How to play Badminton & Rules

Badminton

Individual Sport

Each organization is allowed 1 singles and 1 doubles team. A student may compete in both.

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.

 

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

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.