The Laws of Badminton

The BWF Statutes, which contain the Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations, provide extensive information on every aspect of the game of badminton.

The following is a brief overview of the rules, which have been simplified.

System of Points Calculation

A match is comprised of the best of three games with a total score of 21 points.
The serve results in the scoring of a point every time it is received.
The team that wins a rally receives an additional point for their efforts.
When the score is tied at 20, the team that gains a 2-point lead first wins the game.
When the score is 29 all, the team that scores the 30th point wins the game.
The team that wins a game gets to serve first in the following game.

Intervals and a reversal of the ends

As soon as the leading score reaches 11 points, the players are given a 60-second break.
A two-minute break between each game is permitted.
When the leading score reaches 11 points in the third game, the players switch ends and start over.

Singles

• As soon as the game begins (at 0-0) and as soon as the server’s score is even, the server serves from his or her appropriate service court. It is customary for the server to serve from the left service court when his or her score is odd.
  The server scores a point for each successful rally and then serves again from the alternate service court if he or she prevails.
  Whenever the receiver wins a rally, the receiver receives a point and is promoted to the position of new server. They serve from the appropriate service court – the left service court if their score is odd, and the right service court if their score is even.

Doubles

• There is only one ‘set’ for a side.
  As shown in the diagram, the service is delivered to the players in a sequential manner.
  If there is a tie in the score at the beginning of a game, the server serves from the right service court. When the odds are in favour of the server, he serves from the left court.
  The serving side scores a point when it wins a rally, and the same server serves again from the alternate service court if the serving side wins.
  It is possible for the receiving side to score a point if they win a rally. In this case, the receiving side takes over as the new serving side.
  The players do not switch to their respective service courts until they have won a point while their respective side is serving the ball.

If a player makes a mistake on the service court, the mistake is corrected as soon as the mistake is discovered.

This is the outcome of a doubles match between A & B and C & D. The toss was won by A & B, who elected to serve. C will be served by A. The initial server will be A, and the initial receiver will be C. The initial server and receiver will be A and C.