Badminton Scoring System: 21 Points (the New Rules)

The badminton scoring system discussed on this page is based on the 21 points or known to many as the new rules.

Whether it's badminton singles or doubles, whichever team reaches 21 points first will be the winner of the game.

Winning/ Losing Points

You get a point by winning a rally.

You win a rally if the shuttle drops within the INSIDE boundaries of your opponent's side of the court.

Once you're awarded 1 point, you're deemed the winner of a badminton rally.

The winner of a rally will be awarded 1 point, and then starts the next rally by making a badminton service.

Badminton Scoring and Serving Position for SINGLES

You should also know which area on the court you should be standing when making a service. It's very simple.

The player making a service serves diagonally to the opponent's side.

Deuce in Badminton

If both players deuce at 20-20, counting of points will continue even after 21 points. A player will ONLY be announced as the winner if he/she leads by 2 points (eg. 22-20, 23-21, 24-22...)

See the picture above for better understanding. Serve to the gray colored area. Anywhere outside the gray area is considered to be OUT.

Note: See badminton rules for detailed information on the "in" or "out" boundaries for a badminton serve.

The player with an:

EVEN number score (2,4,6,8...) will serve from the RIGHT hand side area of the court.
ODD number score (1,3,5,7...) will serve from the LEFT hand side of the court.

A simple illustration is provided in the picture below.

Badminton Scoring and Serving Position for DOUBLES

The serving position for badminton doubles is pretty much the same with badminton singles. The only difference is that one side will have 2 players.

I'll just provide a simple example to explain it clearly.

Badminton players only switch areas when the party making the serve wins consecutive points.

Still don't get it?

Don't worry! It's pretty simple. Here are examples of 2 possible scenarios...

One team will have 2 players (player A and Player B). The score is 0-0 and the team will start the game by making the first badminton service.

Scenario 1:

In the above picture, "player A" stands at the right hand side and their current point is 0, so "player A" will serve from the right side.

If the team WINS the rally, the point will be 1-0 and "player A" will have to move to the left hand side of the court. "Player B" moves to the right hand side (i.e. both of them switch places).

Now, "Player A" will make the service from the left side.

Scenario 2:

Let's go back to 0-0. Say "player A" starts the service. But this time, they LOSE a point to the opposing team. The score is 1-0. The opponent gets to serve now.

Then during the next rally, "player A's" team WINS THE POINT BACK and gets 1-1. This time, "player B" serves** instead of "player A" (They DO NOT need to switch areas).

**Since 1 is an odd number, the player standing at the left hand side of the court will make the service.

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