points forfeits those 10 points. This rule applies only if the opponent with the fewer points has less than 10 points. This rule prevents the game from ending prematurely and thereby circumventing the goal of exercising the body. There can be only one Double-Back per game.

- Backtrack Rule: When both players have in excess of 10 points and one player reaches 21 points, the player with the fewer points may call for a Backtrack. In that case the player with 21 points must subtract 5 points from his or her score, and then the game continues until one of the players then reaches 21 points from the new starting point. There can be multiple Backtracks per game. This increases the self-esteem of the player with the fewer points.

- Redo: When one player reaches 21 points and it appears the game is won, the player with the fewer points may call for as many Redos as desired, giving the player with the lower score more opportunities to increase his or her point count. In this case, the player who first reached 21 points still claims the game. This extends the game and increases the enjoyment for both players.

- Lousy Serves: No player will lose or gain a point when his or her opponent makes a lousy serve. A lousy serve scores zero points.

- I Meant To: Players may declare a missed point as an I Meant To event and receive sympathy and understanding (but no point) from his or her opponent.

(BTW: That player with the fewer points? Well, that would be me!)