OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I never had any problems of the rubber curling up with LEGAL water based glue.. With illegal VOC glue, it will curl up but I never had that happen with legal water based glue. Not glueing the center is illegal BUT using less glue than at the edges is not illegal. I use a thin coat of water glue in the center and a thicker coat of water glue at the edges.. Using less glue in the center will allow the pips to be more flexible which helps to block hard shots as softer pips will absorb more energy.

_________________
2010 Florida State Champion
Dr. Neubauer Firewall Plus with DHS G888 1.8 mm and Giant Dragon Dragon Talon OX National Team

I always block 90 degrees.. I don't adjust my racket angle.. I adjust my equipment (blade/rubber/glueing process) in order to block effective with that racket angle.. That's why trajectory and pips hardness/softness is critical for my game. I don't adjust to equipment. I adjust equipment to my style.

Here is a example of blocking hard hits with 90 degree angle.
This is with very soft long pips, glued very loosely in the center.. (SE7EN Block OX) on a Butterfly Grubba Variant blade. I might post a video of my glueing technique.. I use 20 cents/bottle Elmer glue..



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctvirVr8zgA

The hardness of the pips is the #1 factor when blocking hard shots. Soft pips, especially loosely glued will absorb hard hits and reduce the speed of the block.. I'm talking about unchanged 90 degree blocking angle.. When frictionless pips were outlawed, I didn't want to or even couldnt' adjust my technique.. So, I ended up doing some "material" research and found ways to be able to use the same techniques like with frictionless rubbers.. There are many factors that come into play when blocking close to the table.. Combining rubber properties, blades and glueing process and finding the ideal combination will make a huge difference.. For example, if I glue a Xiying 979 (probably the slowest long pips rubber) on a slow defensive blade and I'll block a hard hit, it will block longer than the faster SE7EN block (with 90 degree blocking angle). This is mostly due to the harder pips of the Xiying 979.. The Xiying sheet is so thick that even if it is glued loosely, the pips won't be flexible enough to absorb energy as good as softer pips. Flexible pips like SE7EN block. Feint Long II, Avalox MO and others with soft pips will absorb a lot more energy even though they are faster than the Xiying..

_________________
2010 Florida State Champion
Dr. Neubauer Firewall Plus with DHS G888 1.8 mm and Giant Dragon Dragon Talon OX National Team

I've played the #552 in the world recently (Geovanny Coello) at a tournament.. He would power-loop every single shot and I blocked all his shots back with unchanged racket angle.. Took game 1 11:8 and game 2 11:7.. Then he adjusted his serve and won game 3.. In game 4, I adjusted to his serve and we were tied until 7:7 when he had 2 lucky edge balls to get a lead.. He won game 4 11:8 and game 5 11:7..

I've been playing with some very strong players and I was able to block with 90 degree angle off the bounce.. I can only do that because of my equipment which is perfectly adjusted for my game.. My game is set up to play against power-loopers and I do best against that style. Trust me, if I get my hand to the ball at a 90 degree angle, I will block any power-loop back on the table. The only time that I need to adjust racket angle is againt slow but heavy spin loops..

_________________
2010 Florida State Champion
Dr. Neubauer Firewall Plus with DHS G888 1.8 mm and Giant Dragon Dragon Talon OX National Team

I usually take the ball earlier than most other pips blockers. This comes with a higher risk but is more destructive to the oppoenents as it messes up their timing.. My game depends 99% on my opponents errors.. I have beaten top players before without attacking a single time, just blocking everything that they throw at me back until they make a mistake.. I block against topspin and use Druckschlupf against chop and a aggresive forward block against dead balls..

_________________
2010 Florida State Champion
Dr. Neubauer Firewall Plus with DHS G888 1.8 mm and Giant Dragon Dragon Talon OX National Team

great analysis... My game has a lot less variation than yours or other long pips players.. Even though I know several other strokes (i.e chop-block, chopping from away from the table or on the table etc.), I don't use them too often during the match. I do flat hit with the pips occasionally when I get a higher ball, especially if it has chop on it. My concept is different than the concept of many other players.. The more strokes you have, the more potential for unforced errors.. My concept is: "The lower the amount of strokes, the lower the unforced error quota"
If I make less unforced errors than my opponent, I'll win. Opponents have to beat me.. I won't beat myself..

_________________
2010 Florida State Champion
Dr. Neubauer Firewall Plus with DHS G888 1.8 mm and Giant Dragon Dragon Talon OX National Team