Learning How to Play Badminton

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Overview

Badminton is played with a racket and a shuttle. The shuttle is an airy cone that has a rubber tip with a skirt that aids its flight when hit with the racket. The racket is similar to a tennis racket but the arm is longer, the face of the racket is smaller and the weight is much lighter than a normal tennis racket. Although this game originated overseas, Badminton is one of America’s favorite pastimes. This game has also grown into a competitive sport. You can learn how to play Badminton in just a few hours but it takes many more of those hours to become a master player.

Getting Started

  1. Determine upfront which scoring method you will use. There are two options. The orignal option is to gain 15 points. You can only gain points on your serve. The most used option today is the 21 point option and either opponent can gain a point if they win the rally.
  2. A coin toss determines who serves first.
  3. The server starts in the right side of their side of the court and serves diagonally to the left side of the opponent’s side of the court. This is mandatory.
  4. Serve to your opponent. A serve must be done from below the hip and under handedly or your opponent gets the point.
  5. Rally back and forth until someone either misses the shuttle or hits it out of bounds. Either way a point is gained. Note: A rally just means hitting the shuttle back and forth with the racket from one opponent to the other.
  6. The winner is the person who reaches 15 or 21 points decided before the game.
  7. Switch court sides for the next game.
  8. Play the best two out of three to win the match.

Scoring

When the game played to 21 points the winner must win within two points or else the games continues until that is accomplished until the game reaches 30 points at which time the winner can be within one point of the 30th point to win.

Techniques to Win

  1. Target the corners when you serve.
  2. Return the shuttle in the opposite direction of your opponent
  3. Keep your opponent running for the shuttle. Don’t make it easy.
  4. Change up your returns, make some long and some short, so your opponent doesn’t catch on to your pattern.

Conclusion

To learn how to play Badminton like the experts will take time. As with most things, with practice, you are bound to get better and better. As time goes on you will inevitably learn the different techniques that teaches how to flick the shuttle a particular way to gain that point.

The competitive nature of how to play Badminton can be intoxicating and a little competitiveness is good but don’t forget to have fun and just enjoy the game.

References

Badminton Information: How to Play Badminton: https://www.badminton-information.com/how-to-play-badminton.html

eHow: How to Play Badminton: https://www.ehow.com/how_17615_play-badminton.html