Badminton Help Sheet

The basics of badminton scoring are straightforward and can lead to winning a point at any moment during the game. Points can be scored when the shuttlecock, commonly referred to as the shuttle, lands within the boundaries of the opponent's side of the court. Conversely, a player also gains a point if the shuttle lands out on their own side of the court. Understanding where to serve from is crucial: players must serve from the right service court when the score is even, and from the left service court when the score is odd.

Badminton has specific rules for serving and receiving that differ between singles and doubles play. A simple way to remember the court markings is that for singles play, the court is "long and thin", while for doubles play, it is "short and fat". This reflects the different in-bounds areas for each game format. In terms of game objectives, in both doubles and men's singles matches, the first player or pair to reach 15 points wins the game. In women's singles, the game is slightly shorter, with the winner being the first to 11 points. These rules establish the framework for competitive play, ensuring clarity and fairness in the scoring process.