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Paul Kovac	See if you can Stump the Ump... E-mail questions to Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire. Please note: Questions which have answers that are easily found by consulting the rules may not merit a reply.

Q: I was wondering whether it is legal to hit a serve that bounces once on the servers side of the table and then bounces more than once on the receiver's side of the table? In other words, can I put a backspin on the serve which effectively drops close to the net on the receiver's side of the table and if the receiver doesn't hit the ball on the first bounce bounces again on the receiver's side?

-submitted by "Hundreds of Basement Players"

A: If a serve which bounces twice on the opponent's side were illegal, you can be sure this would be addressed by the official TT Rules. A serve which bounces twice on the opponent's side is not only legal, it is also one of the most effective serve types. Such serves are most difficult to handle and, therefore, they could give the server who is also a good player and a good strategist the decisive advantage.

- answered "once and for all" by Paul Kovac - your friendly on-line USATT umpire