VOLLEYBALL
First to 25
FIVB rules say a set is won by the first team to 25 points with a lead of two. A deciding fifth set goes to 15.
Check a sportStart
WHAT THE RULES SAY
Every rally
counts.
Win the rally, win the point.
Volleyball, badminton, table tennis and squash all score the same basic way: whoever wins a rally adds a point, whether they served or not. What changes from sport to sport is the target, and what happens at a tie.
ONE RALLYone point
Check a sportKeep in mind
- Rally won, point scored
- Win by two
- Targets of 11, 21 or 25
- One idea, four sports
THE SHORT ANSWER
The rally winner
takes the point.
Under rally scoring, every rally ends in a point.
The serve only decides who starts the next one.
BADMINTON
First to 21
Under the Laws of Badminton a game goes to 21 points. At 20-all you need a two-point lead, and at 29-all the 30th point wins.
See the numbers
TABLE TENNIS
First to 11
Table Tennis England says the winner is the first to 11 points, and at 10-10 play continues until someone leads by two.
Keep scoreA QUICK SPORT CHECK
How far is it
to the finish?
Pick a sport to see the target score for one game or set under rally scoring. The bar shows how many points it takes.
From the FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025–2028, the BWF Laws of Badminton, Table Tennis England and England Squash.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Endless deuce?
Not in badminton.
Most rally-scored games have no ceiling.
Badminton puts a cap on the tie-break.
30 points
The most points a game can reach
If a badminton game reaches 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins. Before that, from 20-all, a side needs a two-point lead.
BADMINTON · BWF
25 points
Points to win a normal set
Volleyball sets go to 25 with a minimum two-point lead and no cap, so a 24-24 set continues 26-24, 27-25 and beyond until someone is two clear.
VOLLEYBALL · FIVB
Table tennis and squash also have no cap: from 10-10, a game continues until one player leads by two points.
KEEPING SCORE
Four rules
that cover most games.
Whichever of these sports you play, these points from the official rules will get you through a friendly game.
Step 1
Every rally ends in a point
The side that wins the rally adds a point, whether or not it served.
Step 2
Winning on return of serve wins the serve
In volleyball and squash, a receiver who wins the rally scores and serves next.
Step 3
Win by two
At 24-24 in volleyball, 20-all in badminton or 10-10 in table tennis and squash, play on until someone leads by two.
Step 4
Know the match length
Volleyball is first to three sets; badminton best of three games; table tennis and squash an odd number set by the organiser.
WHAT A RALLY IS
From the serve
to the dead ball.
The Laws of Badminton define a rally as a sequence of one or more strokes starting with the service, until the shuttle ceases to be in play. FIVB rules describe it as the playing actions from the service hit until the ball is out of play.
In volleyball, when the receiving team wins a rally it gains a point and the right to serve, and its players rotate one position clockwise. In squash, a let is an undecided rally that does not count, and the server serves again.
Questions
Questions on the way
What is rally scoring?
A system in which a point is scored whenever a rally is won, whichever side served. The FIVB rules call it the Rally Point System.
How many points win a volleyball set?
25, with a minimum lead of two points. If the match reaches two sets each, the deciding fifth set is played to 15 points, again with a two-point lead.
Is there a maximum score in badminton?
Yes. Under Law 7, from 20-all a side needs a two-point lead, but at 29-all the side scoring the 30th point wins the game.
How often do you change serve in table tennis?
Table Tennis England says to change servers every 2 points, and every point once the score reaches 10-10.
What does PAR 11 mean in squash?
Point a rally scoring to 11. England Squash says a player must win by two clear points at 10-10, and matches are best of 3 or 5 games.
Destination