OOAK Table Tennis Forum

So what would using SPs on my backhand instead of inverted do for me? I'm currently using LPs on the backhand and they make service returns just so easy. But except for that, I feel limited and better players work my pips trying to keep me on the defense and avoiding my forehand. I'm at the level now (USATT 1400) where waiting for my opponent to make the first mistake is a losing strategy.

I have mixed feelings, but if I switch back to inverted on my backhand I believe it would give me a more consistent attack. However, for some reason I tend to flat-hit more from the bh and was thinking that SPs might be an easier transition.

What can I expect in terms of service return, pushing, etc with SPs compared to a regular control-oriented inverted like Sriver? What type of blade (i.e., stiff/flex, fast/slow, etc.) is considered best for SPs (I have a sheet of 802-40 ready to try)?

 

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Giant Dragon Kris Special : RITC 802 w/Dawei 2.2 35d fh : : Donic Blue Fire M3 2.0 black bh
Member of Charlotte Table Tennis Club, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
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I think 802-40 would be good to try on the FH side. SPs is not transition from LPs to inverted, they need own technique, especially for service receive of fast serves.

Dr. Evil ox can be a good transition from LPs ox, as it is good for driving with decent topspin arc any slow balls and as good as LPs or better in blocking power hits. Dr. Evil allows to play regular topspin counter-hitting warm-up that LP cannot.

I have success in developing my close to the table double wing fast attack game from slow push-block BH-oriented game using Dr. Evil.

i recommend trying control SP, but not OX - instead of, rather use 1,0-1,5 mm sponge for better control over spin as well as for speed. kokutaku 119 is very cheap to try, mind that it has pretty fast sponge so 1,5 mm 119 is not at all slow. 802-40 is spin oriented SP, therefore yet closer to inverted and not the first flat-hitting option (119 is pretty good for flat hitting)

First read this thread:

A short treatise on pips out rubber:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16800

Then review the sticky'd topic on short pips rubbers top of this section:

My hunch: At first you will decline in rating because at your level the LP's are going to fool a good number of players.

I guess it depends what you want to use the SP's for. A good question to ask yourself is what successful players use this rubber and is this how I want to play?The best player right now that uses an inverted forehand and short pips back hand is world #19 Tang Peng and world # 83 Tan Ruiwu. Going back a while Wang Tao was extremely successful as was Milan Orlowski as well as Johnny Huang (who used short pips on both sides).

Here are some clips of Wang Tao who used FH & BH equally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UjG6EtQyPI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeINeK_y ... re=related

Tang Peng:(tends to favor his forehand more-but still excellent with the short pips)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc7R4UEMNWk

Tan Ruiwu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDaGvK_YxqA

Johnny Huang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1QzCylggBc

If this is what you see your game as, then process onward with your idea of SP back hand. If you are more passive and block more than drive or counter drive-You might want to stay with Talon or offensive LP's.

As just a guess -I have used both 802-40 and Stiga Radical-you cant beat 802 (in any iteration) for the price, but my all time favorite SP's is Radical. I came from a double inverted looping background and Radical plays like both inverted and SP's.

Radical being so sticky has some of the warts of inverted although not to nearly the degree of Shriver, but I would never try to chop with Radical (and I will chop with any 802 rubber or 563 med pips for that matter).

Ian

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Blade: Giant Dragon Kris: FH: Friengship 729 Judo (red) 2.0 BH: Feint Long 3 (black) 1.3
Blade: Alfa Pro : FH: Friendship Judo (red) 2.0 BH TSP Curl P-1r (black) 1.4

I find Talon a perfect rubber to play against 1400 players.
Enuf reversal to drive them crazy when they attack.
Enuf grip to attack if they just dump the ball dead to the backhand.
They can't overpower my chop-block like 1800+ loopers can.

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coming back after 2 years off
don't freaking know what I'm using from day to day!

But he's talking about short pips.Isnt Talon a long pip?

Ian

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Blade: Giant Dragon Kris: FH: Friengship 729 Judo (red) 2.0 BH: Feint Long 3 (black) 1.3
Blade: Alfa Pro : FH: Friendship Judo (red) 2.0 BH TSP Curl P-1r (black) 1.4

Talon is in his sig as his current bh rubber.

My unstated implication was to stick with that as it sounded like he was still open to all options.

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coming back after 2 years off
don't freaking know what I'm using from day to day!

Are you a chopper or a blocker? If you mainly stay at the table then I think you are probably not using your Talon aggressive enough, imho... There's no need to change your rubber at this moment, just modify your mindset and strategy a bit... Try pushing aggressively with Talon to both corners of the table to back your opponent up, then use your forehand or twiddle.

Curl P-2?

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SPW/Solo

There are certain blades that the Talon is useless on, for example the Dr. N. Barricade. Maybe your Gambler blade isn't a good match.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

i play LP on BH and SP on FH
true that LPs can return serves really easy without some special effort but with SPs is kinda the same
i dont have enough experience with SPs since i only used 802-40 and challenger attack but with both of them the service return is easy almost with the LPs (although with the challenger attack is a bit easier then with 802-40 due to less grip)
after getting lilbit used to SPs i started to attack almost every serve with the SPs and barely using the LPs to return
long backspin serve? loop
short backspin serve? flick
long sidespin serve? loop
short sidespin serve? flick
long ......
short......
you got the idea

the beauty about SPs is that you can play almost any style,
i tend to chop from mid-distance with the SPs and when i get a drop shot i just flat-hit it with the SPs (even on the BH, just twidle)
blocking is great with SPs - fast flat low balls, thats what i like the most about the SPs

pushing i dont like to do with SPs, i prefer to hit it or flick with it since SPs are still pips and still got lilbit of reverse and attacking backspin is alot more easier then with inverted (for me) so i dont tend to push too much, i feel its a waste compare to what the SPs can do

when i twidle and put the SPs on the BH is only if i want to attack close-to-table, never tried to attack with the SPs from mid-distance while the SPs on the BH since i dont feel the SPs have enough stored-in power to bring the ball back to the table with enough speed (although - from the FH side i have no prob attacking from mid-distance due to the large swing motion i can do, so if you got ultra strong BH, its possible to attack from mid-distance with SPs on BH)

SPs are mostly used for a fast close-to-table attacks (like you can see in any of those videos ian demagi posted, and beside.. you should listen to him!! he really helped me with my movement from inverted to SPs)
anyway since its designed mostly for fast close-to-table attacks, i guess a stiff with harder plies blade will do the work

you can really do anything with SPs just need to get used to it
and if you will try it - dont think too much about the incoming spin, when i started with SPs i thought too much about the incoming spin i got and didnt manage to stroke well, once i ignore the incoming spin and just attack - the results were much better

good luck in whatever you will choose!!!

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tibhar stratus defence | coppa X3 silver max FH | Grass D.tecs 1.2 BH
~~~PIPS FTW~~~