The Rules of Badminton

Basic Badminton Etiquette

• Badminton etiquette is strictly observed at Berkeley Echo Lake Camp. You should familiarize yourself with basic court etiquette before stepping onto the court.
• Do not walk across, behind or beside a court while the shuttle is in play.
• Make your own line calls for shuttles falling on your side of the court. Your opponents will call the lines on their side of the court. If unsure of a call, you are expected to give your opponent the benefit of the doubt. Your line calls should be communicated immediately.
• Do not delay the game.
• Abusive behaviour, profane language, and racquet throwing are not tolerated.
• Wear appropriate attire (non-marking court shoes, sport shorts or skirt, t-shirt or collared sport shirt, tracksuit).
• Always treat your opponents, your partners, coaches, officials, tournament organizers and members of the public with respect.
• Arrive on court as soon as your match is called. But do not walk across, behind or beside a court while the shuttle is in play.
• During play, ensure that play is continuous. Stalling is not permitted. Retrieve shuttles falling on your side of the net and return them promptly. Call out the score before each service, which should be delivered as soon as your opponent is ready.
• Always make fair, quick and accurate line calls.
• Abide by the Laws of Badminton, observe all rules of the Berkeley Echo Lake Camp and regulations of the tournament.
• Abusive behaviour, profane language, and racquet throwing are strictly prohibited. If a problem occurs during a match, athletes are expected to speak to the referee or tournament official immediately.
• All athletes are expected to abide by reasonable requests from any tournament official.
• All athletes under 18 years of age must have a designated chaperon for a tournament event.
• Do not attempt to hit the shuttle if there is a risk of colliding with or striking any other player (or other person in the vicinity)
• Do not aim the shuttle towards the head or face of any player standing near the net
• Do not turn to face your partner during a rally in doubles.
• Do not cross another court while it is in use, even if there is no rally currently in play.
• Ensure that there are no obstacles near the court with which the players may collide. If there are fixed obstacles, such as radiators or posts, then warn the players to take care when playing near them.
• Do not allow players to leave shuttles which might be stepped upon lying on the floor during practices and play.

Toss

• Before beginning to play opposing sides toss a coin (or shuttle).
• The winning side chooses either to serve or to receive or to play at a particular end of the court (there may be an advantage to a particular end due to differing backgrounds).
• The losing side may make the remaining choice.

General Scoring

• Only the serving side can add a point to its score.
• The game is won by the first side to score 15 points (except in girls'/women's singles in which 11 points constitutes the end of a game).
• The right to serve is decided by the previous rally. If the server wins the rally he/she scores a point and he/she will serve again. If he/she loses the rally no point is scored and in singles, the opponent will serve next.
• The shuttle is hit alternately by the serving and receiving side (once only per side) until a "fault" is made or the shuttle ceases to be in play.
• The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
• A match consists of the best two of three games.
• A five minute rest interval is allowed between the 2nd and 3rd games.

Service

• The server and receiver stand within diagonally opposite service courts.
• The shuttle is hit below the server's waist the whole head of the racquet shall at the instant of hitting the shuttle be discernibly below the whole of the server's hand.
• The shuttle falls in the receiver's service court.

Serving in Singles

• Play always begins with both server and receiver in their right service court.
• If you have an even number of points you serve from the right service court.
• If you have an odd number of points you serve from the left service court.
• This also applies for setting where the server's total score determines where to stand.
• The receiver stands in the diagonal court from whichever service court the server is in.

Scoring in Singles

• Only the serving side can add a point to its score.
• The game is won by the first side to score 15 points (except in girls'/women's singles in which 11 points constitutes the end of a game).
• The right to serve is decided by the previous rally.
• If the server wins the rally he/she scores a point and he/she will serve again from the other service court.
• If he/she loses the rally no point is scored and the opponent will serve next.
• The shuttle is hit alternately by the opponents (once only per side) until a "fault" is made or the shuttle ceases to be in play.
• The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
• Opponents change ends after the completion of each game.
• A match consists of the best two of three games.
• If a third game is necessary, opponents change ends when the first person reaches 8 points for boys'/men's singles or 6 points for girls'/women's singles in the third game.

Setting in Singles

• If boys'/men's singles opponents become tied at 14-all in a game, the person that reached 14 points first has the option of extending the game to 17 points (i.e. setting 3 points from 14-all).
• If girls'/women's singles opponents become tied at 10-all in a game, the person that reached 10 points first has the option of extending the game to 13 points (i.e. setting 3 points from 10-all).
• After the setting the score is called "Love-All" (0-0).

Faults

• It is a fault: if a service is not correct
• if a server in attempting to serve misses the shuttle
• if in play the shuttle lands outside the court or passes through/under the net
• touches any object other than the player's racquet or net
• if the shuttle is not hit on the striker's side of the net (striker's follow through can be over the net, so long as point of contact is on own side)
• if player touches the net with racquet or person
• if a player hits the shuttle twice in succession.

Lets

• When a "let" occurs, the player who served last shall serve again and no points are to be awarded.
• A "let" may be given for any unforeseen or accidental occurrence that stops play (eg. If the server serves before the receiver is ready, or if a shuttle from an adjacent court disturbs play.

Serving in Doubles

• In doubles the players must first decide who will serve and receive the first service from the right service court.
• Whichever partner begins in the right service court will always be in that court when the team's score is even, and their partner will be in the left service court.
• The opposite applies when the score is odd.
• This also applies for setting where the serving side's total score determines where to stand.
• Except on the first service opportunity, each team receives two service opportunities.
• If on the start of their team's service opportunity, the team fails to win a point, it falls to the partner who did not serve to try to win a point.
• If the team again fails to win a point, the service opportunity goes over to their opponents.
• The first service opportunity always begins on the right side.
• If the team wins a point, the partner who delivered the serve continues to serve but from the other side of the court (eg. If he/she served and won a point from the right service court, the next service is delivered from the left service court).
• Although the server and receivers must remain in their appropriate service courts, their partners may take up any position which does not unsight the opposing server or receiver.

Scoring in Doubles

• The shuttle is hit alternately by the serving and receiving side (once only per side) until a "fault" is made or the shuttle ceases to be in play.
• Only the serving side can add a point to its score.
• The game is won by the 1st side to 15.
• If the server wins the rally he/she scores a point and he/she will serve again. If he/she loses the rally no point is scored.
• If it is the team's first service opportunity ("First Serve"), the partner is allowed a second service opportunity ("Second Serve").
• Once the second service has been lost, the right to serve passes to the opponents ("Service Over").
• No player shall receive two consecutive services in the same game.
• If an error (eg. serving out of turn or receiving from the wrong service court) is discovered before the next service, it is a "let" unless only one side was at fault and lost the rally.
• If the error is discovered after the next service, players remain in their new positions for the remainder of the game.
• The side winning a game serves first in the next game and team change ends. If a third game is necessary, teams change ends when the first team reaches 8 points in the third game.

Setting in Doubles

• If teams become tied at 14-all in a game, the team that reached 14 points first has the option of extending the game to 17 points (i.e. setting 3 points from 14-all).