What are the common ways to lose a point?

Unless the rally is a let, you lose the point if you (Law 2.10, Laws of Table Tennis, ITTF Statutes 2026):

• fail to make a correct serve or a correct return (a return must touch the opponent's court, directly or after touching the net assembly);
• obstruct the ball: you, or anything you wear or carry, touch it while it's above or heading towards the playing surface and hasn't yet touched your court since your opponent hit it;
• deliberately hit the ball more than once in succession;
• hit the ball with a side of your racket that doesn't meet the covering rules;
• move the playing surface (you or anything you wear or carry);
• touch the net assembly (you or anything you wear or carry);
• touch the playing surface with your free hand;
• in doubles, hit the ball out of the sequence set by the first server and receiver; or
• are serving under the expedite system and the receiver makes 13 correct returns in the rally.

You win the point if, after your serve or return:

• the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before your opponent hits it (for example, it bounces on their side and then hits the floor or them); or
• your opponent's shot passes over your court or beyond your end line without touching your court, or goes through the net, between the net and the post, or between the net and the table.

The vertical sides of the table aren't part of the playing surface. You may hit the ball with your racket hand below the wrist.