To play competitive badminton, it is essential to learn the rules – as with all sports. This makes play more enjoyable and helps to promote fair play without disagreements. A match consists of the best of three games of 21 points with the winner of a rally adding a point to their score. At 20 all the first to gain a 2 point lead then wins that game. At 29 all, the first to reach 30 points wins that game. The winner of a game serves first in the next game. As in lawn tennis, a badminton match can be played by 2 single players or 4 to make doubles partnerships. Competition games must be played on an indoor court of official dimensions. A point is scored when the shuttlecok lands inside the opponent court, or if a returned shuttlecok hits the net on the sending side or lands outside the court of play. To start a game, the server and receiving player stand in diagonally opposite service courts and a legal serve must be hit diagonally over the net and across the court. The serve has a set of rules to itself. It must be hit underarm and below the server’s waist height. The whole of the shuttle should be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court when it is hit by the server with the racquet shaft pointing downwards. The shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce. After a point is won, the players move to the opposite service stations for the next point. There are no second serves allowed. During the point a player can return the shuttlecock from inside and outside of the court. A player must not touch the net with any part of their body or racquet and a player must not deliberately distract their opponent. The shuttlecock must not be hit twice. A ‘let’ may be called by the referee if an unforeseen or acidental isue arises. There must be two rest period, one of of 90 seconds, after the first game and a longer one of 5 minutes after the second game. Ther are also rules on how many officials must be in attendance for competions. . . . to be discussed later.
