(rules)

Here are the 10 basic rules of smashPong that gives you everything you need to know to start playing this exciting new sport. Remember to refer to the official smashPong rules for additional rules and clarification.

1. You need two teams of two.

2. Serve as would for a normal ping pong match.

3. The receiving team has three hits and three bounces to get the ball over the net and on to their opponents' side of the table.

4. A hit is the ball striking a paddle or a hand. A bounce is the ball striking the table or the ground. Play the ball off of bodies, walls, and other surfaces; they don't count as either hits or bounces.

5. Each team must alternate hits between both members.

6. Use your hits and bounces to set up your team for a huge smash.

7. Play continues until one team fails to get the ball on their opponents' side of the table within three hits and three bounces.

8. The winning team gets the point and serves the next point.

9. Switch sides when the total score adds up to 20.

10. Play to 21. Win by 2 points.

B.1 - 3 bounces allowed per team during a teams possession.

B.2 - A Bounce is counted when the ball in play hits the surface (area of the table facing the sky) of the playing table or the ground (surface level where the legs of the table rest)

B.3 - Bounces off a persons head, the Saturn Rp700, or any other object that is not the table or the ground do not count as a bounce.

H.1 - 3 hits are allowed per team per possession

H.2 - A hit is counted when the ball in play strikes a paddle or the hand. Hand calls are made by the offensive player doing the hitting and no question shall be made on his judgment.

H.3 - Exception - Blocks (see rule 6)

H.4 - No single player can engage in consecutive hits

H.5 - No other body part counts as a hit besides the hand from the base of the palm up

CP.1 - A change of possession occurs when the offensive team hits the ball and said ball crosses over the plain of the net from the offensive side to the defensive side of the table and (a) strikes the table on the defending side (b) is blocked (See rule - The Block)

CP.2 - If at any time the defensive team hits the ball that team automatically takes possession and becomes the offensive team

S.1 - A point is scored when the offensive team fails to change the possession to the defensive team (see rule: Changing of Possession) within the allotted 3 bounces and 3 hits

S.2 - Rally scoring is used where every play results in a point

S.3 - Official match and league play games are played to 21 points

S.4 - 11 point games are allowed to be played but are for recreational purposes only and will not count towards a teams ranking or game stats.

S.5 - When the score of team A + the score of team B = 20 , teams switch sides (10 for 11 point games)

S.6 - Hitting, kicking, or damaging the net is an automatic point for the opposite team

S.7 - Before hitting the opponents side of the table, the pong ball must cross over the imaginary Y- plane of the Net. The plane extends infinitely in all directions.

S.8 - If the ball goes on a roof or over a fence while switching possessions, it is a mandatory redo.

S.9 - A player can prematurely take possession on the pong ball before it hits his side of the table by hitting the ball intentionally - IE. Nick's tomahawk Blocks change possession.

S.10 - Club rules allow change of possession after ball crosses and hits either an opponents paddle, body, or table.

SE.1 - The team who thinks they are the better team, or the team who won the last game in the set will serve the first point. If neither of these methods does not produces a clear first serve team the team whose player has the largest biceps (measured in circumference) will serve the first point

SE.2 - The previous point winning team serves after the first serve

SE.3 - Serves must strike the servers side of the table, cross over the net and hit the receiving teams side of the table for a serve to be valid

SE.4 - Servers can be performed by either teammate on the serving team with no rule about alternating serves between players of the same team.

ST.1 - A stall occurs when the ball in play comes to rest on a surface that is not the ground or table and in turn does not expend all of the allowed bounces

ST.2 - Stalls are resolved by the "Ball on paddle" rule (see rule Ball on Paddle)

ST.3 - Stalls cannot be intentionally created with cloths on the players immediate person, hats, or any other planned method

ST.4 - A stalled ball cannot be moved from one location to another while in the stalled position. This action is know as a carry and the ball will be returned to the location of the original stall if a carry is called

BL.1 - A block is counted when a hard driven ball, that has a high likely hood of hitting the table, is hit from the offensive side of the table to the defensive side of the table and hits the paddle or body of the defensive player before it touches the table

BL.2 - A block is only counted if the ball is driven into said block

BL.3 - A block constitutes a change of possession

BL.4 - A block does not count as a hit even if the ball in play strikes the paddle

BL.5 - When a block occurs there is usually jeering and taunting that takes place form the defensive team

BL.6 - When a block occurs the same player that blocked the ball can hit the ball in play directly after the block since the block did not count as a hit

BL.7 - Blocking paddles and hands cannot extend beyond the plan of the net from the defensive side to the offensive side. This action will result in a loss of point for the defensive team and usually an argument.

BL.8 - Blocking violations can be called by the offensive team

BL.9 - Instant replay is allowed in the case of blocking disputes

BP.1 - The ball must be placed on the surface of one or both of the paddles within 4 feet of the stalled ball and "flung" back into play.

BP.2 - The ball cannot bounce off the "flinging" players paddle, if so a "fling" did not occur and the "flinging" team will loose the point

BP.3- A one hit one bounce penalty is incurred if a team uses the "Ball on Paddle" play

Example - Ball bounces once off the table and stalls in Kris's musty, discarded shirt. The Offensive teams opts for the "Ball on Paddle" With one bounce already on the table they will have used 2 bounces and one hit after "Flinging" the ball back into play. Thus they will have 2 hits and one bounce left

BP.4 - If a ball stalls after your third bounce or third hit the point is automatically awarded to the defensive team due to the penalty incurred

DD.1 - The defensive team will exercise due diligence in allowing the game to play on by moving out of the way of an offensive player(s) who is trying to keep a ball in play no matter where the ball is on the court

DD.2 - A hindrance call can be made if the offensive team feels the defensive team did not exercise due diligence in letting the game play on. **Warning** If this rule is abused the abusing team will go up for review and possible penalties by the WSPA and no one will want to play with you

M.1 - A maximum of two paddles may be used per player

M.2 - A video camera may be used at the net to review challenges as to weather the ball crossed the net before it was hit by a player