singles serving area - long and skinny.

doubles serving area -short and wide.

Once service has been received: the court becomes long and wide.

Strategy

The object of badminton - to use your skills to defeat your opponent during the rallies.

Attempt to move your opponent around: side to side and front to back

Do not hit the birdie directly to your opponent

There are two formations for doubles play: each player covers one side of the court or one person covers front while the over covers

the back Scoring A game is played to 21 points.

Every time there is a serve- there is a point scored.

The side winning a rally adds a point to its score.

At 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game.

At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game.

General Rules

The birdie must go over the net in one hit, multiple hits are not allowed

If the birdie lands on a boundary line it is considered in

Touching the net with your body or racquet is a fault and loss of rally.

Other faults include: reaching over the net to contact the birdie (follow through is ok), deliberately distracting an opponent by any action such as shouting or making gestures, shuttle is clearly carried on the racquet and thrown over the net, fake serving If the birdie touches the net during a rally and still go overs the net, the play continues

A rally will continue until: the birdie hits the floor, wall, ceiling, net (and doesn't go over), player or clothing

Serving

When serving a player must: make contact with the birdie below the waist and have both feet on the ground The server always calls out the score before each serve If the birdie touches the net on a serve it is called a 'let' and a re-serve takes place

For both singles and doubles:

When the score is even the server will hit birdie from the right side of the court diagonally over the net

When the score is odd the server will hit the birdie from the left side of the court diagonally over the net

Equipment to know: Racquet and birdie(or shuttlecock) Shots to know: Serving, Underhand clear, Overhead Clear, Smash and Drop shot

Badminton Terms

Flick - A quick wrist and forearm rotation that surprises an opponent by changing an apparently soft shot into a faster passing one

Smash - Hard-hit overhead shot that forces the shuttle sharply downward. Badminton's primary attacking stroke.

Let - A legitimate cessation of play to allow a rally to be replayed.

Drive - A fast and low shot that makes a horizontal flight over the net.

Drop - A shot hit softly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the net on the opponent's side.

Clear - A shot hit deep to the opponents back boundary line.

Carry - An illegal tactic, also called a sling or a throw, in which the shuttle is caught and held on the racquet and then slung during the execution of a stroke

Side Alley - extension of the court by 1-1/2 feet on both sides for doubles play

Back Alley - Area between the back boundary line and the long service line for doubles.

Wood Shot - Shot that results when the head of the birdie is hit by the frame of the racquet.