Scoring System: 21-Point Rally

Badminton matches consist of the best of 3 games using rally scoring: every rally earns one point for its winner, regardless of who served. The game winner is the player or pair that first reaches 21 points.

If the score ties at 20-20, the winner must lead by 2 points first. If the score reaches 29-29, the 30th point decides it. The side winning a game earns the right to serve first in the next game.

Court Dimensions and the Net

Doubles badminton courts measure 13.4 meters x 6.1 meters, while singles courts are 5.18 meters wide. The net is set at 1.524 meters high in the middle of the court (1.55 meters at the posts).

When the score reaches 11, players get a 60-second interval. A 2-minute break is allowed between games, and in the third game players change ends when the score reaches 11.

Service Rules

The serve must be delivered by striking the shuttle below the server's waist and below the server's arm — overarm serves are not allowed by the BWF. The server's feet must not lift or shift before the shuttle is struck.

In singles, the serve is delivered from the right service court when the server's score is even, and from the left when odd. Doubles follows the same pattern, with service rotation between partners per the rules.

Faults That Give Points to the Opponent

Several faults hand the point to the opponent: the shuttle landing outside the boundary lines, the shuttle hitting the net and failing to cross, or the shuttle being struck twice.

Other faults include the racket or any body part touching the net, the racket crossing the net while striking, an incorrect serve, and deliberately distracting the opponent. Knowing this list helps avoid losing unnecessary points.

A Brief History of Badminton

Badminton traces its roots to the game of Poona in 19th-century India, later brought to Europe by British soldiers and popularized at Badminton House — the origin of the sport's name. The international federation IBF was founded in 1934 and renamed the BWF in 2006.

Badminton officially became an Olympic sport at Barcelona 1992, and has since been one of Indonesia's flagship sports on the international stage.