Understanding Badminton Scoring System: Points, Sets, And Matches

how badminton is scored

Badminton is a fast-paced racquet sport played both recreationally and competitively. Scoring a point in badminton is done by hitting the shuttlecock over the net and into the opponent's court, ensuring that the opponent cannot return it. The player or pair who wins a rally adds a point to their score. The scoring system is the same whether it's a singles or doubles game. A badminton match is played in best-of-three games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player has a two-point lead or when the score reaches 29-29, in which case the next point wins.

Characteristics Values
Points to win 21
Minimum points difference to win 2
Maximum points 30
Scoring method Point is scored when the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court
Service Underarm and below the waist
Service court Diagonally opposite to the receiver
Rally Hitting the shuttlecock back and forth over the net
Rally winner Player who wins the rally earns a point and gets to serve the next point
Rally end When the shuttlecock hits the floor or a player commits a fault or violation
Game structure Best of three games
Breaks 1-minute break after 11 points and a 2-minute break between games

shunwild

Scoring a point

Each time you win a rally, you get to serve the next point and you move to the other service court. If you have a partner, you also trade places with them. For example, if you started with three points and served from the left service court, winning the rally means you now have four points and will serve from the right service court.

The scoring system is the same whether you are playing singles or doubles. You need to score 21 points to win a game, and you must win by at least two points. So, if the score is 20-all, you need to win by two clear points, e.g. 22-20. However, if the score reaches 29-all, the game ends as soon as either player scores their 30th point.

It's important to keep track of the score. One way to do this is to announce the score before each serve, starting with your total points. For example, if you have 12 points and your opponent has 8, you would say "12-8" before serving.

shunwild

Rally rules

Once the serve is completed, the players engage in a rally, hitting the shuttlecock back and forth over the net. The player who wins the rally earns a point and gets to serve the next point. It is important to note that a point is scored when the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court, and the player will lose a point if the shuttlecock hits the net or lands outside the court.

After winning a rally and scoring a point, players move to the other service court. This rule applies to both singles and doubles matches, where players must swap service courts. If you have a partner in a doubles game, you trade places with them. For instance, if you start with three points and serve from the left service court, winning the rally earns you a point, and you will now serve from the right service court.

The scoring system in badminton is consistent for singles and doubles matches. Each time a player wins a rally, they add a point to their score. To win a game, a player or team must reach 21 points and have at least a two-point lead over their opponent. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player gains a two-point advantage or reaches 30 points.

shunwild

Scoring system history

The original badminton scoring system dates back to as early as 1873 or 1877 in British India. The first written badminton rules stated that a match or rubber is decided by the best of three games. Each game is played to 15 points in the case of men's singles and any doubles games. In the case of ladies' singles, a game was played to 11 points. The traditional scoring system also allowed for a single game to determine a match or rubber, in which case the game would be played to 21 points.

In 2002, the International Badminton Federation (now the Badminton World Federation or BWF) experimented with a new scoring system to improve the commercial and broadcasting appeal of the sport. The issue of match length had become a concern, with the unpredictability of match durations and the lengthy time required for matches. The new scoring system shortened games to seven points and decided matches by the best of five games. When the score reached 6-6, the player who first reached six could elect to set to eight points. However, the match time remained an issue, and this experiment was abandoned after the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

In December 2005, the BWF tried again to regulate playing time and simplify the system for viewers. The main change was to adopt rally point scoring, where the winner of a rally scores a point regardless of who served, and games were lengthened to 21 points, with ladies' singles matches now using the same rules as men's singles.

In 2006, the BWF ruled that the new 21-point badminton scoring system would be adopted starting from August of that year, and it has been used since. In this system, the winner of the rally gets one point, and the first to 21 wins the set. Matches are the best of three sets, with a two-point lead required to win. There is a 60-second interval after 11 points and a two-minute interval between games.

shunwild

Match structure

A badminton match is played between two opposing players (singles) or four opposing players (doubles). The match is played as the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. The scoring system is the same for singles and doubles matches.

The game begins with a serve. The server must hit the shuttlecock so that it passes over the net and lands in the opponent's service court. A point is scored on every serve, and the player who wins the rally earns a point and gets to serve the next point. The server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service courts. A legal serve must be hit diagonally over the net, underarm, and below the server's waist height. After winning a point, players move to the other service court, and if playing doubles, partners trade places.

If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player has a two-point lead or when the score reaches 30-29. In the latter case, the player who scores the 30th point wins the game. At the end of each game, players change ends, and if a third game is necessary, players change ends again when the leading score reaches 11 points.

A badminton match requires several officials to uphold the Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations in the BWF Statutes. Singles matches require six officials: an umpire in charge of the match and four line judges (two for each side of the court positioned at the baseline). Doubles matches require eight officials, with two additional line judges sometimes added (one for each side at the doubles service line).

shunwild

Officials

Badminton is a popular sport with a passionate global fan following. The scoring system in badminton is unique, and the match officials play a crucial role in enforcing the rules and ensuring fair play.

Badminton match officials include referees, umpires, service judges, and line judges. Each official has specific duties to ensure the match proceeds according to the rules. The referee is in overall charge of a tournament or championship, upholding the Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations in the BWF Statutes.

Individual singles matches require six officials: an umpire who is in charge of the match, the court, and its immediate surroundings; and four line judges (two for each side of the court positioned at the baseline) who indicate whether the shuttlecock landed 'in' or 'out' on the assigned lines.

Doubles matches require eight officials. This includes the above, with two additional line judges sometimes added (one for each side of the court positioned at the doubles service line).

In Olympic badminton, there is one referee overseeing the entire event, one umpire and one service judge assigned to each match, and ten line judges for each court.

The officials play a critical role in enforcing the rules, such as ensuring serves are hit underarm and below waist height, that players do not touch the net, and that players do not deliberately distract their opponents.

Frequently asked questions

Written by
Reviewed by

Explore related products

Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment