Badminton

 
Rules 

  • A player must wait until his opponent is ready before serving. If the opponent attempts a return then he is ruled having been ready. 

  • The feet of both players must remain in a stationary position until the serve is made. Your feet can not be touching the line at this time. 

  • It is not a fault if you miss the shuttle while serving. 

  • The shuttle cannot be caught and slung with the racket. 

  • A player cannot hold his racket near the net to ward off a downward stroke by his opponent or to interfere with his racket. 

Faults 

  • The shuttle, at the instant of being hit is higher than the servers waist or the head of the racket is higher than the servers racket hand. 

  • The shuttle does not land in the correct service court. 

  • The server's feet are not in the service court or if the feet of the receiver are not in the court diagonally opposite the server. 

  • The server steps forward as he/she serves. 

  • Any player balking or feinting his opponent before serve or during serve. 

  • A serve or shot that lands outside the court boundaries, passes under or through the net, touches any other obstructions or a players body or clothing. The boundary and service lines are considered in play. 

  • The shuttle in play is struck before it crosses the net to the striker's side of the net. You may follow through over the net. 

  • A player touching the net or its supports with his body or racket while the shuttle is in play. 

  • Hitting the shuttle twice in succession by a player or team. 

Scoring System 

  • A match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points. 

  • Every time there is a serve – there is a point scored. 

  • The side winning a rally adds a point to its score. 

  • At 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game. 

  • At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game. 

  • The side winning a game serves first in the next game. 

Interval and Change of Ends 

  • A 1 minute interval between each game is allowed. 

  • In the third game, players change ends when the leading score reaches 11 points. 

Singles 

  • At the beginning of the game (0-0) and when the server’s score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When the server’s score is odd, the server serves from the left service court. 

  • If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from the alternate service court. 

  • If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new server. They serve from the appropriate service court – left if their score is odd, and right if it is even. 

Doubles 

  • A side has only one ‘set’. 

  • The service passes consecutively to the players as shown in the diagram. 

  • At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When it is odd, the server serves from the left court. 

  • If the serving side wins a rally, the serving side scores a point and the same server serves again from the alternate service court. 

  • If the receiving side wins a rally, the receiving side scores a point. The receiving side becomes the new serving side. 

  • The players do not change their respective service courts until they win a point when their side is serving. 

If players commit an error in the service court, the error is corrected when the mistake is discovered. 
In a doubles match between A & B against C & D.  A & B won the toss and decided to serve. A to serve to C. A shall be the initial server while C shall be the initial receiver. 

 If players commit an error in the service court, the error is corrected when the mistake is discovered. 
In a doubles match between A & B against C & D.  A & B won the toss and decided to serve. A to serve to C. A shall be the initial server while C shall be the initial receiver. 

 

 

 

Course of action/ Explanation 

Score 

  

  

Love All 

Service from Service Court 

  

Right Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is even. 

Server & Receiver 

A serves to C. A and C are the initial server and receiver. 

Winner of the rally 

A & B 

  

  

rules-dir1 

A & B win a point. A & B will change service courts. A serves again from Left service court. C & D will stay in the same service courts. 

1-0 

Left Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is odd 

A serves to D 

C & D 

rules-dir2 

C & D win a point and also right to serve. Nobody will change their respective service courts. 

1-1 

Left Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is odd. 

D serves to A. 

A & B 

rules-dir3 

A & B win a point and also right to serve. Nobody will change their respective service courts. 

2-1 

Right Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is even. 

B serves to C 

C & D 

rules-dir4 

C & D win a point and also right to serve. Nobody will change their respective service courts. 

2-2 

Right Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is even. 

C serves to B 

C & D 

rules-dir5 

C & D win a point. C & D will change service courts. C serves from Left service court. A & B will stay in the same service courts. 

3-2 

Left Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is odd. 

C serves to A 

A & B 

rules-dir6 

A & B win a point and also right to serve. Nobody will change their respective service courts. 

3-3 

Left Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is odd. 

A serves to C 

A & B 

rules-dir7 

A & B win a point. A & B will change service courts. A serves again from Right service court. C & D will stay in the same service courts. 

4-3 

Right Service Court. Being the score of the serving side is even. 

A serves to D 

C & D 

rules-dir8 

 

Note that this means: 

  • The order of server depends on the score odd or even same as in singles.  

  • The service courts are changed by the servicing side only when a point is scored. In all other cases, the players continue to stay in their respective service court from where they played previous rally. This shall guarantee alternate server.