Player's Guide to Badminton South Africa Club Badminton Senior 2027

Under Law 9 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, a correct serve needs all of these:

• Position: server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service courts, not touching the lines of those courts.
• Feet: part of both feet of the server and the receiver stays on the floor, stationary, from the start of the serve until the shuttle is hit.
• No delay: neither side unduly delays the serve once both are ready. Once the server's backward swing is complete, any delay before the forward swing counts as undue delay.
• Release and contact: the server releases the shuttle without adding spin, and the racket first hits the base (cork) of the shuttle.
• Height: the whole shuttle is below 1.15 m from the floor when it's hit.
• Continuous swing: once the forward swing starts, the racket keeps moving forward until the shuttle is hit.
• Flight: the shuttle travels upwards off the racket, over the net, and would land in the receiver's service court (lines count as in).
• Don't miss: missing the shuttle when trying to serve is a fault.

The serve starts with the first forward movement of the racket head. The server must not serve before the receiver is ready, but a receiver who tries to return it is treated as ready.

Some events use the BWF's alternative service law instead of the 1.15 m rule: the whole shuttle below the server's waist (level with the lowest rib) and the racket shaft and head pointing downwards at contact.

Under Law 10 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, it depends on the server's score in that game:

• If the server wins the rally, they score a point and serve again from the other service court.
• If the receiver wins the rally, they score a point and become the server.
• After the serve, either player can hit from anywhere on their own side of the net.
• The winner of a game serves first in the next game.

Under Law 11 of the BWF Laws of Badminton:

Which court

• The serving side serves from the right service court when its score is 0 or even, and from the left when it's odd.
• Players only swap service courts when they win a point while serving. The receiving side stays put: the player who served last stays in the court they last served from, and their partner in the other.
• The receiver is whichever opponent is diagonally opposite the server.

Scoring and serving

• Serving side wins the rally: it scores, and the same server serves again from the other court.
• Receiving side wins the rally: it scores and becomes the serving side.

Order of serve within a game passes: initial server (from the right court), then the initial receiver's partner, then the initial server's partner, then the initial receiver, then the initial server, and so on. Nobody may serve or receive out of turn or receive two serves in a row in the same game (except after a service court error or a fault for misconduct).

Next game: either player of the winning side may serve first, and either player of the losing side may receive first.

During the serve, partners can stand anywhere in their own court as long as they don't block the opposing server's or receiver's view. After the serve is returned, either player on each side can hit the shuttle.

Under Law 13 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, it's a fault if, in play, the shuttle:

• lands outside the court (a shuttle on the line is in: lines are part of the area they mark);
• fails to pass over the net, or goes through or under it;
• touches the ceiling or side walls;
• touches a player's body or clothing;
• touches any other object or person outside the court (a venue can make local bye-laws for obstructions such as low beams);
• is caught and held on the racket and then slung during a stroke;
• is hit twice in succession by the same player (hitting the frame and strings in one stroke is fine);
• is hit by a player and then their partner in succession; or
• touches a player's racket and doesn't travel towards the opponent's court.

On the serve, it's also a fault if the shuttle is caught on top of the net, is caught in the net after passing over it, or is hit by the receiver's partner.

A shuttle that hits the net or post and starts falling on the striker's side is no longer in play.

Under Law 13.4 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, it's a fault if, while the shuttle is in play, you:

• touch the net or its supports with your racket, body or clothing;
• invade your opponent's court over the net with your racket or body. The exception: you may follow the shuttle over the net with your racket in the course of a stroke, as long as you first hit it on your own side;
• invade your opponent's court under the net with your racket or body so that an opponent is obstructed or distracted;
• obstruct an opponent, i.e. stop them making a legal stroke where the shuttle is followed over the net; or
• deliberately distract an opponent, for example by shouting or making gestures.

It's also a fault for flagrant, repeated or persistent misconduct under Law 16.

Under Law 14 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, a "let" is called by the umpire, or by a player if there's no umpire. It's a let if:

• the server serves before the receiver is ready (but if the receiver tries to return it, they're treated as ready);
• during the serve, the server and receiver are both at fault;
• after the serve has been returned, the shuttle is caught on the net and stays on top, or passes over and is caught in the net (in wheelchair badminton these are faults instead);
• the shuttle disintegrates in play and the base completely separates from the rest;
• in the umpire's opinion, a coach disrupts play or distracts a player of the opposing side;
• a line judge is unsighted and the umpire can't decide; or
• any unforeseen or accidental situation occurs.

On a let, play since the last serve doesn't count, and the player who served last serves again.

Note the difference on the serve: a serve that's caught on top of the net, or caught in the net after crossing it, is a fault, not a let.

Under the BWF Laws of Badminton:

• Service court error (Law 12): serving or receiving out of turn, or from the wrong service court. When it's discovered, it's corrected while the shuttle is not in play, and the existing score stands. Points already played aren't replayed.
• Change of ends (Law 8.2): if you don't change ends when you should, change as soon as the mistake is discovered and the shuttle isn't in play. The existing score stands.

Under Law 16.5 of the BWF Laws of Badminton:

• You may receive advice only when the shuttle is not in play, and only until the players have taken up position to serve and receive. Once you're in position for the next serve, advice must stop.
• Play can never be delayed so you can get advice or recover your strength or wind.
• You can't leave the court during a match without the umpire's permission, except during the intervals (60 seconds when the leading score reaches 8 in each game, and 120 seconds between games).

If a coach disrupts play or distracts the opposing side, the umpire calls a let (Law 14.2.5).

Under Law 16 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, a player must not:

• deliberately delay or suspend play, or delay play to recover strength or wind or to get advice;
• deliberately damage or modify the shuttle to change its speed or flight;
• behave in an offensive or inappropriate manner;
• leave the court during a match without the umpire's permission (except in the intervals);
• commit any other misconduct.

Where there's an umpire, the penalties are:

After a red card the umpire must report you straight away to the referee, who can disqualify you. (Card procedure from the BWF Instructions to Technical Officials.)

The umpire is the sole judge of delay. At BWF level, a phone or other electronic device ringing on or near the court, or being used to communicate during a match, is treated as misconduct.