Badminton Doubles Rules and Strategy for Beginners

Badminton doubles rules confuse a lot of new players. Who serves? Who receives? When do you swap sides? Once you understand one simple principle, it all clicks. This guide covers the official doubles rules from the BWF Laws, then the positioning and strategy that will make you a better partner straight away.

If you are completely new, read the complete badminton guide first.

Doubles court lines

In doubles the court is wider than in singles, and the serve has its own boundaries:

Rally: Use the outer side lines and the outer back boundary line. The full court is in.
Serve: The service court runs from the short service line to the doubles long service line (0.76 m inside the back boundary) and out to the outer side lines.

So a doubles serve that lands between the doubles long service line and the back boundary is out, even though the same spot is in during the rally. This is why doubles serves are mostly short.

Badminton doubles rules: serving and receiving

These rules follow the BWF Laws of Badminton under rally scoring.

The key principle

Players only change service courts when their side wins a point while serving. The receiving side never changes courts after a rally.

Step by step

At the start of a game (score 0–0), the serving side serves from the right service court.
If the serving side wins the rally, it scores a point, and the same server switches to the other service court and serves again.
If the receiving side wins the rally, it scores a point and becomes the serving side. Its players stay where they are. Whoever is standing in the correct court for the new score serves: right if their side's score is even, left if odd.
Only the receiver (the player diagonally opposite the server) may return the serve. If their partner touches it, it's a fault.
After the serve is returned, either player can hit the shuttle from anywhere on their side of the court.

Worked example

Pair A (Mia and Leo) vs. pair B (Sam and Kim). Mia serves from the right at 0–0, to Sam.

Rally	Winner	Score (A–B)	What happens
1	A	1–0	Mia and Leo swap courts; Mia serves again from the left
2	B	1–1	B serves; nobody swaps. B has 1 (odd), so whoever is in B's left court serves
3	B	1–2	That server and partner swap; same server serves from the right

Tip: If you get confused, find who served last and who scored. The positions almost always sort themselves out from there.

Common doubles errors

Serving from the wrong court, or the wrong player serving. Under the BWF Laws, once a service court error is noticed, positions are corrected and the score stands.
The receiver's partner returning the serve.
Hitting the shuttle twice between partners ("both going for it").

Doubles positioning: attack and defense

Doubles strategy is mostly about switching between two formations.

Attack: front and back

When your side is hitting down (smashes, drops), go front and back:

The back player smashes and drops from the rear court.
The front player stands around the front service line, racket up, ready to kill weak replies at the net.

Defense: side by side

When your side is lifting the shuttle (hitting it up), go side by side:

Each player covers one half of the court, from front to back.
Stand a little further back than feels natural, racket in front, ready to block or drive the smash.

Rotation

The basic rule: if you lift, defend; if you hit down, attack. When you lift, move to side-by-side. When your partner smashes, the player who isn't smashing moves to the net.

Serving and receiving strategy in doubles

Serve short most of the time. A low backhand serve that just clears the net and lands near the short service line stops the receiver from attacking immediately.
Mix in a flick serve. An occasional high, fast serve to the back of the doubles service court keeps the receiver honest.
Attack the serve when receiving. Stand close to the short service line and push, dab or net any loose serve.
Follow your serve. After serving short, the server usually covers the net while the partner covers the back.

Mixed doubles basics

In casual mixed doubles, teams often play with one partner covering the net and the other covering the back. It is a common setup, not a rule: any player can play any position. Agree with your partner who covers what, especially on lifts to the back corners.

Simple doubles strategy tips for beginners

Talk. Call "mine," "yours" or "leave" early.
Hit down whenever you can. Lifts give your opponents the attack.
Aim for the middle. A shot between two opponents often creates hesitation.
Don't stand in the same line as your partner unless you're defending side by side.
Stay positive. Doubles is a team game; a supportive partner makes both players better.

Want to work on the shots behind these tactics? See basic badminton techniques. And when you're ready to put it into practice, find doubles partners near you or create a doubles game on Kèo.

FAQ

Who serves first in badminton doubles?

The side that wins the coin toss (or agreed choice) serves first, and the player in the right service court serves at 0–0. After that, the side that wins each rally serves.

Do you switch sides after every point in doubles?

No. Only the serving side switches service courts, and only when it wins a point while serving. The receiving side never switches courts after a rally.

Is the back line in for a doubles serve?

No. On the serve in doubles, the back boundary is the doubles long service line, 0.76 m inside the back line. During the rally, the full court is in.

Can either player return the serve in doubles?

No. Only the receiver, the player diagonally opposite the server, may return the serve. After that, either partner can hit the shuttle.

What is the best formation in badminton doubles?

Use front-and-back when your side is attacking and side-by-side when defending. Switch between them depending on whether you are hitting down or lifting.