In badminton, matches are played in sets of three. The game can be played by singles or by doubles teams, similar to tennis. Games used to go to 15 points under the game's old scoring system. However, they now go to 21 points. The governing body for badminton rules is the Badminton World Federation. It was formerly called the International Badminton Federation.
Rally Point System
The biggest change to the game is in the scoring system, which is now a 21-point rally point scoring system. The International Badminton Federation officially changed the scoring system for the game in 2006. Under this system, a point is scored every time there is a serve instead of limiting scoring to the serving side, according to Badminton Canada. The side that wins each rally adds a point to its score under the new system, regardless of which side served.
Service
If it's a singles game, the player serves from the right service court when her score is even, including at the beginning of the game when the score is 0-0-. If that server wins the game's initial rally, and thus scores one point, she serves from the left side service court because her score is odd. When it's a doubles game, the person serving retains the serve until the team quits winning rallies. The server alternates service courts as in the singles game depending on whether the score is even or odd.
When serving, the shuttlecock has to be hit below the server's waist. The racquet head also is required to stay below the server's wrist. That forces the server to play the serve underarm, advises BBC Sport.
Matches
A match under the rally point scoring system consists of the best of three 21-point games. If the teams are tied at 20, the first team to establish a two-point lead wins the game. If the teams get to a 29-point tie, then the first team to hit 30 wins, according to the Badminton World Federation.
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