
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock, which is a feathered or plastic projectile. The scoring system in badminton has changed multiple times over the years. Currently, a badminton match is played as the best of 2 out of 3 games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, a side must win by two clear points. If the match goes to a third game, players change ends when one side reaches 11 points. A player or team can also win by forfeit if their opponent does not show up for the match or withdraws due to injury.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scoring system | Best of 3 games, with each game played up to 21 points. |
| Points to win | First to 21 points, with a 2-point lead. |
| Tie-break | If tied at 20-20, play until one team achieves a 2-point advantage. |
| Decisive game | If tied at 29-29, the first to get their 30th point wins. |
| Service | Serving side decides who serves first. |
| Service court | Serving and receiving sides must stay in their respective service courts until the rally begins. |
| Rally | A point is won when the shuttlecock hits the ground in the opponent's court, including the lines. |
| Fault | If the shuttlecock hits the ceiling or net, or goes out of bounds, it is a fault. |
| Black card | Given for multiple severe offences or a single extremely severe offence, resulting in disqualification and additional punishments. |
| Forfeit | If a player or team does not show up or withdraws, they forfeit the match. |
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What You'll Learn

Scoring a minimum of 21 points and a 2-point lead
Scoring a minimum of 21 points and establishing a 2-point lead is one of the ways a badminton game can end. This rule is part of the 21-point rally scoring system, where a player wins a point after every rally as long as it is not a let. This scoring system was introduced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) in 2006 to shorten game times and make gameplay more exciting for viewers.
In badminton, matches are typically played in a best-of-three format, where a player or team must win two out of three games. Each game is played until one player reaches 21 points, and if the game reaches a score of 20-20, it continues until one player achieves a two-point advantage. For example, a winning score could be 22-20 or 25-23, but 21-20 would not be sufficient.
The serving pair chooses who serves for the first rally, and the receiving pair chooses who receives. The server's score determines whether they serve from the left or right court. When the serving side wins a rally, the same player serves again but from the other service court. If the opponents win the rally, they gain the serve.
Points are scored by hitting the shuttlecock, also known as the "birdie," with the racquet and landing it within the opponent's half of the court, including the lines. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net, and the rally ends once the shuttlecock touches the floor or ground. A point can be conceded if the shuttlecock hits the net or goes outside the court boundaries.
In addition to scoring 21 points with a 2-point lead, other ways for a badminton game to end include a player or team forfeiting the match due to injury or other reasons, or a player receiving a black card for committing severe offenses.
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Forfeiting the match
A badminton match can be forfeited by a player or team due to injury or other reasons. Forfeiting occurs when a player does not show up for the match on time or notifies a badminton official like an umpire of their withdrawal from the match. This often happens in high-level tournaments due to injuries or illness. In the event of a forfeit, the tournament scores will show the result as a "walkover".
The referee has the authority to dock players of points, and persistent fouls may result in a forfeit of the set or even the match. A player who commits multiple severe offences or a single extremely severe offence may be given a black card, which signifies disqualification from the match. Additional punishments may include a suspension or ban from future tournaments. An example of this occurred during the 2012 London Olympics when several women's doubles pairs deliberately threw their matches to gain a more favourable draw in the single-elimination stage.
The rules of badminton have undergone several changes over the years, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) experimenting with different scoring systems to create more exciting games and raise the standard of the sport. While the original rules featured a side-out scoring system with the best two out of three games of 15 points, the current system involves a 21-point rally, making matches faster and more dynamic.
Despite these changes, there is still no time limit for a badminton match, and rallies can be lengthy if players are evenly matched. The BWF continues to explore new scoring systems, such as a proposed change from the 21x3 format to 15x3, which has sparked controversy among badminton players.
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Being issued a black card
A badminton match is typically played as the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. To win the match, a player or team must win two out of the three games. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player or team achieves a two-point advantage.
However, one of the ways a badminton game can end is if a player or team is issued a black card. A black card is given to players when they commit multiple severe offences or a single extremely severe offence. It signifies immediate disqualification from the match, and the player or team will also face additional punishments, such as a suspension or ban from future tournaments. This system of punishment was famously implemented during the 2012 London Olympics when several women's doubles pairs deliberately threw their matches to gain a more advantageous position in the single-elimination stage of the tournament.
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Reaching 29 points each
In badminton, a game is played to the best of 2 out of 3 games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, a side must win by two clear points, meaning the game will continue until one player reaches 22 points. However, if the game reaches 29-29, the rules are slightly different. In this case, there is no requirement to win by two clear points, and the first player to score the 30th point will be declared the winner.
In badminton, there is no time limit on how long a game or match can be. The duration of a match can vary depending on the skill and endurance of the players. While the 21-point rally scoring system has made matches faster, games can still be quite long if players are evenly matched and unable to break each other's defences.
The rules of badminton have changed over the years, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) making alterations to create more exciting games for spectators and raise the standard of the sport. The original rules featured a side-out scoring system, with the best of 2 out of 3 games up to 15 points. Players had to win by 2 points, and if a game went to 14-14, the player who reached 14 first could choose to play to either 15 or 17 points. This system allowed matches to go on indefinitely in theory, so the BWF experimented with different scoring systems to make games shorter and more exciting.
In addition to scoring rules, there are other ways a badminton game can end. A player or team may forfeit a match due to injury or other reasons, such as failing to show up on time. Black cards can also be given to players for committing severe offences, resulting in disqualification and additional punishments such as suspensions or bans.
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The shuttlecock touching the floor
The shuttlecock, also known as the birdie, is central to the game of badminton. It is the projectile that players strike with their racquets to score points. The shuttlecock is cone-shaped and made of either feathers or plastic. Its unique design means that it always flies cork-first after being struck.
The rally ends once the shuttlecock touches the floor or ground. A point is scored if the shuttlecock hits the ground in the opponent's half of the court, including the lines. Therefore, a point can be conceded if a shot goes outside the court boundaries or if the shuttlecock hits the net or passes through or under it.
Players are only allowed to strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. Once hit, a player cannot strike the shuttlecock again in a new movement or shot. The shuttlecock hitting the ceiling is counted as a fault.
The scoring system in badminton has changed over the years. The original rules had a side-out scoring system with the best two out of three games of 15 points. However, in 2006, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) changed the rules to a 21-point rally scoring system to create shorter games and more exciting gameplay for viewers. In this system, a player must score 21 points and establish a 2-point lead to win the game. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one player achieves a two-point advantage.
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Frequently asked questions
A badminton game ends when a player or team wins 2 out of 3 games or sets. Each set is played to 21 points, and a player must win by 2 points. If the score reaches 20-20, a player must win by 2 clear points, meaning the winning score could be 22-20 or 25-23, but not 21-20 or 24-23.
Points are scored by hitting the shuttlecock, also known as a birdie, with your racquet and landing it within the boundaries of your opponent's half of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.
A fault can be called by the umpire, service judge, or the opposing side if the shuttlecock hits the ceiling, floor, net, or goes outside the court boundaries. A fault can also be called if a player strikes the shuttlecock twice with their racquet.
A let is called if there is an unexpected disturbance, such as the shuttlecock landing on the court after being hit by players in an adjacent court, or the shuttlecock touching an overhead rail in small halls. In the case of a let, the rally is stopped and replayed with no change to the score.
Yes, a player or team can forfeit a match if they do not show up for the match in a timely manner or if they notify a badminton official that they are withdrawing from the match due to injury or illness.








































