A triangular (or hexagonal) table is divided into 3 sections by nets. 3-way table tennis (ping-pong) is then possible. The first serve is made in a clockwise direction, and play continues clockwise until the ball goes out of play. The next service is made anticlockwise and so on. Ambidextrosity (sp?) may be an advantage.
-- david_scothern, May 04 2005

Vaulted ceilings anyone? http://www.lapetitemaison.com/dhc_1.html
[bneal27, May 10 2005]

3 team hockey 3_20team_20hockey
by waugsqueke [calum, May 13 2005]

triangular football triangular_20football
by baobab [calum, May 13 2005]

Baked. http://www.freshtre...pong-for-three.html
[spidermother, Feb 12 2009]

Another variation http://gadgets.boin...layer-table-te.html
Note the .net domain. [spidermother, Feb 12 2009]

We used to clear the living room of obstructions, carefully placing the crystal and vases for maximal reflection, set the ping pong table right under the middle of the vaulted ceiling, turn on the music, and just start hitting... the object, really, was just to get as many people involved, and have the ball bounce for as long as possible. It could bounce on the wood floor once, and still be considered "live", but could bounce on the rafters, mantles, TV's, glasses, statues, etc. all day long and still get hit back into play...

We'd continue on until the ball cracked. Usually took about an hour and we'd all be sweaty beasts. Then we'd set it afire and hit it out the window in a smokey blaze...

Needless to say, the ritual was best served stoned.

"crackhead pingpong"
-- daseva, May 04 2005


Having considered this unusual ritual, I am intrigued by one particular detail. Your living room has a vaulted ceiling? Where do you live?
-- david_scothern, May 04 2005


Either a church or a mortuary.
-- shapu, May 04 2005


daseva, I'm guessing no-one bothered with the score?

Incidentally, how would scoring work in 3 way table tennis?
-- Soterios, May 04 2005


Nah, it was co-op, performance art of sorts... we strived for the oohs and ahhs of particularly percarious dribbles across a windowsill into a bookshelf bouncing out over the television into a glass and out again, only to be smaked high up into the ceilings by the awaiting participant... for example.
-- daseva, May 04 2005


scoring: a miss is a point against you, lowest score wins.
-- ato_de, May 05 2005


I'd like the three-way better if you could hit to either opponent. Keep them guessing.
-- baconbrain, May 05 2005


//Ping-pong was never intended to be a contact sport// not so sure about that, UB. I have seen some very aggressive table tennis particularly where the family were concerned.
-- po, May 05 2005


Not after they've been used for all that, no.
-- david_scothern, May 06 2005


Dont forget beer pong, or beirut, as its known here is stupid-ass midwest state number 2.
-- Blumster, May 07 2005


I clicked on this idea as soon as I read the title. My image was of a family of three, dad, ma, and rug rat, having the time of their lives, playing this. A big + from me.
-- blissmiss, May 08 2005


Oh god, I wish we had one of these when our family got a ping-pong table. My little sister and elder brother excluded me while they enjoyed playing table tennis, as I was a leftie, and I would be 'too difficult to play against'. They were just jealous that I could beat them easily... But still, at least the table tennis table is safely stored somwhere in Western Australia, and I'm safe in Scotland...
-- froglet, May 08 2005


Nice. We had a game called 'Rounders' where the players ran around the table. Could be played by 3 or more. If you miss, you get eliminated. It gets quite hecic towards the end. Much moe physically demanding than normal ping pong.
-- energy guy, May 08 2005


this would be great for in the tardis
-- benfrost, May 09 2005


What about the problems of collusion? Players A & B could alternately lob the ball for an easy kill shot and player C can do nowt but either a) fight the good fight against unassailable odds (2-1?!) or b) mumble "it's not fair" through watery eyes?

What about a deuce condition? Trois?
-- Jinbish, May 09 2005


collusion will not be a problem if second place doesnt mean anything, as it shouldn't.
-- Blumster, May 10 2005


We play 'rounders' here often. Except we call it 'around the world.'
-- RayfordSteele, May 10 2005


Here, it was "round the table". We were an imaginative lot.
-- david_scothern, May 10 2005


// Your living room has a vaulted ceiling? //

This is the second idea I've come across today that demonstrates that many non-US citizens don't realize how rich most Americans are. Most of the people I know who own houses have vaulted ceilings. Check out the link. Not that we all live this way of course.

Sorry to wander off-topic again. + for 3-way ping-pong.
-- bneal27, May 10 2005


sounds like fun...I'm game!
-- shinobi, May 13 2005


This is awesome. I may build a prototype.
-- estreet, Jul 27 2005



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