BASIC RULES AND
REGULATIONS
The official rules of the game follow the International
Badminton Association (IBF)
or
Badminton World Federation (BWF)

TOSSING FOR SERVE
– Before a match begins, opponents can
toss a coin, spin a racket, or toss a
shuttle to determine who shall get the
choice of “serve” or “side”

SCORING
– The rally point system is used in scoring
the badminton game which means, any
fault committed by the serving or
receiving team gains point.

Types of Scoring
Love – designates score of zero
Love-All – is called when both opponents
or teams have a score of zero
In Side – is called for the serving player
or team
Out Side – is called for the receiving
player or team
Game Point – is the point that a server
won which results to the server winning
the match

According to IBF
All double games, as well as men’s
singles, are played to 15 points, a women’s
single game ends at 11 points.

21 point scoring system
• The Badminton 21 points scoring system started in
the Thomas / Uber Cup 2006.
-A match consists of best of 3 games.
-The side that first scored 21 points shall win.
-The side winning a rally shall add 1 point to its score.
-If a score becomes 20-20, the side which scores 2
consecutive points shall win that game.
-If the score becomes 29-29, the side that scores the
30th point shall win that game.
-The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
-When one side reaches 11 points, both players get a
60 second break.
-Both sides get a 2-minute break between first and
second games, and another 2-minute break between
second and third game.
-Other rules shall remain the same.

Additional knowledge
• The 21 Point Scoring System was implemented by the BWF
(Badminton World Federation)
• The BWF is the international governing body for the sport
of badminton. Founded in 1934 as IBF.
• On September 24, 2006, at the Extraordinary General
Meeting in Madrid, it was decided to adopt the name
Badminton World Federation.

BWF Information
• Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• President: Poul-Erik Hayer Larsen (2012-now)
• The BWF works in cooperation with regional
governing bodies to promote and develop the
sport of badminton around the world, they are:

Service Rotation (Singles)
1.) When a player serves, their racket must be below their
waist, and the racket head below their hand. The server
must also have both feet stationary and firmly planted on
the ground.
2.) In singles play the players shall stand diagonally from
each other in opposite service courts, and you may not
touch any part of the boundary lines with your feet.
3.) In singles play the player that wins the first game shall
serve first in the second game.

• Player A from team 1 serves from the right hand side of
their court to the opposite side of the court to team 2.
• If team 1 wins the rally then he/she shall continue to
serve, this time from the left hand side of the court across
diagonally to team 2.
• Player A continues to serve alternating sides until he/she
loses the point, at this time team 2 gets to serve.
• Whoever is on the right hand side of the court when team
2 wins the rally shall serve first.
• They continue to serve, alternating sides until they lose the
rally, at this time the serve is given to their partner on team
2.
• When team 2 loses the rally again the serve is then given
back to team 1, where the next player takes their turn
serving, and then the whole process repeats itself.

Service Rotation
(Doubles)
• Player A from Team 1
serves from the right hand
side of his/her court
(diagram 1).
• If he/she wins the
point, then Player A serves
from the left side of his/her
court (diagram 2)
• Player A continues
alternating sides until
he/she loses the
service, after which, Player
B from Team 2 gets the
serve.

• Whoever is on the
right side of Team 2’s
court when they
obtain the
serve, serves first
(diagram 3).
• This person continues
serving in the same
fashion as the earlier
servers (alternating left
and right sides). This
player, Player
B, continues serving
until he/she loses the
service (diagram 4).

• After Player B is done
serving, Player C from
Team 2 begins their
serve (diagram 5).
• After Player C loses the
serve, Team 2 gives up
the serve back to Team
1, where Player D
begins to take his/her
turn serving (diagram
6). After Player D ends
their turn serving, the
serve returns to
PlayerA and the whole
process repeats itself.

Faults
• A team that violates the rules is charged with a fault. If the
serving team faults, a side-out results (loss of serve), if the
receiving team faults, points points for the serving team.
• It is fault (lost of service “hand out” for the serving or loss
of point for the receiving side) when:
• Service is illegal (not correct);
• If the server, in attempt to serve, misses the shuttle;
• If on a serve, the shuttle is caught or on the net, either
before or after passing over the net;
• If in play, the shuttle lands outside the boundaries of the
court, passes through under the net, touches the
roof, touches a player or dress layer, touches any object or
person outside the immediate surroundings of the court, is
caught and held on the racket during a stroke.

• If the initial point of contact with the shuttle is not on the
striker’s side of the net.
• If the shuttle is in play, a player touches the net or its
support with racket or body, except on follow through.
• If during a game a player deliberately distracts an opponent
by action, such as shouting or making gestures.
• If a player is guilty of flagrant or repeated misconduct
violations, such as deliberately causing a suspension of
play, interfering with the speed of the shuttle, or behaving
in an offensive manner.

LETS
When lets occurs, players who served serves again. The following
are considered lets:
• A shuttle or player from an adjacent court
enroaches, thus, interfering with play or concentration.
• A shuttle, after passing over the net, becomes caught in or on
the net except during service;
• A shuttle hits an obstruction that hangs over the court and is
lower than the recommended 24-foot ceiling height;
• During service, the receiver and server both fault at the same
time;
• The server serves before the receiver is ready, and
• A line judge is unsighted and the umpire is unable to make
decisions.

Badminton Footworks