Rally Points System

This is a simplified guide to rally points scoring – for full details, check the Badminton England website, or the World Badminton Federation website

 

SCORING SYSTEM

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

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.

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INTERVAL AND CHANGE OF ENDS

When the leading score reaches 11 points, players have a 60 second interval.

A 2 minute interval between each game is allowed.

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

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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 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.

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DOUBLES

The service passes consecutively to the players.

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.

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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.