Tactics & match-play Archives - Tom Lodziak Table Tennis Coaching

We keep losing deciding games. How can we start winning?

14/04/202614/04/2026 by Tom Lodziak

The team I play for has just finished the winter season in 11th place in a 12-team division: we felt we played fairly well but lost so many games that went to the fifth end – and we blew it. I guess we need more consistency overall, but can you think of any drills that would get us over that fifth-end issue? I think it’s just learning not to tense up (so easy to say) and to play to our strengths but we could do with a bit of help! Keep reading

How to beat a player with long pimples AND anti-spin?

03/03/202606/01/2026 by Tom Lodziak

How should I play against an opponent with long pimples on the backhand and antispin rubber on the forehand? He chops the ball from two paces away from the table. I use Tibhar Grass D-Tecs (OX) long pimples on my backhand and normal rubber on my forehand. Keep reading

Tactics to beat a left-handed player

15/10/202515/10/2025 by Tom Lodziak

Many right-handed players do not enjoy playing left-handed players. It shouldn’t really feel that different. A left-handed player has a backhand and a forehand, just like a right-handed player. But somehow it does feel different. I actually enjoy playing left-handed players and have a decent record against them. My best tournament win to date was against a left-hander. There’s a few simple tactics I have developed over the years which tend to work well. Keep reading

Winter is coming … Time to change your playing style?

17/09/2025 by Tom Lodziak

Many of us have contemplated switching to a radically different style, but are often deterred by the question “what if?” What if I change style and start doing worse? Maybe this fear is misplaced. We can find a really good recent example of this in the professional game. Sabine Winter is a two times German national singles champion, who has recently changed playing styles and is having lots of success. Keep reading

4 effective service combinations

13/02/202513/02/2025 by Tom Lodziak

When serving in table tennis, we have many options available. We have all the different service actions – pendulum, backhand, hook, tomahawk, windscreen wiper. We have all the spin variations – backspin, sidespin, topspin, no spin. We have all the placement variations – short, wide, half-long, long. So many options! But have you ever thought about how to pair your two serves? Keep reading

Top 10 tactics to win points in local league table tennis

10/12/2024 by Tom Lodziak

I started playing local league table tennis in 2007. I have worked my way up from the bottom of the bottom division to the top of the top division (nearly). During this time I have developed a number of easy ways of winning points. There are hundreds of tactics which can potentially be used. Any tactic could work, in any given scenario, but I have found there are a few which consistently work far more often than not. Keep reading

How to play more like Truls Moregardh

28/10/202408/08/2024 by Tom Lodziak

I don’t mind admitting that I am completely fascinated with Truls Moregardh. He has had a sensational Olympics in Paris, reaching the singles final and helping Sweden to the team final. Is there anything we mere mortals can do to play more like Truls, other than buy a STIGA Cybershape blade? Keep reading

Simple tactic when returning serves in doubles

29/11/202406/05/2024 by Tom Lodziak

Here’s a simple tactic you can use when returning serves in doubles matches. Try to aim your receive very wide on the side the server has just served from… The width is important. You want the ball to come off the side of the table. This makes it very difficult for player B to get … Keep reading

Choosing the right tactics

10/02/202530/01/2024 by Tom Lodziak

In a recent video, I asked viewers to give me some suggestions of tactics I should try against Jarek – a player who goes back from the table and returns all my hard attacks. I had a fantastic response with over 100 suggestions of tactics to try. Now, I am left with another problem. I have a long list of tactics, but which ones should I choose? Keep reading

Patience, placement and pressure

16/11/202406/12/2023 by Tom Lodziak

A player I coach, Paul, had a frustrating experience in his league matches last week. Paul is in his early 60s and is very competitive – maybe a little too competitive – and this can often result in him rushing his shots, playing too aggressively and making too many errors. He is so eager to win, he often defeats himself. And this is what happened last week. Keep reading