Win Like a Chess Player: The 1-3-5 Serve & Attack Tactic for Amateurs — Transcript

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1. 0:00Alright, today let's learn how to play a match.
2. 0:02In my opinion, the easiest ball to attack is always the short ball.
3. 0:07When you serve long, you must have the mindset for a rally.
4. 0:10For amateur players, the fastest way to improve in matches is to ensure your serve and your follow-up shot are a perfectly matched tactic.
5. 0:18Second, on your service return, learn to control your opponent.
6. 0:22Don't try to win the point with a single stroke on the return.
7. 0:25This is because amateurs primarily use long serves.
8. 0:28I'm not saying don't serve long, but you must be prepared for the return.
9. 0:32For example, in defense, the more spin you serve, the more spin they'll loop back.
10. 0:37So, what should we keep in mind when blocking?
11. 0:40Remember these four points: contact at the rising point, use a small motion, press down, and don't use force.
12. 0:47After serving, you must have the awareness to defend the next ball; only then can you serve with confidence.
13. 0:53The kids I coach often have this problem: after serving, they just watch to see if the opponent missed.
14. 0:59When the ball comes back, they're always caught off guard, not in a state of active defense.
15. 1:04Amateurs shouldn't overthink. Plan your first shot, then play what comes.
16. 1:09You can't plan five shots ahead without systematic training, so just master the first-three-ball attack.
17. 1:15That's the first scenario.
18. 1:17The second is when they push. Before you serve, you must decide: am I going to loop this ball or not?
19. 1:22If not, how will I handle it? If yes, how will I loop it?
20. 1:26Don't just react to the ball, because you're not at that level of awareness yet.
21. 1:31Professionals can adjust instantly, but amateurs must decide on their plan beforehand.
22. 1:37You must anticipate in advance to handle the return calmly.
23. 1:40First, let's talk about not looping.
24. 1:43If you don't want to make it comfortable for them, you must control them first, then attack the next ball.
25. 1:48For instance, I would control the ball to their backhand and then loop the next shot,
26. 1:53because even if they attack from the backhand, it won't be very powerful.
27. 1:57If you want to bait them into attacking, push to their middle or the wide forehand corner.
28. 2:01Let them loop, and you just vary your push placement.
29. 2:05If their weight is on one side, push to their forehand; if their weight is on the other, push to the middle.
30. 2:11The third option is to commit to looping. After my serve, I must initiate the attack.
31. 2:16In that case, if you serve heavy backspin and they push it back,
32. 2:19you must step back and loop with heavy spin to lift the ball.
33. 2:22After a long serve, you must be ready to loop with heavy spin.
34. 2:26Even if their return is high, it will be extremely spinny because your serve had so much spin.
35. 2:31Observe how most amateurs push these long serves: they meet the ball early and use the incoming pace.
36. 2:37This return is both long and spinny.
37. 2:40Don't assume a high ball has no spin. Since you served heavy backspin, if you just hit it flat, it will go into the net.
38. 2:47If you serve a no-spin ball that comes back high, then you can smash it.
39. 2:51So, give yourself one command for the return: I must loop with spin.
40. 2:55Either don't attack, or if you do, you must brush the ball.
41. 2:59Your tactic has to match your serve, or you'll fall victim to your own spin.
42. 3:03Professionals are different. They read the ball: if it's high, they smash;
43. 3:08if it's low, they loop. It's subconscious after over a decade of training.
44. 3:13Amateur players must have a plan. What do I want to do with this ball? What is the purpose of my serve?
45. 3:19After I serve, it's best if they miss. If not, do I want to bait an attack, control them for a third-ball attack,
46. 3:25loop it myself, or block their loop?
47. 3:28They only have these few options.
48. 3:30When you can shut down all their possible return paths, your serve will be unstoppable.
49. 3:35Skills can be developed. If you can't loop, practice looping. If you can't push, practice pushing.
50. 3:41The real problem is having great technique but poor strategy.
51. 3:44The fear is having all the skills but being unable to use any of them in a real match.
52. 3:49Next, let's discuss the long backhand side-topspin serve.
53. 3:53You need a tactic where they pop the ball up if they try to push it.
54. 3:57Mimic an amateur service for me: if I push, you must be ready to loop; if I do a short push, you must step in;
55. 4:04if I loop, you must be ready to block.
56. 4:06This kind of unpredictable return is the hardest to attack
57. 4:09because you have to cover the whole table and be ready for any placement and spin—short, high, low, or long.
58. 4:16Therefore, your serves must have distinct, clear spin, forcing your opponent into a single, predictable return.
59. 4:23For example, if you serve short backspin to their backhand,
60. 4:27they'll hit the net if they flick and make an error if they use a banana flick. This forces them to push.
61. 4:33Once they push, you can prepare to loop a backspin ball anywhere on the table.
62. 4:38This makes it much easier. If you serve topspin and they push, the ball will fly off.
63. 4:43They are forced to flick or banana flick, which turns the return into a topspin ball.
64. 4:48When you know the incoming spin, your preparation becomes much easier.
65. 4:52If their return can be either topspin or backspin,
66. 4:55combined with varied placement, you'll break down and lose composure.
67. 4:59So, players, you must generate clear spin.
68. 5:02If you can't serve topspin with your pendulum serve, stop practicing it for now.
69. 5:07A hook serve is great for topspin. If I'm a beginner, I'll just serve a fast, long ball. At least they can't push it.
70. 5:15This is how you build tactics. At higher levels, you don't win on serve errors; they adapt quickly.
71. 5:21The game is always about the next ball.
72. 5:24First, you must be able to serve side-topspin.
73. 5:27If you can't, start by practicing a fast, long serve to master the topspin component.
74. 5:32Second, it must be fast, because a slow ball allows them to use power.
75. 5:36Your serve needs to be fast enough to force an error if they try to attack it.
76. 5:40Third, you must have three placement options. A fast, long serve is truly effective for amateurs.
77. 5:47Building on the fast serve, you can add a hook motion for a hook serve.
78. 5:51The principle is the same for pendulum and backhand serves.
79. 5:55Once you have speed, they won't dare to use full power.
80. 5:58Plus, they can't push it down; they can only block or drive it back.
81. 6:02This type of return has the same pace as our backhand counter-drills,
82. 6:06which means you can generate quality on your follow-up shot.
83. 6:13They simply won't have enough time.
84. 6:15The reason you can't execute this tactic now is because your serve either has no spin, unwanted backspin,
85. 6:21or is too slow, preventing you from making a quality follow-up.
86. 6:25This is why you lose matches: you're put on the defensive right from the start.
87. 6:30How do you expect to win?
88. 6:31With a side-topspin serve like this, I'm committing to a plan:
89. 6:35I'll serve side-topspin and then attack the return with full power. It doesn't matter if I miss; this is my game plan.
90. 6:42In a match, I might miss this shot ten times, but after ten thousand times, I'll make it.
91. 6:48Then you'll no longer fear this situation.
92. 6:51Then, you can mix in side-backspin. I serve backspin, they miss. I serve topspin, they start misreading your spin.
93. 6:55Then, you can mix in side-backspin. I serve backspin, they miss. I serve topspin, they start misreading your spin.
94. 6:59Why do they misread your spin? Because they're afraid of your follow-up attack.
95. 7:04If you have no follow-up threat, they'll just safely push the ball back.
96. 7:09Against a topspin serve, they'll just touch it back.
97. 7:13They're just waiting for you to make an error on your attack.
98. 7:16Why would they try to add quality or loop you? Because if they just push, you'll loop them, and they can't block it.
99. 7:22So they are forced to find another solution: "I can't just push anymore, I have to loop."
100. 7:27This is when their unforced errors will appear.
101. 7:30If they just block your topspin serve and you attack them, they'll think, "I have to hit it harder,"
102. 7:33and that's how they make mistakes.
103. 7:37If they just push it back, and they know you can't loop, why would they ever misread your serve?
104. 7:41They will simply focus on getting the ball on the table.
105. 7:45You must have a strong follow-up shot to make your opponent fear your serve.
106. 7:49When your follow-up shot shuts down their options, their service return will start to break down.
107. 7:55If your serve and follow-up are weak, their return will become relaxed and confident.
108. 8:00Look at professionals: the receiver is always afraid of a counter-loop,
109. 8:04so they step around to power loop, which opens up the forehand corner.
110. 8:08If you push, they'll power loop. This forces you to use the banana flick, but that increases your chance of error.
111. 8:14So, always have a plan after your serve.
112. 8:17Even if you can't make the shot now, just think: "After this side-topspin serve,
113. 8:21I must attack with power and change direction."
114. 8:24For this, I might use a fast, long serve and just practice this one sequence.
115. 8:29At the beginning, that's okay if you can only manage a soft touch.
116. 8:32When practicing changing direction, maybe you can only touch it softly.
117. 8:36That's fine; nobody gets it right from the start.
118. 8:39If the return comes to my forehand and I have no reaction time, that's also fine.
119. 8:44Gradually, you'll start to react and be able to hit the shot, which is a great start.
120. 8:50Every shot is a progression through four stages: see, move, hit, and generate power.
121. 8:56But if you don't even try to execute these plays, you will always avoid these types of shots.
122. 9:01Soon, every ball that comes back will feel like you're receiving a new serve all over again.
123. 9:06To set up an attack on a half-long ball, you need deception.
124. 9:09Serve like this, and it comes back half-long because they thought it was backspin.
125. 9:14This is how I create the opportunity to attack that ball.
126. 9:17This shot is also part of my tactics.
127. 9:20As long as I serve with a low trajectory and some deception, they will push it high, and I can attack.
128. 9:25I'll practice this one shot every single day.
129. 9:28It's fine if they flick it back, because they can't use much power on a flick, so I can still attack it.
130. 9:34And there's your tactic.
131. 9:36Because if they push, it goes high, they can only push or flick, and the flick is the least powerful attack,
132. 9:42which means I can power loop it.
133. 9:44So I'll use this serve. When they push it high, I power loop.
134. 9:48For now, amateurs should focus on mastering attack on the first, third, and fifth balls,
135. 9:53and receive on the second, fourth, and sixth balls.
136. 9:56A tactic I often use: I serve short backspin (1st ball). The opponent pushes (2nd ball). I loop (3rd ball).
137. 10:04They block (4th ball), and then I attack again (5th ball).
138. 10:08After serving, I'll loop with heavy spin because it's consistent.
139. 10:12I serve a spinny ball, loop it back with spin, and then smash the next one.
140. 10:17So, that's serve (1st), loop with heavy spin (3rd), and power loop (5th).
141. 10:22The third ball is a spinny loop, the fifth ball is a power loop.
142. 10:26How can they defend against that change of pace?
143. 10:29Now, which is easier to add power to: a ball blocked back by your opponent, or a ball they pushed?
144. 10:35Of course, the blocked ball is easier.
145. 10:37Therefore, you should choose a spinny loop for your third ball and save the power loop for the fifth.
146. 10:43The kind of power loops you see in videos are edited. Let me give you an example.
147. 10:48Missed the loop? Cut! Do it again. Missed again? Cut!
148. 10:52They keep looping until they make one, and that's the clip that gets posted.
149. 10:57The power loops you see are likely a few successful shots edited from over ten games of footage.
150. 11:02If you're an amateur player, you should focus on consistency and smart table tennis, not brute force.
151. 11:08Use technique and win points through tactics. That kind of joy is like chess:
152. 11:13you win because you anticipated their move, which is a different kind of satisfaction.