How To Play Badminton?
Badminton is similar to other racket games, but it requires swift wrist and arm movements. The feathered shuttlecock has a greater aerodynamic drag and it swings differently from a ball.
Below is a simplified version of badminton rules that can acclimatize you to the game.
Getting Ready and Serving
The game starts with a toss. The referee tosses the coin and one player calls ‘Head’ or ‘Tail’. Player or team that wins the toss has an option to choose a side of the court, or an option to serve or receive first. If the player chooses his/her preferred side of the court then, the opponent player or team can choose to serve or receive first and vice versa.
Serving is done diagonally and the first serve is made from the right hand service court. The server should hit the shuttle underarm while it is 1.15m. The server cannot step on boundaries and should serve from the correct service court. If the shuttle hits the net and doesn’t cross it after the service, it has to be served again. If the server commits a fault while serving the opponent gets the opportunity to serve.
The receiving player receives the shuttlecock from the correct service court diagonally opposite to the server’s court and returns it, thus starting a rally. Players can move around their side of the court after returning the service.
When a player shoots the shuttle outside the court boundaries or when a player misses to return the shuttle from his/her side of the court, the opponent gets a point and the rally ends.
At the end of a game players change ends, and in a deciding game players change ends when one player or pair scores 8 (men) or 6 (ladies) points.
Serving rules for singles
The server serves from the right and left side of the service courts alternatively. Once the service is lost the opponent gets the chance.
If the players haven’t scored any points or if they have scored an even number of points they serve from the right side of the service court to the right side of the opponent.
If the players scored an odd number of points, they serve from the left side of the court to the left side of the opponent.
Serving rules for doubles
Each team gets two chances to serve, one for each player. The members in a team serve alternatively. After losing two serves the opposite team gets a chance to serve, and they start from the right side of the court.
The serving team gets only one chance to serve at the beginning of the game.
In Doubles, the pair that served in the previous rally and at the receiving end in the current rally doesn’t change their sides. Players that win a rally and are serving change their sides.
If the players haven’t scored any points or if they have scored an even number of points they serve from the right side of the service court to the right side of the opponent.
If the players scored an odd number of points, they serve from the left side of the court to the left side of the opponent.
Scoring
When the serving side wins a rally a point is added to its score and the player/team serves the next rally.
When the receiving side wins a rally they add a point to their score and serve the next rally.
A rally is won when a player or team makes a fault or when the shuttle lands in the opponent’s court.
The most common faults during a rally are −
Not hitting the shuttle before it lands within the boundaries.
The shuttle is hit into the net.
The shuttle fails to fly above the net.
The shuttle lands outside the court boundary (if the shuttle lands on a line, it is in, but if a player steps on a line while serving or receiving, they are out)
The player’s body or the racket coming into contact with the net.
Same player hitting the shuttle subsequently.
Winning a match
The best of three games make a match.
The team or player scoring 21 points faster, wins a game.
If the score of both the teams is 20 (20-all), then the team that gets a 2 point lead wins the game.
If the score of both the teams is 29 (29-all), then the team that reaches 30th point first wins the game.
The winner of a game also wins the right to serve first in the next game.
Fouls
Players should hit the shuttle only from their side of the court.
Players should not touch the net or slide under it.
The racket of a player should not land on the opposing team’s side.
The shuttle should never hit players, even outside the boundaries.
In Doubles, the shuttle shouldn’t hit a player or his clothing or his racket before his teammate hits it.
Both feet of a player should be on the ground while serving and receiving the service.
