How is a game won, and what is rally scoring?

Standard scoring: a point is scored only by the serving side winning the rally. Typically the first player or team to score 11 points and lead by at least 2 points wins the game.

Tournaments (2026 rulebook, section 15): all scoring options are win by two points. Match formats include best 2-of-3 or 3-of-5 games to 11, or a single game to 11, 15 or 21 points. Win by one point is allowed only for team play.

Rally scoring (provisional rule 14.A): may be used for singles and doubles. A point is scored by whichever side wins each rally. In doubles only one player on a team serves before a side out, and the score is called as two numbers (server's score, then receiver's score).