The Scorekeeper's Job in 30 Seconds
Someone has to keep score, and today it's you. Maybe it's a club night, a school match, or a local tournament where the organiser just handed you a sheet and a pen. Good news: the job comes down to three things you do after every single rally.
| After every rally | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Update the score | The side that won the rally gets 1 point. Always. |
| 2. Call it out loud | Say the server's score first, then the receiver's: "5–3". |
| 3. Write it down | Put the new score in the row of the player who serves next. |
That's it. The rest of this guide shows you how to set up, what to say, how to fill in a score sheet, and what to do when something odd happens. If you need the rules themselves (21 points, deuce, service courts), read our badminton scoring rules first.
Before the First Serve: Set Up in 2 Minutes
Most scoring mistakes happen because the start wasn't written down. Do these five things before anyone serves.
- Write the names. One row per player. Doubles needs four rows, two per side.
- Agree the format. Normally best of 3 games to 21. Some club nights play one game, or games to 15. Write it at the top.
- Record the toss. Note who won it and what they chose: to serve, to receive, or which end.
- Mark the server and receiver. Put S next to the first server and R next to the first receiver. In doubles, this matters a lot later.
- Note who starts on which end. You'll need it when players change ends.
Then start the game. A tournament umpire says "Love all, play." At a club you can just say "0–0, play."
What to Say: Calling the Score
Calling the score out loud stops arguments before they start. Players hear it after every rally, so any mistake gets caught straight away.
| Moment | What you say |
|---|---|
| Start of each game | "Love all, play." |
| After each rally | Server's score first: "6–4". If the serve just changed sides, you can add "service over". |
| A side reaches 11 | "11–7, interval." Players get up to 60 seconds. |
| One point from winning the game | "20–15, game point." |
| One point from winning the match | "20–15, match point." |
| Game won | "Game won by [name], 21–15." |
Tip: the server's score always comes first, even when the server is losing. "3–9" means the server has 3. Saying it this way also tells everyone which service court to use: even score, right court; odd score, left court.
How to Fill In a Badminton Score Sheet
A score sheet is a grid. There is one row per player and one column per rally. Tournament sheets use a simple trick: you write each new score in the row of the player who will serve next. Because the side that wins a rally always serves next, the sheet records two things at once: the score and who served.
Here's how it works in a doubles game. Anna and Ben play Chris and Dev. Anna serves first to Chris.
| Player | Start | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna | S 0 | 1 | ||||
| Ben | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Chris | R 0 | |||||
| Dev | 1 | 2 |
Read it column by column:
- Start: Anna serves (S), Chris receives (R). Both sides on 0.
- Rally 1: Anna and Ben win. Score 1–0. Anna serves again, so the 1 goes in her row. She and Ben swap sides, and she now serves from the left (odd score).
- Rally 2: Chris and Dev win. Score 1–1. Their score is odd, so the player in their left court serves. That's Dev. The 1 goes in Dev's row.
- Rally 3: Chris and Dev win again. Dev keeps serving, now from the right (score 2). The 2 goes in Dev's row. Call it "2–1".
- Rally 4: Anna and Ben win. Score 2–2. Their score is even, so whoever is in their right court serves. That's Ben. Call it "2–2".
- Rally 5: Anna and Ben win. Ben serves again from the left. Call it "3–2".
Singles is easier: just two rows. Each new score goes in the row of the player who won the rally.
Why bother with rows? If a player asks "who should be serving?", you can look back along the sheet and see every serve. That settles most doubles arguments in seconds.
During the Game: Intervals, Ends and Game Breaks
| When | What happens | What you record |
|---|---|---|
| Leading side reaches 11 | Interval, up to 60 seconds | Nothing extra. Carry on from the same score. |
| End of game 1 and game 2 | Break of up to 2 minutes. Players change ends. | Final score of the game, e.g. 21–17. Winner serves first in the next game. |
| Game 3, leading side reaches 11 | Players change ends | Draw a line on the sheet so you remember it happened. |
| End of the match | Players shake hands | Every game score, e.g. 21–17, 18–21, 21–19, and the winner. |
Start each game on a fresh part of the sheet. Mark the server and receiver again, because they change from game to game.
Tricky Moments and What to Do
A let
A let means the rally is replayed. A shuttle from the next court lands on yours, or the receiver wasn't ready. No point is scored and you write nothing. The same player serves again from the same court.
The wrong player served, or served from the wrong court
Under the Laws of Badminton, fix the mistake as soon as you notice it, and the score stays as it is. Don't take points away. Move the players to the right courts and carry on.
Nobody agrees on the score
This is where calling every score pays off. Read back along your sheet, column by column. In friendly games, if the sheet can't settle it, agree a score with both sides before the next serve.
A player gets injured or stops
Write down the score at that moment and the word "retired" next to the player who stopped. The other side wins the match.
You lost count during a long rally
You haven't lost anything if you call the score before every serve. Players will correct you right away. Make the call a habit, not an extra.
4 Scorekeeper Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing the score at the end of the game only. Write after every rally. Memory fails after 30 points.
- Calling the receiver's score first. It sends the server to the wrong court. Server's score first, every time.
- Not marking S and R at the start of each game. In doubles, you can't work out who should serve without them.
- Forgetting the game 3 end change. Watch for 11 in the third game. Call "11, change ends" so nobody forgets.
Paper Score Sheet or a Scoring App?
Paper works anywhere and needs no battery. An app does the sums for you. Here's an honest comparison.
| Paper sheet | Scoring app | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Print or draw a grid | Enter names on your phone |
| Who serves, which court | You work it out | Shown on screen after every rally |
| Deuce and the 30-point cap | You keep track | Handled for you |
| Sharing the result | Photo of the sheet | Share the result straight from your phone |
| Match history | A folder of sheets | Saved to your account |
| Works without a phone | Yes | No |
GoSkore is a free scoring app that works in your phone's browser. Choose singles or doubles and best of 3 or 5. Then tap the side that won each rally. It shows who serves and from which court. It handles deuce, the 30-point cap and end changes. At the end you can share the result as an image card.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep score in badminton?
After every rally, give 1 point to the side that won it. Call the score out loud with the server's score first. Write it down. A game goes to 21 points, and you must win by 2.
Who calls the score in badminton?
In tournaments, the umpire calls it. In casual games, the server calls the score before serving, with their own score first.
What does "love all" mean in badminton?
"Love" means zero, so "love all" means 0–0. Umpires say "love all, play" to start each game.
Do you record a let on the score sheet?
No. A let is replayed and nobody scores a point, so nothing changes on the sheet.
What happens if a player serves from the wrong court?
Fix the mistake when you notice it. The score stays the same, and play goes on from the correct court.
Can I keep badminton score on my phone?
Yes. A scoring app like GoSkore tracks the score, the server and the service court for you, and saves the match when it ends.
Keep Score Like a Pro
- Call every score: server's score first, after every rally.
- Write every score: in the row of the player who serves next.
- Mark S and R at the start of every game, and watch for 11 in game 3.