Friday, January 29, 2010

Badminton


INTRODUCTION

Badminton, game for two or four players using lightweight rackets and shuttlecock, a cork ball fitted with stabilizing feathers. Players hit the shuttlecock back and forth over a net, trying to keep it from hitting the ground. Some people play badminton outdoors on a level grassy area or beach. However, tournament-level badminton played indoor specially marked court.

PLAYING AREA

International rules state that an indoor badminton court must be rectangular, with white lines marked on woden floor or on a special mat that is rolled onto a level playing surface. A singles court is 44ft(13.41m) long and 17ft(5,18m) wide. For doubles, alleys 1ft 6in(0.46m) widealong the two longer sides of the court come into play, making the court 20 ft (6.10m) wide. Because shots fly high into the air, there must be clearance of at least 30ft(9.14m) above the court. A net stretched across the middle of the court has a top edge set to height of 5ft(1.52m) at the center and 5ft 1in(1.55m) at the posts.

SERVICE AND PLAY

Play begins with a serve from a service area on the right-hand side of the court to a receiver in a diagonally opposite service area across the net. To serve, the server stands behind the service line and strikes the cork base of the shuttle in an underhand motion. the receiver must then return the shuttle before it hits the ground, and the players hit the shuttle back and forth until one side fails to return it.

Play ends when the shuttle hits the ground on one side of the court or when one player makes a fault, or error, such as hitting the shuttle into the net or out of bounds. Specific faults for servers include striking the feathers of the shuttle first or serving overhand. the receiver can be faulted for not being within the service court, for not having both feet on the floor when receiving, and for moving before the serve is made.

SCORING

Points are scored when the opponent fails to return the shuttle, hits it out of bounds, or earn a fault. Points only count for the sever(or serving side in doubles), so keeping the service privilege is an important part of the game. If the sever loses sever, the partner serves. If the partner loses serve, the opposing team takes over.

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