Rules of the Game of Badminton

Badminton can be played in singles or doubles, by men and women alike. To begin a badminton game, toss a coin; the winner can choose which side of the court he wants to play on, or choose to serve first. Players bat the shuttlecock (birdie) back and forth across a net using a badminton racket. Badminton play continues in this manner, following a few simple rules until the completion of the match.

  1. Scoring

    • Badminton games are played to 21 points in most cases, though the players can choose a different finishing score if it is a casual game. Occasionally, men's singles or doubles play goes to 15 points, with women's singles games going to 11.

      Only the serving team or player can score in each round, and points are won by winning a rally. A rally is the back-and-forth motion of the shuttlecock between both players or teams. If the shuttlecock is hit out of bounds, hits the net or a player, or is hit before crossing the net, the rally is lost. A shuttlecock that lands on the line is "in."

      If the serving team wins the rally, they get a point and keep serving. If the receiving team wins the rally, the score stays the same but the receiving team gets a chance to serve. A traditional match is played as the best of three games.

    Serving and Equipment

    • The server and receiver should each stand on the right-hand side of their respective sides of the court to begin the game. They can change positions for every subsequent serve. The receiver must hold still until the serve is hit; if a served shuttlecock lands on the line, it is considered "in."

      The badminton net should be five feet in height in the center of the court. The court itself is usually 44 feet long by 22 feet wide for doubles or 17 feet wide for singles.