In table tennis, the defensive stroke made by cutting downward under the ball is called a chop.
A chop usually sends the ball back with backspin. The player makes a downward and forward motion, brushing beneath the ball rather than striking through its center. The heavy backspin can make an opponent’s attacking shot dip sharply and bounce low.
Chopping is strongly associated with defensive players, who may stand several metres behind the table and return repeated topspin attacks. A chop is different from a block, which uses a shorter racket angle to redirect an incoming attacking ball, and from a push, which is generally a shorter, lower backspin shot near the table.
The stroke can be played with either the forehand or backhand. Modern defenders often vary the amount of spin, sometimes using a no-spin or lightly spun return to make the opponent misread the ball.