Rules to Know Before Playing! :)

Basic Rules and Regulations in the Game of Badminton

I'm sure that you are familiar with the fundamental concept of badminton and how it is played. Well, the fundamental concept of badminton is similar to that of tennis. The objective of the game is to strike the shuttlecock with the badminton racket so that it does not hit the net and fall back on your side of the court, but crosses over to your opponent's side. At the same time, the shuttlecock should not land outside the lines which demarcate the court boundaries.

Scoring Methods

A badminton match is a best of 3 games system. Earlier, a badminton game used to be a 15-point system in case of men's matches, and an 11-point system in case of women's matches. As per new badminton rules and regulations, a game is won by the player who is the first to reach 21 points. In case of a 20-all scenario, the player who is the first to take a two point lead, wins the game. In case of a 29-all scenario, the player that wins the 30th point wins the game.

Some More Rules of Badminton

Here is a quick run-through of a few other rules and regulations of badminton.

• A point begins with a player service, and ends with the shuttlecock hitting the net and dropping dead, or landing outside the court boundaries, or either of the players committing a fault.
• The serve must be always an underhand serve.
• A shuttlecock that lands on a boundary line is considered to be 'in'.
• The player or the team that wins the first game serves first in the subsequent game.
• If a player touches the net or any part of the net with his racket, body or clothes, it is considered to be a fault.
• While serving, the badminton racket must strike the cork portion of the shuttlecock first. If it strikes the feathers first, it is considered to be a fault.
• The player who serves cannot lift his feet or move from his position until his opponent's racket has made contact with the shuttlecock.
• In case of indoor play, it is considered to be a fault if the shuttlecock hits the court roof or the ceiling.

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/badminton-rules-and-regulations.html