Amanda Knapp
Badminton is a fast-paced racquet sport that can be played recreationally or competitively. Scoring a point in badminton is simple: hit the shuttlecock over the net and into your opponent's court, ensuring they cannot return it. Points can be scored from every rally, regardless of who is serving. Matches are played over the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player gains a two-point lead or the score reaches 30-29. The first player to reach 30 wins the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of points to win a game | 21 points |
| Winning margin | 2 points |
| Maximum points in a game | 30 points |
| Number of games in a match | Best of three |
| Break after 11 points | 1 minute |
| Break between games | 2 minutes |
| Scoring conditions | When the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court |
| Service courts | Swap after scoring a point |
| Service courts | Right court for even points, left court for odd points |
| Service courts | Diagonally opposite for server and receiver |
| Service type | Underarm and below the waist |
| Shuttlecock height | Below 1.15 metres from the court surface |
| Racket shaft | Pointing downwards |
| Shuttlecock bounce | Not allowed |
| Fouls | Hitting shuttlecock multiple times, contacting net with body or racket, extending racket past net, serving shuttlecock outside court |
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What You'll Learn
Scoring a point
In terms of serving, the server and receiver must stand in diagonally opposite service courts. The server must hit the shuttlecock underarm and below waist height, with the racquet shaft pointing downwards. The whole of the shuttlecock must be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court. After a point is won, the players move to the opposite serving stations, and the winner of the rally gets to serve. In doubles, if you win a rally, you swap with your partner, and if your opponent wins, they swap with their partner.
It's important to note that you must win by at least two points. So, if the game is tied at 20-20, you need to win by two clear points, taking the game to at least 22-20. If the game goes to 29-29, the next point wins.
Finally, a match consists of the best of three games, with each game played to 21 points. After 11 points, there's a one-minute break, and between games, there's a two-minute break.
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Rally rules
Rally Scoring
The primary rule to remember is that you score a point by winning a rally. This means that whenever you successfully hit the shuttlecock and your opponent fails to return it, you earn a point. This is true regardless of who served, as both players or pairs can score during a rally in badminton.
Service Courts
The service courts refer to the specific areas on the court where the server and receiver must stand. At the start of the rally, the server and receiver should stand in diagonally opposite service courts. After a point is won, the players move to the opposite serving stations for the next point. This means that if you started serving from the left service court and won the rally, you would then move to the right service court for your next serve. It's important to remember that in doubles, you and your partner must always have different service courts.
Serving Rules
The serve must be hit diagonally over the net and into the opponent's service box. It must be hit underarm and below the server's waist height. The whole shuttlecock should be below 1.15 metres from the court surface when struck by the server, with the racquet shaft pointing downwards. The shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce. In doubles, the serving pair chooses who serves first, and the receiving pair chooses who receives. The server's score determines the receiver's position. If the server's score is odd, they serve from the left court; if even, they serve from the right.
Faults and Fouls
Faults occur when the shuttlecock is served outside the court or fails to cross the net. A fault results in a point for the opponent and the loss of a serve. Fouls include hitting the net with your body or racquet, extending your racquet past the net, or hitting the shuttlecock multiple times. If a fault or foul occurs, the opponent gains a point and the right to serve.
Scoring System
The scoring system in badminton is typically played to 21 points. To win, a player or pair must reach 21 points and have a lead of at least two points. If the game reaches 29-29, the next point wins. Matches are usually played as the best of three games. After 11 points, there's a one-minute break, and a two-minute break between games. It's important to announce the score before each serve, starting with your total points. For example, at the beginning, you would say "zero to zero."
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Service courts
A badminton court is a demarcated playing area with markings for both doubles and singles play. The doubles court is wider and has a shorter serve-length distance than the singles court. Both sides of the court contain two service lines: the "short" service line and the "long" service line. The long service line is only in effect during the serve; after the serve, the full court is the playing area. For both doubles and singles, the shuttlecock must fall within the area enclosed by the side boundaries and the short and long service lines. The long service line for singles is the rear boundary of the court itself, while the long service line for doubles is marked by a separate line running parallel to the rear boundary.
In a badminton match, the receiver's position is determined by the server's position and score. The receiver always stands in the service box diagonally opposite the server. This means that both players will be in the even service courts or the odd service courts. It is never one of each. In doubles play, the serving pair chooses who serves for the first rally, and the receiving pair chooses who receives. If the server's score is odd, they will serve from the left court; if it is even, they will serve from the right court.
The only way to change service courts is to win a point when your side is serving. When the receiving side wins a rally, the serve passes to them, but their service courts do not change from the previous rally. If their new score is odd, then the player with the left service court will serve; if the score is even, then the player with the right service court will serve. This system ensures that you never serve to the same person in two consecutive rallies.
It is easy to forget the score or your position during a badminton match. However, you can usually use these two facts to help remember. For example, if you know the score and that your partner was serving last, you can deduce which service court you should be in.
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Fouls
Contact Fouls
Contact fouls occur when the shuttlecock comes in contact with any object or person other than the racket. The shuttlecock should not touch your shoes, shin, shirt, or any other part of your body or clothing. Your racket is the only equipment that should touch the shuttlecock during the game. Even if the shuttlecock makes it over the net after hitting your body or clothing, your opponent will still win the point.
Service Faults
Service faults, also known as service fouls, occur when the service is not executed correctly. Common service faults include failing to hit the shuttlecock below the waist, stepping on or over the service line before hitting the shuttlecock, serving from an incorrect position or outside the service court boundaries, and not serving to the opposite side of the opponent's court. The server and receiver must stand within diagonally opposite service courts without touching the boundary lines.
Double Hit Fouls
A double-hit foul occurs when a player hits the shuttlecock twice in succession, either with their racket or in collaboration with a teammate. Double hits are considered illegal in badminton and will result in a point for the opponent.
Over the Net Fouls
Failure to get the shuttlecock over the net during a serve or return results in a net foul. Additionally, no part of the player's body or racket should touch the net at any point during the match. If the net is touched, the opponent is awarded the point.
Behavioural Fouls
Behavioural fouls pertain to player conduct and sportsmanship. These include using offensive language or gestures, displaying unsportsmanlike behaviour such as arguing with the referee, intentionally distracting the opponent, or delaying the game unnecessarily. Players must maintain integrity and respect for fair play to avoid behavioural fouls.
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Match structure
The match structure in badminton has been modified over the years to make the game more exciting and appealing to viewers. The scoring system in badminton has evolved since its early days in 1873.
The current scoring system in badminton is known as the rally point system, where the winner of a rally scores a point regardless of who served. This system was adopted in 2006 by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), with the aim of simplifying the game and regulating playing time for television viewers.
In this system, a match is typically played as the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the game reaches a tie at 20-20, the winner must lead by two clear points. Interestingly, if the score reaches 29-29, the game continues until one side scores the 30th point and wins. This is known as the golden point rule.
The rules also specify the service positions for both singles and doubles matches. In singles, the server and receiver stand diagonally opposite each other, with the receiver always in the service box. In doubles, the serving pair chooses who serves first, and the receiving pair decides who receives. The server's partner can stand wherever they like, but they must remember their service court for future rallies.
While the 3 x 21 rally point system is the most commonly used today, there have been discussions and experiments with different scoring systems to improve the flow and excitement of the game. Some alternatives include a 5 x 11 point system, a 3 x 15 point system, and variations with different setting rules, where the score reverts to 0-0 and the game continues until a certain number of points are reached. These variations aim to address concerns about match length and commercial appeal, particularly for broadcasting.
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Frequently asked questions
A badminton game is played up to 21 points, and a point can be scored from every rally, regardless of who is serving.
The scoring system in badminton has changed in recent years to speed up the game and make it more entertaining to watch.
The receiver's position is determined by the server's score. The receiver always stands in the service box diagonally opposite the server. If the server's score is odd, they serve from the left court; if it's even, they serve from the right.
A badminton match is typically played as the best of three games. To win a match, you need to win two out of the three games.
A fault occurs when the shuttlecock lands out of bounds, fails to go over the net, or a player touches the net with their body or racquet. A fault results in a point for the opponent.
