Here are the common questions and answers (FAQ) for the basic ping pong rules. If you new to this sport, you should read these table tennis regulations.
Ping Pong basic rules
These are the basic rules and laws of table tennis that every new player should know. For the official regulation of the table tennis equipment, read “table tennis official serving rule”.
The ball must rest on an open hand palm. You must toss the ball at least 6 inches (about 16 cm) upward. You must hit the ball outside of the table surface. The server serves 2 times and then the opponent serves. Read more about the Serving Rule.
If the ball touches the net, it is called a “let serve” (Don’t call it as “Net serve”).
A game or match has several sets. Each set finish when one player reaches 11 points or 2 points win after 10-10 scores.
If a score of 10-10 is reached, then each server serves only one point (but not two).
In the final game (for example the set is 2-2 in the best-of-3 or 3-3 in the best-of-7), the players switch side after one player reaches 5 points.
No, you can’t volley the ball in table tennis. You must wait for the ball touches your side and then hit the ball. If you hit the ball before it lands on your side, you lose this point.
During the rally, if the ball touches the edge of the opponent’s table, it’s called as the “edge ball”. Be careful! There are 2 types of edge ball!
If the ball touches the “playing surface”, normally the ball will bounce up. Then it’s the edge ball for you, and you win the point.
But if the ball touches the edge, but at the side of the table. Normally, the ball won’t bounce up, then you lost the point. 
If the ball hits the corner and bounces up, you win the point!
In table tennis, all shots are “Half-volleys”, that means the ball must touch your side before you hit it.
You can not volley in table tennis. You need to hit after the ball bounces on your side.
In some countries that I visited (mostly in Indonesian, Vietnam, Malaysia), some amateur players make the rule. If you serve more than “3 times let serve”, you lost the point!
No, wrong! It’s legal! You can serve as many “let serve” as you can!
No! You can change your hand during the rally. But you are allowed to play with only 1 racket. You can’t play with 2 rackets on the 2 hands. Timo ball often changes his racket from one hand to other while playing. And it’s amazing!
Timo Boll switched hand at T2APAC Tournaments
No!
Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point if his opponent’s free hand touches the playing surface.
This means that if you touch the playing surface (i.e. the top of the table) with your hand which is not holding your racket whilst the ball is still in play, you lose the point.
There are two situations:
1. If the server does a too long serve, the ball goes out of the table (didn’t touch your table’s side) and the ball accidentally touches your racket. In general, you win the ball.
2. But during a rally, if you hit the ball before it touches your table’s side (it’s called as “volley”) you lose the point!
There are 2 scenarios:
1. During the service, if the ball touches the net and jumps on the opponent’s side, it is called a let serve. Let serves are not scored. The player needs to serve again.
2. But if the ball touches the net but jumps outside of the table (didn’t touch any part of the table), then the server lost the point.
Yes! It’s the heavy backspin serve. Search for “Ma Lin Ghost serve”. It’s legal!
And if the opponent won’t touch the ball before it bounces back, you won the point!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7gJwbsXEFM
Yes and No!
Yes in Double Games. No in Single!
In tennis, squash, and badminton you must serve diagonally but in table tennis singles you can serve wherever you like.
Watch the “Volley Section” below! In general, no! In table tennis, all the shots are “half-volley”!
There are 2 situations:
1. If the ball touches the net, and touch the opponent’s side. It’s called as a “let serve”! You serve again! And you won’t lose the point! It’s legal!
2. If the ball touches the net, and drops to the floor! You lose the point!
Job
“When you’re in doubles, and you serve good but the ball hits the net and jumps because of your effect on the wrong side of the opponent’s table. Is it just a let serve? Or is it fault serve because the bounce wasn’t diagonal? Thank you!”
Answer: it’s a fault serve. and you lose the point.
Serving Rule in double: If the ball touches the net and drops to the wrong side. You lose the point.