Badminton is a racquet sport played on a rectangular court, and it can be played as singles or doubles. It is a fast paced game where players hit a shuttlecock back and forth over a net to try and score points. Badminton is an Olympic sport and requires a good amount of physical fitness to be proficient. The shuttlecock which players hit is also known as a "birdie" or "shuttle." It fits in your hand and has one open end and a cork base at the other end. Shuttles were once made with goose or duck feathers but now are mostly synthetic.
Etiquette
Often times in badminton, there is no official referee or umpire, so it is up to the players to call the game fairly and abide by the rules. You must not walk on an occupied badminton court, and the server should call out the score before he serves.
Scoring
As of 2006, the Badminton World Federation adopted new scoring rules. All badminton matches are to be played as a best two of three, with each game going up to 21 points. The side that wins each rally adds one point to his score. If the score ends up at 20 to 20, the player or team that scores two consecutive points wins the game. If a score ends up 29 to 29, the first player or team to 30 points wins.
Service
The serve is hit once by the serving side and must cross over the net and land in the designated area without touching anything. Players or teams serve and receive in the right service court when an even number of points have been scored, and in the left service court when an odd number of points have been scored. The shuttle is hit back and forth over the net until a fault is made by either team or it is no longer in play.
Faults
Faults occur in badminton for a number of reasons. If the shuttle lands outside the court or goes through or under the net, it is a fault. If the shuttle hits the ceiling or walls, a player or her clothes, it is a fault. If a player's racquet or body touches the net, or if you reach under the net and distract your opponent, it is a fault. If you hit the shuttle twice before it goes over the net, it is a fault.
Let
Let is called by a player or umpire for any accidental occurrence. When a let occurs, any play since the last serve is not counted, and the same player continues to serve. Lets are called if the shuttle ends up suspended on top of the net, if you serve before the receiver is ready, if the shuttle is broken into pieces or if the umpire is unable to make a call.
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