How to play badminton: rules, scoring and your first match

Badminton is a racket sport played with a shuttlecock (a feathered or plastic projectile) over a high net. You win a point when the shuttle lands in your opponent's court, and you can play one against one (singles) or two against two (doubles). It is light, fast and easy to start, and a few rules are enough to play. This guide summarises the Laws of Badminton of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) as far as you need them for your first match.

The court

• It is 13.4 metres long and 6.1 metres wide for doubles. Singles uses a narrower width of 5.18 metres: the side alleys only count in doubles.
• The net is 1.524 metres high at the centre and 1.55 metres at the posts.
• On each side a centre line splits the court into two service courts, and the short service line is 1.98 metres from the net.
• The doubles long service line sits 76 centimetres inside the back line. In singles, the serve reaches all the way to the back.

How scoring works

Badminton uses rally scoring: every rally gives a point, whoever served.

• A game is won by reaching 21 points with at least a two-point margin.
• If the score reaches 29-29, the next point decides the game: the cap is 30.
• A match is best of three games.
• There is a short break when someone reaches 11 points and a longer one between games.
• The winner of a game serves first in the next one.

The serve

• You serve diagonally: from your service court to the opposite one, on the other side.
• If your score is even, you serve from the right court; if it is odd, from the left.
• The feet of the server and the receiver must stay still and inside their courts until the shuttle is hit.
• At the moment of contact the shuttle must be below the server's waist. The BWF Laws define the waist as an imaginary line level with the lowest part of the server's bottom rib, and the whole shuttle must be below it.
• The racket head must point downward, and the stroke must be continuous, with no pauses or feints.
• For the serve to be good the shuttle must cross the net and land inside the opposite service court, lines included.

During play and faults

After the serve, the shuttle is played in the air, without letting it bounce, until someone fails. A line counts as in. These are faults:

• The shuttle lands outside the court lines.
• The shuttle goes under or around the net, or does not clear it.
• You touch the net with the racket, your body or your clothes while the shuttle is in play.
• You hit the shuttle twice in a row, or you hit it at the same time as your partner.
• The shuttle touches the ceiling, the walls or a person before landing.

Singles and doubles

In singles you play the narrower width and the full length of the court. In doubles the court widens, the serve is shorter at the back and each pair coordinates to cover the space. Whoever makes the shuttle land wins the rally, and the side that wins it serves.

• In singles, the server's score decides the side: even on the right and odd on the left.
• In doubles, only the server changes side when their team wins the point.
• Always talk to your partner: when nobody answers, the shuttle lands in the middle.

The gear

• Racket: very light, with a thin frame and fine strings. To start, a basic one is enough.
• Shuttlecock: natural feather, the type used in top-level competition, or synthetic, which lasts longer. A synthetic one is a good choice for practice.
• Shoes: indoor shoes that do not mark the floor and have good lateral grip, because there are many turns and quick starts.
• Clothing: light and comfortable, letting you stretch your arm fully.
• Net and posts: the venue provides them, or you bring portable ones if you play in a yard or a park.

How to get started

Many people play badminton in a closed gym: the shuttle is so light that wind pushes it off course, which is why indoors without draughts is ideal.

• Start with gentle rallying on forehand and backhand, hitting the shuttle up and forward to feel the contact.
• Practise the short serve and the long serve until they land where you want.
• Learn the base position: in the centre of your side, knees bent, ready to move.
• Warm up shoulders, wrists and legs before playing to avoid injury.

How to find a court in Mexico

MeetAndPlay's badminton page (/badminton) is a directory of places: it lists them by state and city from OpenStreetMap and researched public sources. It is a directory, not a booking system, so contact the venue directly to confirm it is still operating, its hours and its conditions.

Because badminton is played in covered spaces, ask whether a net is already set up or whether you should bring yours, and whether they lend rackets and shuttles for a first time.