What is badminton
Badminton is a singles or doubles racket sport played indoors with a feathered (or plastic) shuttlecock that does not bounce — every shot is a volley. The shuttle is the fastest projectile in any sport: a smash from a top player exceeds 300 mph at the racket. Despite that, badminton is one of the easiest racket sports to start, because the shuttle slows down dramatically over the length of the court.
The court
- — Singles court: 13.4m long × 5.18m wide.
- — Doubles court: same length, wider — 6.1m wide. Two extra "tramlines" on each side are in for doubles, out for singles.
- — Net: 1.55m at the posts, 1.524m in the middle.
- — Service courts: divided into right and left service courts. There is a "short service line" 1.98m from the net (your serve must clear it) and, in doubles, a "long service line for doubles" 0.76m inside the back boundary.
The racket and the shuttle
- — Racket: 80-100g, much lighter than a tennis racket. Stiff or flexible shaft, head-heavy or even-balance. Beginners want even-balance and medium-flex.
- — Shuttlecock: feathered (16 goose feathers, traditional, used in serious play) or plastic (cheaper, used in casual play). Feathered shuttles fly more accurately and are required at any competitive level.
- — Court shoes: indoor non-marking soles. Badminton has explosive lateral movement and you need shoes that grip a wood floor without sliding.
The legal serve
A badminton serve must be hit underarm, with the entire racket head clearly below the server's waist (defined as the lowest part of the rib cage), and with the racket shaft pointing downwards. The shuttle must be struck below the server's waist line — and below 1.15m from the floor under the BWF "fixed service height" rule introduced in 2018, which removed the old "below the rib cage" judgement call from umpires.
The serve must travel diagonally — from the right service court to the diagonally-opposite right service court when the server's score is even, and from the left when it's odd. Both feet must be inside the service court and not touching any line.
scoreboard
live.
Scoring
- — Rally scoring: every rally produces a point. The BWF moved away from the old "service-only" scoring in 2006.
- — Game: first to 21, win by 2.
- — Cap at 30: if neither side leads by 2 at 29-29, the next point wins outright.
- — Match: best of 3 games.
- — Side change: at the end of each game, and once either side reaches 11 in the deciding game.
Singles vs doubles serving (the confusing bit)
Singles serving is determined by the server's score: even score → serve from the right court, odd score → serve from the left court. Same for the receiver — they receive from the right when their score is even.
Doubles serving works the same way for the serving partnership — the partner whose turn it is to serve serves from the right when their team's score is even and from the left when odd. But once your side wins a rally and you keep serve, the same player keeps serving and just switches sides. When your side loses a rally, your partner does NOT also get a serve before the side-out (this changed in 2006 — old badminton had partner-serve rotation, modern badminton doesn't).
The four shots you must learn
- — Clear: a high, deep shot to the back of the opponent's court. Used to reset the rally and push your opponent back.
- — Drop: a soft shot that falls just over the net. Used to drag your opponent forward.
- — Drive: a flat, fast shot at body height. Used to take time away.
- — Smash: a steeply downward attacking shot from above your head. The point-ender.
A new player who can hit a deep clear, an accurate drop, and the occasional smash will beat anyone who only flat-hits. The clear is especially underrated — it gives you time and forces errors.
Frequently asked
Is badminton easy to learn?
Yes — the basic motion is intuitive and the underhand serve is forgiving. Most people can sustain a rally in their first session. Becoming actually good (deep clears, accurate drops, footwork patterns) takes years of court time.
How is badminton scored?
Rally scoring, first to 21, win by 2, capped at 30. Best of 3 games. Every rally produces a point regardless of who served. Side change at the end of each game and at 11 in the decider.
What is the cap at 30 in badminton?
A normal badminton game ends at 21 with a 2-point lead. If neither side has a 2-point lead, you keep playing — but the first side to reach 30 wins the game outright, even by a single point. This rule produces the famous 29-30 finishes at world-level events.
Why can't I serve overhand in badminton?
Because the BWF rules require an underarm serve with the racket head clearly below your waist (and below 1.15m from the floor since 2018). Overhand serves were prohibited specifically because they'd give the server an enormous advantage on a slow projectile that doesn't bounce.
Plastic or feathered shuttles?
Feathered for any serious play. Plastic for casual recreational use because they cost a fraction and last longer. Feathered shuttles fly more accurately, drop more abruptly at the end of their flight, and feel completely different — switch to them as soon as you can.
Why does the shuttle slow down so much?
A shuttlecock has enormous drag relative to its mass. A smash leaves the racket at over 300 mph and arrives at the other side at maybe 60. That deceleration is what makes badminton playable — and what makes the deep clear such a powerful tactical shot.