3×15 vs 3×21: How the New Badminton Scoring Actually Works

Does 3×15 change how points are scored in badminton? No — the way you win a point is exactly the same. Every rally is worth a point to whoever wins it (rally scoring), and the winner of the rally serves next. What changes with the new 3×15 system is the targets: games to 15, not 21.

What stays exactly the same

• Rally scoring — a point is won on every rally, whether you served or received.
• Best of three — you still win the match by taking two games.
• Serve follows the point — win the rally, serve the next one.

What changes

• Game target: 21 → 15
• Mid-game interval: at 11 → at 8
• Win-by-two deuce begins: 20–20 → 14–14
• Maximum score (golden point): 30 → 21

A full match, start to finish

Say you win game one 15–11, lose game two 13–15, then take the decider 15–9 — that is a 2–1 match win. The rhythm is quicker than 3×21, but the best-of-three drama is intact.

Why the lower target matters

With only 15 points on offer, each rally is worth a bigger share of the game. A single three-point run is now a fifth of the way to winning, so momentum swings harder and early mistakes cost more. For social and club players, that means fewer dead rubbers and more edge-of-seat finishes — but also less room to "warm into" a game.

Frequently asked questions

Is 3×15 still rally scoring?

Yes. Every rally scores a point for the winner, exactly as in the 21-point system.

How many points do you need to win a match?

You need to win two games. Each game is to 15 (win by two from 14–14, capped at 21).

Sources: BWF — key changes under 3×15 · Badminton Europe.

Part 2 of our weekly 3×15 series. Next: how scoring works in singles. Follow the Badminton 360 blog.