Table Tennis Scoring Rules: 11 Points, Deuce & Match Format

A table tennis game is normally played to 11 points. At 10-10 (deuce), play continues until one player or pair leads by two. Service changes every two points before deuce and every point after 10-10.

A Game Is Played to 11 Points

Every game starts at 0-0. The player or pair that wins a rally scores one point, regardless of who served. In most cases, the first side to reach 11 wins the game.

• 11-7 or 11-3: the game is over
• 10-8: play continues because neither side has 11
• 11-10: play continues because the lead is only one point

So the table tennis 11-point rule does not mean that every game ends as soon as someone reaches 11. If both sides reach 10, the deuce rule applies.

What Happens at 10-10? The Deuce Rule

At 10-10, play continues until one player or pair has a two-point lead.

• 12-10: game over
• 12-11: keep playing
• 13-11 or 15-13: game over

There is no fixed maximum score. A game may continue beyond 11, 15 or 20 points; it ends only when one side leads by two.

When Does Service Change?

Under normal table tennis scoring rules, service changes after every two points. If Player A serves first at 0-0, A serves for the first two rallies. Player B then serves for two rallies, whether the score is 2-0 or 1-1.

Once the score reaches 10-10, service changes after every point. For example, A serves at 10-10, B serves the next point, then A serves again. Deuce therefore changes both the winning condition and the service rotation.

If you want to manage scoring and serve changes automatically, you can also record matches easily with DataTT.

How Many Games Do You Need to Win a Match?

A table tennis match is the best of an odd number of games. The first player or pair to win a majority of those games wins the match.

“Best of 5” means a maximum of five games, not that all five must be played. If one side takes a 3-0 lead, the match ends immediately. The same principle applies to best-of-3 and best-of-7 table tennis.

Changing Ends in the Deciding Game

Players change ends after each game. In the last possible game of a match—the third game in a best-of-3, for example—they also change ends as soon as either player or pair reaches 5 points.

Table Tennis Score Example

Here is a best-of-5 match:

Player A wins Games 1, 3 and 4, while Player B wins Game 2. Because A reaches three games first, Player A wins the match 3-1. Scores such as 11-7 are points within a game; the 3-1 result counts games won across the match.

Common Table Tennis Scoring Questions

Does a game end at 11-10?

No. After 10-10, one side must lead by two points, so play continues at 11-10.

Do players serve five times each?

No. Under the current 11-point system, service normally changes every two points and then every point after 10-10.

Does a best-of-5 match always have five games?

No. It ends as soon as one side wins three games, so a 3-0 or 3-1 result is possible.

Is it called a set or a game in table tennis?

The official term is game. A match consists of an odd number of games. “Set” is common in casual speech, but “game” is the term used in the Laws of Table Tennis.

Make Table Tennis Scorekeeping Easier

DataTT automatically handles 11-point games, deuce, and serve changes. You can keep score with simple one-tap input, then review match stats, point outcomes, shots, and rally length after the match. Score tracking from Apple Watch is also supported.

See all DataTT features

Rules in this guide are based on the ITTF Laws of Table Tennis. Competition-specific regulations may also apply.