Effect of Chopping with Long Pips

Günter Reiter Asked 10 months ago

Hallo, when chopping with long pips ox away from the table, does the amount of spin only depend of how much my pips develop by itself? Or do I have to chop actively to develop max. backspin? 

Günter from Austria

Alois Rosario Answered 9 months ago

Hi Günter,

When chopping with long pips (OX) away from the table, the amount of backspin depends on both the incoming spin and your own active chopping motion.

1. Passive Chop (Letting the Pips Work)

   • If you simply block or passively chop against a topspin ball, the long pips will reverse the spin naturally, returning a ball with some backspin.

   • However, without an active motion, the spin will be limited and might not be very strong.

2. Active Chop (Generating Maximum Backspin)

   • To produce maximum backspin, you need to chop actively with a fast and controlled downward stroke.

   • The more you accelerate and brush the ball on contact, the more spin you can generate.

   • The combination of the pips' natural spin reversal and your stroke mechanics will result in a much heavier backspin ball.

So, while long pips help create backspin by reversing the opponent’s topspin, you still need an active chop to get maximum effect—especially against strong loops. Timing, angle, and wrist movement all play a role in achieving deep, spinny chops.