Table tennis bats are red and black in color due to a rule stipulated by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The reason for this rule is to ensure fairness in the game and to prevent players from using different types of rubbers on each side of the paddle without their opponents knowing, which could create unpredictable shots.

In the 1970s and 1980s, some players began using different rubbers on each side of the paddle and spinning the paddle to utilize the different sides for different shots. This made it difficult for their opponents to determine which side of the paddle was being used and how the ball would react off the rubber.

To address this issue, the ITTF adopted a rule in 1986 that required different colors on each side of the paddle. Hence, one side of the table tennis paddle is red, and the other side is black. While the rubbers on each side may or may not have the same properties, most paddles today do have rubbers with different playability on each side.

Red and black table tennis rubbers may have subtle differences in their properties. Many players feel that red rubbers are usually a bit faster and create less spin than black rubbers because slightly different materials, such as pigments and dyes, are used to give them their respective colors. Black rubbers tend to be opaque (not see-through), while many red rubbers are somewhat translucent.

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Due to the differences in speed and spin, professionals often use a red rubber on their forehand and black on their backhand. The top Chinese players, for example, use a black tacky rubber on their forehand.

Additionally, the color of the rubbers can also influence visual strategies during the game. For instance, wearing a shirt that matches the color of the rubber can make it harder for the receiver to see the serve swing before contact, but the receiver must still be able to see the contact for it to be legal. Moreover, the ball color can also affect how spin is perceived; white and orange balls show less contrast against a red rubber compared to a black one.

In conclusion, the requirement for red and black rubbers on table tennis bats ensures fair play and allows players to have different properties on each side of the paddle, enhancing the game's dynamics and strategy.