Starting out
Badminton rules, plainly.
Enough to walk onto a court and not feel lost — scoring, serving, which lines are in, and the bits specific to playing here.
01Scoring
How a game is won.
Badminton uses rally scoring: every rally gives someone a point, regardless of who served. A game is to 21 and a match is best of three. You change ends after each game, and in a deciding third game you change again when the leading score reaches 11.
| Situation | Target | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Normal game | 21 | Must win by two clear points |
| Tied at 20–20 | 22+ | Play continues until a two-point lead |
| Tied at 29–29 | 30 | Next point wins — no further deuce |
| Match | Best of 3 | Change ends after each game |
02Serving
Getting the serve right.
The serve is where most beginners give away points. Three rules cover nearly all of it. Strike the shuttle below your waist with the racket head angled down. Serve from the right-hand court when your score is even and the left when it is odd. And the shuttle must land in the service box diagonally opposite.
In doubles the service box is shorter than the full court — the serve has to land before the inner back line. Once the rally is live, the full back line applies again. Getting this wrong is the single most common doubles error among people who learned the game casually.
03The basics
Questions everyone asks first.
How does badminton scoring work?
Best of three games to 21 points, rally scoring — every rally scores, whoever serves. You must win by two, so at 20–20 play continues until someone leads by two, up to a cap of 30. At 29–29 the next point takes it.
Who serves, and from where?
The side that won the last rally serves next. Serve from the right court when your score is even, the left when it is odd. The shuttle must be struck below your waist with the racket head pointing downwards, and it goes diagonally across to the opposite service court.
Are the court lines different for singles and doubles?
Yes, and it catches everyone out. Singles uses the long, narrow court — inner side tramlines, back line at the very rear. Doubles uses the full width but a shorter service box: the serve must land before the inner back line, though once the rally is going the full back line is in.
What counts as a fault?
Shuttle landing out, failing to clear the net, hitting it twice, touching the net with racket or body while the rally is live, reaching over the net to hit it, or a serve that breaks the below-the-waist rule. Hitting the shuttle on your side of the net and following through over it is fine.
Can the shuttle touch the net on a serve?
Yes. Under current rules a serve that clips the net and lands in is live — play on. There is no let for that any more.
How long does a game take?
A casual three-game match runs roughly 40 minutes to an hour. That is why courts here are hired by the hour, and why an hour is tight for four people who want a proper session.
04Playing here
Playing in Sri Lanka.
The things the rulebook does not cover, and nobody tells you until you have been turned away at the door.
What should I bring to a court in Sri Lanka?
Non-marking indoor shoes — most halls enforce this and some will turn you away without them. Your own racket if you have one, because rental stock is usually worn and strung low. Water, because not every hall sells it. Shuttles are generally available on site.
Feather or nylon shuttles?
Nylon for casual play here. Feather shuttles fly better but die fast in Sri Lankan humidity, and a tube can disappear in a couple of sessions. Most regulars save feathers for matches and use nylon the rest of the time.
Do I need to book, or can I just turn up?
Mornings and early afternoons you can usually walk in. Between 6 and 9 in the evening every hall in and around Colombo fills, so book a day or two ahead. Booking means phoning or messaging on WhatsApp — almost nowhere takes an online reservation.
How much does a court cost?
Charged per court per hour, not per player, so a game split four ways is cheap. Rates run from around LKR 700 at municipal halls to several thousand at private air-conditioned courts in Colombo, and nearly everywhere charges more after 6 PM.
What is the etiquette in a Sri Lankan hall?
Turn up on time, because the court is booked by the clock and the next group is waiting. Collect your shuttles. If you are playing next to a serious group, keep your stray shuttles off their court and expect the same back. Nobody will say anything about your standard — this is a friendly scene.
Why does the shuttle fly differently in the afternoon?
Heat. Warm air is less dense, so the shuttle travels further — in an un-air-conditioned hall at two in the afternoon your clears will sail long until you shorten your swing. The same shuttle plays noticeably slower at six in the morning.
Know the rules. Now find a court.
Courts across the island with the floor, the ventilation and the rate where we have it.