Badminton Scoring System Explained
Badminton uses rally scoring to 21, but its service rule is unusual: which side of the court you serve from depends on whether your own score is odd or even.
Game format
- Best of three games, each played to 21.
- Two points of margin required — 22–20, 23–21 and so on.
- Hard cap at 30: the first to 30 wins even at 30–29.
The service court rule
Serve from the right court when your score is even, from the left when it is odd. Since your score only changes when you win a rally, you naturally alternate sides through a run of points — and a server who loses the rally hands the serve over entirely.
Changing ends
Players change ends after each game, and again in the deciding third game when one side reaches 11 points. It equalises any drift or lighting advantage in the hall.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A shuttle touching any part of a line is in, exactly as in tennis.
No. Touching the net with racket, body or clothing while the shuttle is in play loses the rally immediately.