Who serves first in ping pong? Toss for serve online
Under the official rules, a draw decides who serves first. The winner picks one thing: to serve, to receive or which end to start at. The other player gets the remaining choice. Run the draw below with a virtual coin or the ball hidden in a hand.
In this article
Before the first point, somebody has to serve. Settle it here with a virtual coin toss or the classic hidden ball trick, and see how the choice works under the official ping pong rules.
Loading the coin toss...
The official rule: the draw winner chooses
The ITTF rules say the right to choose is decided by lot. The winner may choose one of three things:
| The winner chooses | The other player gets |
|---|---|
| To serve first | The choice of end |
| To receive first | The choice of end (and so serves first) |
| An end of the table | The choice to serve or receive first |
So winning the toss does not force you to serve. You might prefer to receive, or to take the end where the lights bother you less, and leave the other decision to your opponent.
How to use the online toss
- Type both players' names.
- Pick the method: Coin toss or Hidden ball.
- For the coin, tap Toss the coin. Each face carries one player's name.
- For the hidden ball, player 2 guesses which of player 1's hands holds the ball. A right guess wins the draw.
- Tap the winner's choice to see who serves and who picks the end.
The draw uses your browser's random number generator, so both players have the same chance. Then open the online ping pong scoreboard, set who serves first and start playing.
No phone? Coin or hidden ball
In tournaments the umpire usually tosses a coin or a two-colored disc. Among friends, the most common method is the hidden ball: one player puts both hands under the table, hides the ball in one of them and holds out two closed fists. The other player picks one. If the ball is there, they win the draw.
Lots of people also "rally for serve", hitting back and forth until someone misses. It is a house rule, not part of the official rules, but it works fine if both players agree.
After the draw: the serve order
Once you know who starts, the rest follows the serve rules:
- each player serves 2 points in a row;
- at 10-10, the serve changes after every point;
- in the next game, whoever received first in the previous game serves first;
- players switch ends after each game.
One detail few people notice: because the opening serve alternates from game to game, whoever serves first in game 1 also serves first in the final game of a best of 3, 5 or 7 match. Some players like that. Others prefer to receive first so they can read the opponent's serve straight away. There is no right answer: it is personal preference.
The full scoring details are in table tennis scoring.
What about doubles?
In doubles, the two pairs toss in the same way. Then the serving pair decides which partner serves first, and in the first game the receiving pair decides who receives first. From there, the serve rotates through all four players. The full order is explained in doubles rules.
Frequently asked questions
Who serves first in table tennis?
Whoever wins the draw and chooses to serve, or the opponent if the winner chooses to receive. The draw winner picks serve, receive or an end, and the other player gets the remaining choice.
How do you decide who serves first in ping pong without a coin?
Hide the ball in one hand under the table and let your opponent guess which hand. If they guess right, they win the draw.
Does the winner of the toss have to serve?
No. They can choose to receive or to pick an end, and the opponent then makes the remaining choice.
Who serves first in the second game?
Whoever received first in the first game. The order flips every game.
Is rallying for serve allowed?
It is a house rule and not in the official rules. In tournaments, the draw decides.