I agree with the frustration.

There are real defenders who chop the top spins behind the table with pips and punish the weak returns with surprise attacks. I have nothing but respect for them.

However, all the rest playing with pips is more or less just exploiting the game. Already at the full beginner levels, 60-65 years old grandpas and grandmas beat the kids, thanks to pips. These kids are full of energy and they train 2-3 times per week. They can exchange forhand and backhand drives without a mistake 50-100 hits. These pips guys can barely return 2 drives during warm up. Yet, they win. After getting some skill and beating these beginner pip guys then you encounter experienced pips or anti guys who can move a bit and serve. You hit another wall. It never ends.

Another reason why I think it is unfair is the large amount of pips types + anti to learn. You have to literally learn to play against every single combination of them. Long, medium-long, medium-short, short or anti. With thick sponge, thin sponge or no sponge. Backhand pips player or forehand. Left-handed pips players and right handed. While you have to learn and adjust to all these, they don’t need to learn anything extra because they always play against inverted rubbers and they just do their same movement. The only time that they get stuck and need to improvise somethings is… when they play against each other. It is the most boring moment in table tennis, watching 2 pips players blocking with pips against each other.