diff --git a/lib/src/block_parser.dart b/lib/src/block_parser.dart
index beaa46a..9289ae1 100644
--- a/lib/src/block_parser.dart
+++ b/lib/src/block_parser.dart
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@
     _pos++;
   }
 
+  void retreat() {
+    _pos--;
+  }
+
   bool get isDone => _pos >= lines.length;
 
   /// Gets whether or not the current line matches the given pattern.
@@ -107,11 +111,28 @@
 
   List<Node> parseLines() {
     final blocks = <Node>[];
+
+    // If the `_pos` does not change before and after `parse()`, never try to
+    // parse the line at `_pos` with the same syntax again.
+    // For example the `TableSyntax` might not advance the `_pos` in `parse`
+    // method, beause of the header row does not match the delimiter row in the
+    // number of cells, which makes a table like structure not be recognized.
+    BlockSyntax? neverMatch;
+
     while (!isDone) {
       for (final syntax in blockSyntaxes) {
+        if (neverMatch == syntax) {
+          continue;
+        }
+
         if (syntax.canParse(this)) {
+          final positionBefore = _pos;
           final block = syntax.parse(this);
-          if (block != null) blocks.add(block);
+          if (block != null) {
+            blocks.add(block);
+          }
+          neverMatch = _pos != positionBefore ? null : syntax;
+
           break;
         }
       }
diff --git a/lib/src/block_syntaxes/table_syntax.dart b/lib/src/block_syntaxes/table_syntax.dart
index a63540f..fbd63c9 100644
--- a/lib/src/block_syntaxes/table_syntax.dart
+++ b/lib/src/block_syntaxes/table_syntax.dart
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     final columnCount = alignments.length;
     final headRow = _parseRow(parser, alignments, 'th');
     if (headRow.children!.length != columnCount) {
+      parser.retreat();
       return null;
     }
     final head = Element('thead', [headRow]);
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@
       if (children != null) {
         while (children.length < columnCount) {
           // Insert synthetic empty cells.
-          children.add(Element.empty('td'));
+          children.add(Element('td', const []));
         }
         while (children.length > columnCount) {
           children.removeLast();
@@ -71,29 +72,42 @@
   }
 
   List<String?> _parseAlignments(String line) {
-    final startIndex = _walkPastOpeningPipe(line);
+    final columns = <String?>[];
+    // Set the value to `true` when hitting a non whitespace character other
+    // than the first pipe character.
+    var started = false;
+    var hitDash = false;
+    String? alignment;
 
-    var endIndex = line.length - 1;
-    while (endIndex > 0) {
-      final ch = line.codeUnitAt(endIndex);
-      if (ch == $pipe) {
-        endIndex--;
-        break;
+    for (var i = 0; i < line.length; i++) {
+      final char = line.codeUnitAt(i);
+      if (char == $space || char == $tab || (!started && char == $pipe)) {
+        continue;
       }
-      if (ch != $space && ch != $tab) {
-        break;
+      started = true;
+
+      if (char == $colon) {
+        if (hitDash) {
+          alignment = alignment == 'left' ? 'center' : 'right';
+        } else {
+          alignment = 'left';
+        }
       }
-      endIndex--;
+
+      if (char == $pipe) {
+        columns.add(alignment);
+        hitDash = false;
+        alignment = null;
+      } else {
+        hitDash = true;
+      }
     }
 
-    // Optimization: We walk [line] too many times. One lap should do it.
-    return line.substring(startIndex, endIndex + 1).split('|').map((column) {
-      column = column.trim();
-      if (column.startsWith(':') && column.endsWith(':')) return 'center';
-      if (column.startsWith(':')) return 'left';
-      if (column.endsWith(':')) return 'right';
-      return null;
-    }).toList(growable: false);
+    if (hitDash) {
+      columns.add(alignment);
+    }
+
+    return columns;
   }
 
   /// Parses a table row at the current line into a table row element, with
@@ -166,7 +180,7 @@
 
     for (var i = 0; i < row.length && i < alignments.length; i++) {
       if (alignments[i] == null) continue;
-      row[i].attributes['style'] = 'text-align: ${alignments[i]};';
+      row[i].attributes['align'] = '${alignments[i]}';
     }
 
     return Element('tr', row);
diff --git a/lib/src/html_renderer.dart b/lib/src/html_renderer.dart
index a6abfcd..8b7dedc 100644
--- a/lib/src/html_renderer.dart
+++ b/lib/src/html_renderer.dart
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@
   'main',
   'nav',
   'section',
-  'table'
+  'table',
+  'thead',
+  'tbody',
+  'th',
+  'tr',
+  'td',
 ];
 
 /// Translates a parsed AST to HTML.
diff --git a/test/extensions/tables.unit b/test/extensions/tables.unit
index 9516fb3..2f076df 100644
--- a/test/extensions/tables.unit
+++ b/test/extensions/tables.unit
@@ -4,7 +4,20 @@
 body | cells
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>cells</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td>cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>cells</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> multiple rows
 head | cells
 -----|------
@@ -12,40 +25,124 @@
 more | cells
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>cells</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td>cells</td></tr><tr><td>more</td><td>cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>cells</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>more</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> rows wrapped in pipes
 | head | cells |
 |------|-------|
 | body | cells |
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>cells</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td>cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>cells</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> rows wrapped in pipes, whitespace alignment row
 | head | cells |
 |  --  |  ---  |
 | body | cells |
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>cells</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td>cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>cells</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> rows wrapped in pipes, tabs in whitespace
 |	head	|	cells	|
 |	--	|	---	|
 |	body	|	cells	|
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>cells</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td>cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>cells</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td>cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> cells with inline syntax
 head `code` | _cells_
 ------------|--------
 *text*      | <span>text</span>
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head <code>code</code></th><th><em>cells</em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em>text</em></td><td><span>text</span></td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head <code>code</code></th>
+<th><em>cells</em></th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td><em>text</em></td>
+<td><span>text</span></td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> cells are parsed before inline syntax
 header | _foo | bar_
 -------|------------|---
 text   | text
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>header</th><th>_foo</th><th>bar_</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>text</td><td>text</td><td /></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>header</th>
+<th>_foo</th>
+<th>bar_</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>text</td>
+<td>text</td>
+<td></td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> cells contain reference links
 header | header
 -------|--------
@@ -53,20 +150,64 @@
 
 [here]: http://url
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>header</th><th>header</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>text</td><td><a href="http://url">link</a></td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>header</th>
+<th>header</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>text</td>
+<td><a href="http://url">link</a></td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> one column tables
 head
 -----|
 body
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> varying cells per row
 head | foo | bar
 -----|-----|-----
 body
 row with | two cells
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>head</th><th>foo</th><th>bar</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>body</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>row with</td><td>two cells</td><td /></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>head</th>
+<th>foo</th>
+<th>bar</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>body</td>
+<td></td>
+<td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>row with</td>
+<td>two cells</td>
+<td></td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> left, center, and right alignment
 head | cells | here
 :----|:-----:|----:
@@ -74,7 +215,27 @@
 too | many | cells | here
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th style="text-align: left;">head</th><th style="text-align: center;">cells</th><th style="text-align: right;">here</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: left;">body</td><td style="text-align: center;">cells</td><td style="text-align: right;">here</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: left;">too</td><td style="text-align: center;">many</td><td style="text-align: right;">cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th align="left">head</th>
+<th align="center">cells</th>
+<th align="right">here</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td align="left">body</td>
+<td align="center">cells</td>
+<td align="right">here</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td align="left">too</td>
+<td align="center">many</td>
+<td align="right">cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> left, center, and right alignment, with whitespace
 head | cells | here
  :-- | :---: | ---:
@@ -82,7 +243,27 @@
 too | many | cells | here
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th style="text-align: left;">head</th><th style="text-align: center;">cells</th><th style="text-align: right;">here</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: left;">body</td><td style="text-align: center;">cells</td><td style="text-align: right;">here</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: left;">too</td><td style="text-align: center;">many</td><td style="text-align: right;">cells</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th align="left">head</th>
+<th align="center">cells</th>
+<th align="right">here</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td align="left">body</td>
+<td align="center">cells</td>
+<td align="right">here</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td align="left">too</td>
+<td align="center">many</td>
+<td align="right">cells</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> escape pipe
 | Name     | Character |
 | ---      | ---       |
@@ -90,17 +271,60 @@
 | Pipe     | \|        |
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Character</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Backtick</td><td>`</td></tr><tr><td>Pipe</td><td>|</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>Name</th>
+<th>Character</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>Backtick</td>
+<td>`</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>Pipe</td>
+<td>|</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> escape pipe, preserve trailing whitespace
 | Name     | Character |
 | ---      | ---       |
 | Pipe     | \| abcdef |
 
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Character</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Pipe</td><td>| abcdef</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>Name</th>
+<th>Character</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>Pipe</td>
+<td>| abcdef</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> trailing whitespace after final pipe
 | Name     | Character | 
 | ---      | ---       |	
 | Pipe     | abcdef    |
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Character</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Pipe</td><td>abcdef</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>Name</th>
+<th>Character</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>Pipe</td>
+<td>abcdef</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
diff --git a/test/gfm/tables_extension.unit b/test/gfm/tables_extension.unit
index cd84708..625fca8 100644
--- a/test/gfm/tables_extension.unit
+++ b/test/gfm/tables_extension.unit
@@ -3,27 +3,80 @@
 | --- | --- |
 | baz | bim |
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>foo</th><th>bar</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>baz</td><td>bim</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>foo</th>
+<th>bar</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>baz</td>
+<td>bim</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 199
 | abc | defghi |
 :-: | -----------:
 bar | baz
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th style="text-align: center;">abc</th><th style="text-align: right;">defghi</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;">bar</td><td style="text-align: right;">baz</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th align="center">abc</th>
+<th align="right">defghi</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td align="center">bar</td>
+<td align="right">baz</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 200
 | f\|oo  |
 | ------ |
 | b `\|` az |
 | b **\|** im |
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>f|oo</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>b <code>|</code> az</td></tr><tr><td>b <strong>|</strong> im</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>f|oo</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>b <code>|</code> az</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>b <strong>|</strong> im</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 201
 | abc | def |
 | --- | --- |
 | bar | baz |
 > bar
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>abc</th><th>def</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>bar</td><td>baz</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>abc</th>
+<th>def</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>bar</td>
+<td>baz</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 <blockquote>
 <p>bar</p>
 </blockquote>
@@ -35,14 +88,32 @@
 
 bar
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>abc</th><th>def</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>bar</td><td>baz</td></tr><tr><td>bar</td><td /></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>abc</th>
+<th>def</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>bar</td>
+<td>baz</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>bar</td>
+<td></td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 <p>bar</p>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 203
 | abc | def |
 | --- |
 | bar |
 <<<
-<p>| --- |
+<p>| abc | def |
+| --- |
 | bar |</p>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 204
 | abc | def |
@@ -50,9 +121,33 @@
 | bar |
 | bar | baz | boo |
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>abc</th><th>def</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>bar</td><td /></tr><tr><td>bar</td><td>baz</td></tr></tbody></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>abc</th>
+<th>def</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+<tr>
+<td>bar</td>
+<td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>bar</td>
+<td>baz</td>
+</tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
 >>> Tables (extension) - 205
 | abc | def |
 | --- | --- |
 <<<
-<table><thead><tr><th>abc</th><th>def</th></tr></thead></table>
+<table>
+<thead>
+<tr>
+<th>abc</th>
+<th>def</th>
+</tr>
+</thead>
+</table>
diff --git a/tool/gfm_stats.json b/tool/gfm_stats.json
index 294d348..9627e27 100644
--- a/tool/gfm_stats.json
+++ b/tool/gfm_stats.json
@@ -682,14 +682,14 @@
   "492": "strict"
  },
  "Tables (extension)": {
-  "198": "loose",
-  "199": "fail",
-  "200": "loose",
-  "201": "loose",
-  "202": "loose",
-  "203": "loose",
-  "204": "loose",
-  "205": "loose"
+  "198": "strict",
+  "199": "strict",
+  "200": "strict",
+  "201": "strict",
+  "202": "strict",
+  "203": "strict",
+  "204": "strict",
+  "205": "strict"
  },
  "Tabs": {
   "1": "strict",
diff --git a/tool/gfm_stats.txt b/tool/gfm_stats.txt
index 7976ba7..8204a44 100644
--- a/tool/gfm_stats.txt
+++ b/tool/gfm_stats.txt
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
   26 of   27 –  96.3%  Setext headings
    2 of    2 – 100.0%  Soft line breaks
    2 of    2 – 100.0%  Strikethrough (extension)
-   7 of    8 –  87.5%  Tables (extension)
+   8 of    8 – 100.0%  Tables (extension)
   11 of   11 – 100.0%  Tabs
    3 of    3 – 100.0%  Textual content
   19 of   19 – 100.0%  Thematic breaks
- 633 of  671 –  94.3%  TOTAL
- 561 of  633 –  88.6%  TOTAL Strict
+ 634 of  671 –  94.5%  TOTAL
+ 569 of  634 –  89.7%  TOTAL Strict