Site Products
Top Ten Tactical Serving Mistakes

Tip of the week: Top Ten Tactical Serving Mistakes

Posted on

(By Larry Hodges)
Tip of the week: Top Ten Tactical Serving Mistakes
Not enough variation.
Serving to the backhand over and Over and OVER.
Always serving from the same spot, usually from the backhand corner.
Not serving with a purpose.
Always serving with heavy spin, without using no-spin as a variation (where you fake heavy spin – “heavy no-spin”).
Telegraphing your serves by how you set up or start your motion.
Too often serving long to loopers or short to quick players.
Not trying out all your main serves early on to find out what works.
Saving your trickiest serves for when it’s close, instead of using them early so it doesn’t get close, and then using them again as needed.
Not understanding the basic concept that you should essentially ALWAYS serve and attack UNLESS the receiver does something to stop you from doing so.

Latest News

🎥 Episode 14: Ask The Expert Live With Logan Rietz | What do you bring to a tournament?

August 19, 2026
(by Bowmar Sports) Being prepared for a table tennis tournament means more than just remembering your racket. In… Read More

Rachid El Bou Bou – Two Backhands, One Forehand

August 19, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Rachid El Bou Bou is executing Two Backhand Loop, One… Read More

Three World Cup Stories, Three Mental Skills Every Table Tennis Player Can Use

August 18, 2026
(by Dr. Alan Chu, PhD, CMPC) Regardless of whether you watch soccer, this year's FIFA World Cup produced… Read More

Kou Lei – Forehand Short Push Return

August 18, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is executing the Forehand Short Push Return https://youtu.be/ScL4ruD1beo… Read More

A Levels Approach to Tactics

August 17, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame) I like to divide tactics into five… Read More

Carlos Hernandez – Game Play Sequencing

August 17, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Carlos Hernandez is focusing on practice games where he is… Read More

MLTT Meet the Teams: Florida Crocs

August 16, 2026
by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Florida Crocs have yet to make the playoffs, but this year they… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Alamo Table Tennis Club

August 16, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The Alamo Table Tennis Club is located just North of the City Center in San… 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.