The badminton rules and regulations in your recreational league may differ slightly from the Laws of Badminton issued by the Badminton World Federation. The BWF regulations state they control the game in all countries on an international scale. Recreational badminton rules may not give points for faults and sometimes play to a lower point total.
Service
Decide who serves first by tossing a coin. The first server serves from the right service court diagonally into the opponent's right service court. Serve from the right every time you have an even numbered score and serve from the left when your score is an odd number. In badminton rules the shuttle can hit the net during service as long as it makes it over to the other side. In official BWF rules the server and the receiver can score points.
Score
A badminton match is a best-of-three series. Each game is played until a player scores 21 points with at least a two point lead. If the game reaches 29-all, the player scoring the 30th point wins the game. You can score a point by winning a rally or when the referee issues your opponent a fault. Win the rally by grounding the shuttle into your opponent's side of the court. According to badminton regulations, switch sides with your opponent after each game. This is called "change of ends." If you need to play a third game, switch sides again after the first player scores 11 points.
Faults
Violate the rules and regulations of badminton and you will receive a fault issued by the referee. According to the Laws of Badminton, when you commit a fault, your opponent gains a point and serves next. You can commit a fault one of several ways. If the shuttle lands out of bounds, makes contact with the ceiling or goes underneath the net a fault is issued. If the shuttle catches up in the net and does not reach your opponents side, that's a fault too.
Equipment
BWF regulations state the stringed area of your badminton racket must "consist of a pattern of crossed strings either alternately interlaced or bonded where they cross." The head of a badminton racket used for official competition must comply with BWF regulations. Metric measurements are provided. The head of your racket cannot be larger than 280 mm long and 220 mm wide.
Set up the badminton net according to regulations provided by the BWF. String a dark colored net from posts inserted through the doubles sidelines, with no gaps between the post and the net. The BWF requires the measurement from the center of the court to the top of the net to be 1.524 meters.
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