Hints and Simple Rules of Badminton

PLAYING HINTS

FOREHAND GRIP - In general, the racket should be gripped as though the player were shaking hands with it. This may seem unnatural, but with practice and patience it will become a habit.

BACKHAND GRIP - Allow the hand to turn slightly, placing the thumb against the back of the handle. On backhand shots, the shuttle should come in contact with the opposite side of the racket head.

HOLDING THE RACKET - The racket should not be held so tightly so as to make the wrist and arm tense and strained. This is particularly important when serving low serves and making net shots.

POSITION OF RACKET - Keep the racket head well up and ready for any kind of shot at all times.

WRIST - A stiff wrist, as used in tennis, is not used in badminton. Cock the wrist with the head of the racket back. If a shot is made without a swishing sound, the wrist is probably locked and will result in lost impetus of the racket head.

REACHING - The majority of strokes utilize the full length of the arm, particularly overhead clears, smashes and drops, drives, and many net shots.

FOOTWORK - Footwork is the most important factor in getting the body in position to make the correct stroke. Forehand and backhand strokes hit underhand at the net should be made with the right foot forward. All overhead forehand strokes should be made with the left foot forward, while backhand strokes should be made with the right foot forward (reverse for left handed players). Starting and turning quickness are more important than straight away speed; short steps are better than long strides. Avoid stroking with both feet directly facing the net.

SIMPLE RULES

TO START A GAME
Toss a coin or shuttle, or spin the racket. The winner has a choice of 1) to serve or receive first, and 2) ends.

POSITION ON COURT AT THE START OF A GAME
Server stands inside service court on the right side (facing the net). Receiver stands inside service court on the opposite right side (facing the net). Partners may stand anywhere on either side providing they do not block the view of the receiver.

POSITION OF THE SERVER
Singles - If server’s score is even (0, 2, 4, etc.), server is on right side. If server’s score is odd (1, 3, 5, etc.), server is on left side.
Doubles - When a team’s score is even, that team is in their starting positions . When odd, reverse positions.

TO START THE PLAY
The server on the right side serves to the receiver on the opposite right side. The receiver must not move until the server hits the shuttle.

SERVER MUST

Keep part of both feet in a stationary position on the floor.
Hit the base of the shuttle first.
Hit the shuttle below the server’s waist.
Hit the shuttle with all of the racket’s head clearly below the hand that holds the racket.
Have the racket move continuously forward (no fake allowed).

DURING PLAY
Singles - If the server wins the rally, he scores a point, changes service court side, and continues to serve. If he loses, his opponent serves and no point is scored.
Doubles - If the team serving wins the rally, a point is scored, and the server switches service court position and continues to serve.1f they lose the rally, the partner serves from the other side and no point is scored. After the team serving loses two rallies, the serve goes to the opponents. Note: After the start of the game in doubles, the side which begins the serve has only one serve.

SERVER OR RECEIVER ON WRONG SIDE
Play a let, correct the error, if the person who made the mistake wins the rally and it is discovered before the next service. The score stands if the person who made the mistake loses the rally, in which case, the players will remain on the "wrong" side. If the next serve has been made, the score stands and the players remain on the "wrong" side.

TAKE A "LET" IF

The server or receiver is on the wrong side and wins the rally.
There is outside interference (shuttle from another court lands on the playing area).
The shuttle goes over the net, catches and stays on or in the opposite side of the net (except on the serve).

FAULTS

Shuttle lands outside the court boundaries (head of the shuttle landing on the line is a good shot).
Racket or clothing touches the net while the shuttle is in play.
Player reaches over and hits the shuttle on the opposite side of the net (when it is hit on player’s side, follow-through over the net is legal). Shuttle is clearly carried on the racket and thrown over.
Shuttle hits with two strokes by one side (two hits on one stroke is legal).
Shuttle hits the player, player’s clothing, ceiling, or the surrounding court area.
Interfering with the shuttle, misconduct, or stalling after one warning (penalty -- lose serve or give opponents a point).
Receiver’s partner hits the service.
Server swings and misses the shuttle.

SHUTTLE IS IN PLAY -- From the time it hits the server’s racket until it:

hits the floor.
hits the ceiling, or outside the court area.
hits person or clothing.
hits net on hitter’s side and starts to drop on hitter’s side.

Note: A shuttle hitting the net on the serve and going over, is a good serve, provided the shuttle lands in the service court.

END OF GAME
For women’s singles, the first one to make 11 points wins. At 9-all, the first player to reach 9 has the option to set or not to set. No set means playing to 11. Set means the score goes back to love-all, and the first to get three points, wins. If play continues without set and the players reach a score of 10-all, the first player to reach 10 has the option to set or not to set. If the game is set, the score goes to love-all, and the first to get two points, wins.

All other games are 15 points. At 13-all, set is 5, and at 14 all, set is 3.1f the game is not set at 13-all, it may be set at 14-all. A match is two out of three games.

The winner of the first game serves first from the other end in the new game. The winner of the second game in a three-game match changes ends and serves. In the third game, the players change ends and continue serving at six in women’s singles and eight in all other games.