Excitement with new Point-Handicap League
January 28, 2009

Northern California TT Club, home to JiaQi Zheng, the current
No. 4 US Women's player, Creates Excitement with new
Point-Handicap League

By Robert Palgon

For the past two weeks there has been a lot of additional excitement and newfound fun on Saturday afternoons at the Ping Pong Dojo Table Tennis Club in Milpitas, CA since club manager, Hung-Jen Hung, instituted a point-handicap league.

Modeled after the point-handicap leagues recommended by Butterfly’s Leagues Director, Mitch Seidenfeld, the competition format permits all levels of players, from beginners to champions, to meet and play one another, with the appropriate handicap leveling the chances for all participants to emerge a winner.

Actually, whether players win or lose their match is in some ways besides the point, because 98% of the participants are already winners just by participating and getting an opportunity to play against some of the highest rated players in the game, an opportunity not otherwise easy to come by.

For example, in the first week, Cheng Yi Du, a 2555-rated player was in my RR, and he had to spot me (a 1700-rated player) 7 points. I lost the match 1:3 but I was a winner just for the experience. This past week, JiaQi Zheng, a 2554-rated player, was in my RR. I again lost the match 1:3, but what a treat it was for me to play against her.

And playing much-better players is not the only benefit. Playing those with less developed skill-levels can also prove to be highly competitive, instructive, and fun. For example, over the past two weeks, I have also had to play individuals who were rated below 1000. In one case, against a 9 year old young lady, I started from the score -2 to +6. I didn’t think I would have any difficulty.

But I was surprised to learn just how competitive a below-1000-rated player with the right point-handicap can be, especially if she is determined to win – and I, a tad too-lackadaisical. The first game I quickly dropped the first two points, one by my own error, and one by her serve hitting the edge, and it was hard-sledding from that point forward. I prevailed, but it was quite an eye-opener for me (I don't think I'll take any match for granted again), and I think it was also a good opportunity for her. Better yet, it was a lot of fun for the two of us.

So thank you Ping Pong Dojo and thank you Butterfly for promoting these point-handicap leagues. I think it provides a much-needed value-added alternative for players of different levels to come together and enjoy more fully the sport we love.

(Robert Palgon is 2008 US National U-1800 Hard Bat Champion & U-2000 Hard Bat Finalist)

Ping Pong Dojo

Sat Point-Handicap League RR

2009 Season1 Point-Handicap League RR Statistics