Site Products
Most players go through the following sequence during each shot of a rally:

Coaching Tip of the Week: Strategic Tactics

(By Larry Hodges)

Tactical thinking is what you do to win now; Strategic Thinking is what you do to develop your game in the long run. You need both; here are two articles on this:

But there is also what I call Strategic Tactics. What are they? Suppose, in the first point of a match, you push the opponent’s serve back, he loops slow and super-spinny, and you block off. You could think, “That’s spinny! I better avoid it.” And so, tactically, you decide you have to attack his serve or push short over and over, even when you aren’t comfortable doing so – which puts you in a weaker tactical situation, since you are afraid to push long, even when the situation calls for it. Instead, perhaps intentionally push long on the second point, so that you can adjust to his spinny loop. If you do this, then you can get used to his spinny loop – and then you can go back to avoiding it when you can (attacking serve or pushing it short), while still having the option of pushing long when you need to. (Here’s How to Punish those Slow, Spinny Loops.)

There are many examples of this. If your opponent has a surface you aren’t very good at, or a very flat backhand, or very heavy push, rather than avoid it, play into these shots at first so that you get comfortable against them, and then go back to more tactical play.

 

 

Latest News

Zyre 03: Redefining Power and Spin in Modern Table Tennis

October 13, 2025
(By Edgardo Vazquez/Bowmar Sports) In top-level table tennis, every detail counts. The choice of rubber can be the… Read More

Tip of the Week – Your Evolving Relationship With a Coach

October 13, 2025
By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame When you start out, the coach is… Read More

Rogelio Castro – Short Push vs Long Push

October 13, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Rogelio Castro is executing a touch drill that consist of… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Gold Coast Table Tennis Club

October 12, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) With their location on Main Street in Port Washington, the Gold Coast Table Tennis Club… Read More

ITTF Para Pan Am Championships: Van Emburgh, Seidenfeld, and Leibovitz Win Gold

October 12, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo USATT) The 2025 ITTF Para Pan American Championships wrapped up this weekend in Sao… Read More

World Rankings: Chuqin Extends Lead, Lebrun Up 2 Spots

October 12, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The China Smash victory last year gives Wang Chuqin 10,900 ranking points, building… Read More

Kevin Doyle – Backhand Flip

October 12, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kevin Doyle is working on his Backhand Flip from the… Read More

Arantxa Cossio Aceves – Backhand & Forehand Looping from Underspin

October 11, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips,  Arantxa Cossio Aceves is using multi-ball to polish off her Forehand… 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.