It’s been used to settle friendly disputes and determine who will undergo the household chores, and now table tennis has emerged from the basement to benefit the San Geronimo Community Center Gym and fund scholarships for its youth programs. This Saturday, a table tennis tournament will overrun the community center’s gym with 10 tables and various divisions. The event is a confluence of table tennis clubs from around the county plus the local Harvest Classic Table Tennis Tournament, an event entering its 21st year. It began as a yearly tradition in the basement of Jasper Thelin’s home in Forest Knolls—a social hub known as the “red house”—where family and friends huddled around a single table to watch players of all ages compete. “Everybody has a story who’s played in that tournament,” said Howie Cort, one of the organizers behind the tournament. “There’s no boundary for ages and it’s all inclusive. I’m in my 40s and I was playing against a 10-year-old who smoked me. It hurt! I walked away with my head hung low.” Jack Sayers, who organizes the Lagunitas Table Tennis Club, will be running the tournament. He imagines there could be anywhere from 50 to 100 participants and emphasized that everyone is welcome, regardless of ability. “Who knows, some people may come check it out and decide to come on Sunday,” he said, referring to the Lagunitas club’s weekly meeting. The tournament begins at 2 p.m. with open community matches; seniors and juniors play their tournament at 4 p.m. and team competitions commence at 6 p.m. The entry fee is $20 for adults, and $10 for children and seniors.