Badminton Scoring System Explained: Rally Points, 21-Point Games and 20-All
The badminton scoring system is rally point to 21, best of three games. Learn the 20-all and 29-all rules, change of ends and intervals in the BWF Laws.
The badminton scoring system works on rally points: the side that wins each rally takes a point, whether or not it served. A game ends when one side reaches 21 points, and unless an event sets other terms, a match is decided over the best of three games. At 20-all a two-point lead is needed, and at 29-all whoever wins the next rally takes the game.
Those basics are enough to follow most matches, but the detail matters for players, umpires and spectators. This guide walks through Law 7 of the Laws of Badminton, published by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), together with the linked rules on serving, changing ends and intervals.
How a Point Is Won
Law 7 ties every point to a rally. A side wins the rally in one of two ways: the other side commits a fault, or the shuttle lands on the court surface within the other side’s half and so goes out of play. One point is then added to the rally winner’s score.
That is the meaning of rally point scoring. Serving is not required in order to score. When the receiving side wins a rally, it collects the point and takes over the service as well.
When a rally does not count
Some stoppages produce no point at all. Law 14 lists situations in which a let is called. Examples include a server who serves before the receiver is ready, a shuttle that breaks apart in play with its base fully detached, and any unforeseen or accidental situation. With a let, the rally since the last service is wiped out, the previous server serves again, and neither side’s score changes.
Winning a Game: 21 Points and the Extension Rules
Twenty-one points is the standard target. Law 7 awards the game to whichever side gets there first, subject to two exceptions.
The 20-all rule
When the game reaches 20-all, Law 7 keeps it going until one side is two points clear. Scores of 22-20 or 25-23 would end the game; 21-20 would not.
The 29-all cap
Law 7 also sets an upper limit. Once the score is 29-all, the game goes to the side that wins the 30th point. A single game therefore cannot go beyond 30-29.
Winning a Match: Best of Three Games
Law 7 sets a match at the best of three games, unless the competition has arranged a different format. The first side to take two games wins the match, and if the first two games are shared, a third game settles it.
Whoever wins a game serves first in the following game. Before play starts, Law 6 calls for a toss. The winner of the toss chooses one option: to serve or receive first, or to begin at a chosen end of the court. The other side then has the option that remains.
Serving and the Score
The score also decides where players stand to serve and receive, which ties positioning closely to the badminton scoring system.
- In singles, Law 10 places both players in their right service courts while the server’s score in that game is zero or an even-numbered total. When the server’s score is an odd-numbered total, both move to their left service courts.
- A server who wins the rally gains a point and then serves from the other service court.
- A receiver who wins the rally gains a point and becomes the next server.
In doubles, Law 11 applies the same even-numbered and odd-numbered pattern to the serving side’s score. Players on the serving side move to the other service court only after winning a point while serving. Law 12 treats serving or receiving out of turn, or from the wrong service court, as a service court error. The fix is made once the shuttle is out of play, and the score at that moment is kept.
Changing Ends
Law 8 sets out when players switch ends of the court:
- After the first game finishes.
- After the second game finishes, when a third game will be played.
- During the third game, at the moment one side reaches 11 points.
Law 8 also deals with a missed change. If players fail to switch at the right time, they switch once the error is noticed and the shuttle is out of play, and the score reached so far is kept.
Intervals Within the Scoring System
The score also sets the timing of breaks. Law 16 allows two kinds of interval:
- During each game, once the leading side reaches 11 points, a break of up to 60 seconds.
- Between the first and second games, and again between the second and third games, a break of up to 120 seconds.
Under Law 16, the Referee of a televised match can decide in advance that these breaks are compulsory and have a fixed length. Apart from the permitted breaks and suspensions, Law 16 requires play to run continuously from the first service to the end of the match.
The 21-Point Format at the Olympic Games
The BWF’s Olympic timeline identifies the Beijing 2008 Games as the first Olympic Games played under the 21-point, best-of-three-games scoring system. That is the format set out in Law 7 and described in this guide.
Quick Summary of the Scoring Rules
- Each rally gives a point to one side.
- A game is won at 21 points.
- At 20-all, a two-point lead is needed.
- At 29-all, the 30th point wins.
- A match is the best of three games unless otherwise arranged.
- The winner of a game serves first in the next game.
- Players change ends after the first game, after the second game if a third is needed, and at 11 points in the third game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points do you need to win a game of badminton?
The first side to 21 points wins the game. At 20-all, a side must go two points ahead, and at 29-all, the side that wins the 30th point takes the game.
Can you score a point in badminton when you are not serving?
Yes. Under rally point scoring, whoever wins the rally scores, regardless of who served. When the receiving side wins a rally, it also takes over the service.
How many games are in a badminton match?
A match is played as the best of three games unless the event arranges otherwise. Taking two games wins the match, and in a third game the players switch ends once a side reaches 11 points.
