Site Products
Larry Hodges

Coaching Tip of the week: If You Play to Not Lose, You Are Playing to Lose

(By Larry Hodges)

This is a simple one. When a player has a good lead or is playing a seemingly weaker player, they often play to “not lose.” This means lowering their own level of play, since they are no longer doing what they normally do. They are literally abandoning whatever gave them that lead or made them the better player, and then wonder why their level drops. This probably leads to more chokes and upsets than any other single cause.

Instead, no matter the score or the opponent, play your game. Think tactically about what you need to do to win the next point, and the point after, and so on, using your game and what worked before as your reference. Perhaps put an emphasis on consistency when you have a good lead or are playing a weaker player, but only emphasize it, don’t go overboard and turn into a quivering mass of passivity. Play Your Game!!!

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

Latest News

Jha Headlines Upset Filled First Round in Montpellier

October 29, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The top seed is out, and USA’s Kanak Jha now enters the Round… Read More

Anticipate….

October 29, 2025
Serve, short game, flip with defense to offense (wait function) Jhon serves short backspin, robot plays short backspin… Read More

Puerto Rico Shines At The 2025 ITTF Pan-American Championships

October 29, 2025
(By Edgardo Vazquez – Puerto Rico National Coach / Butterfly America Sponsored Coach) The Puerto Rico national team… Read More

Death of the Kill

October 28, 2025
(By Larry Hodges) There was a time that the smash, especially on the forehand side, was considered the… Read More

Right Shoulder Rotation Into the Table

October 27, 2025
Serve, short game, flip with defense to offense (wait function) Jhon serves short backspin, robot plays short backspin… Read More

MLTT Week 4 Recap: Chicago Wind Steady at Home, New York Slice Make Their Mark

October 26, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Fourth Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) event was played in Bensenville, Illinois… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Joyous Table Tennis Club

October 26, 2025
(By Steve Hopkins) Joyous Table Tennis Club provides 8 professional tables in one of the largest professional table… Read More

France takes Gold in Euro Team Championships

October 26, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo ETTU) The French team with the Lebrun brothers, Simon Gauzy, Thibault Poret, and Flavien… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.