Official WPT Pong Rules | World Pong Tour

Official Qualifier Rules

These rules were designed to ensure fair play for all. Any issues during the games with rules or players will be addressed by a WPT tournament official. Do not wait for the game to be over with any rules questions. Immediately stop the game and get the attention of a tournament official. Once the game is over, it is final.

A. Tournament Format

After each game, one member from each team should fill out a scorecard and bring the scorecard to a staff member including the cup differential. Cup differential is the amount of cups left on the winning team's side after the game is over.
During the preliminary rounds, the home team will have choice of possession (2 balls) or table side. During the single elimination round, the higher ranked team will have choice of possession or side.

B. Set Up and Game Play

Ten cups should be set up in triangle formation centered at the back of the 9 foot table on the black playing area. Cups should be filled approximately halfway with water. Players are responsible for making sure the cups are filled up half way.
A line will be on the ground 12 inches behind the legs of the table. Touching the front of the line is permitted. Breaking the plane of the line at any time during the shot or after the shot is a loss of shot. Jumping over the line after the ball is released is prohibited.
Each game will have a 6:00 time limit and will be governed by a referee.
A five second shot clock will be in effect for every shot.
A ball that hits the table before or after hitting a cup is a missed shot. The 2nd player must wait to shoot until the 1st player's ball has been made or in possession of the defensive team.
Anything that is on the table besides the game cups (wash cup, bottles, players, etc) is considered out of play. If the ball hits anything out of play including the table then goes in the cup, it will not count.
When a shot ball lands in a cup, the cup must be removed from play by the defensive team. Offensive players can not shoot while cups are being removed.
Shooting the ball before your partner's ball is sunk or out of play is a missed shot. A ball is considered in play from the time it leaves a shooter's hand until it has hit anything other than the cups in play (table, floor, hand, made cups).
Cups that fall over due to the force of a shot ball will count as made. Whipping the ball at cups to knock them over is prohibited. A cup can't be caught before it falls / spills.
In the event that a player drops his/her ball into one of his/her own cups, no penalty is enforced.
If a shot ball lands on an offensive cup, this will be a missed shot.
If a player knocks over their own cup, the cup will count. If any part of the side of the cup makes contact with a table, it will count as a cup.

C. Racks

2 Racks are allowed at 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6. Racks must be asked for at the beginning of a possession or during rollbacks. (no mid-turn racks); a rollback is considered the beginning of a possession. Racks should be centered in the back of the table.
Diagram of racks allowed:
Cups that slide out of formation (regardless of rack status) will be put back into formation; however the defensive team can't fix or touch the cups unless the offensive team requests it.

D. Rollback Shots

If both players on a team make their shots on the same turn, that team will get rollback shots.

E. Defense

The defensive team's body must remain behind the line while on defense. The waving of physical objects including hats, cups, balls or shirts behind the table is not allowed. It is recommended to stand one foot behind the Line while the offensive team is shooting.

F. Ending the Game, Rebuttals, and Sudden Death Overtime

The first team to hit 10 cups wins the game. If there is a tie after 6:00 has elapsed, the team to make the next cup wins the game.

G. Etiquette and Disputes

Any issues during the games with rules or players must immediately be reported to a WPT staff member. Once a game is over, the results can't be changed.
World Pong Tour staff has final say in disputes. Unsportsmanlike behavior will be dealt with in a case-by-case basis. Any team with sufficient disregard for the game or the people around them will forfeit their spot in the tournament. If either player on any team is asked to leave by the hosting establishment, by WPT staff, the team will forfeit their spot in the tournament.
Damaging and tampering with equipment may result in ejection from the tournament.