How to play against Defenders - Marco Essomba

• Patience and consistency are the most typical characteristics required when playing against defenders.

• From the opponent's perspective that rule is to alternate with long and short returns with placement to both sides and the middle of the table.

• Attack then push, attack then push and repeat until an opportunity presents itself to comfortably attack the ball. Usually the harder the defender is forced to chop the ball back. The result of this is that more spin than the previous return is now on the ball. In other words the harder you attack the defender, the more loaded the ball comes back to you.

• It is normally suicide to try to loop such a loaded ball and the tactic is to place the ball short to one of the wings forcing the defender to put less spin on the ball the next hit giving you a chance to do your stuff.

• Be aware though that many defenders have an amazing ability to produce variable degrees of spin during the game forcing you to make errors.

• Playing more down the middle and less across the wings is usually more advantageous to you.