Umpiring

[Twodogs]

Here's the situation - I haven't been playing long (competition), and have only umpired one game per week.

What are you supposed to do when you're umpiring and can't see whether the shuttle is in or out cos your sight is obstructed by one of the players?

Also, when you change ends, do you go back to first service again?

[alvinlai]

From what an umpire told me in AE recently, an umpire must follow the shuttle closely and have an instinct of whether the shuttle goes in or out. However they rely on linejudges to call. But they can overrule the call if the umpire himself sees the shuttle land otherwise. In Welsh Open 2005, there are no line judges available. The calls are made by the players and the umpire himself which he can overrule the player's decision when necessary.

Usually, when the shuttle landing is obstructed and the umpire is undecided, a let will be called and there will be a re-serve. This shouldn't happen too often in a match.

When changing sides, the serve follows the winner. Its not necessary the person who first in the first game. Hope this helps. Happy umpiring~!

[Twodogs]

I don't think I was quite clear enough - we have no line judges in our pennant comp, and its doubles. Normally, I don't have any trouble telling whether the shuttle is in or out, but sometimes, one of the players is in the way and on a couple of occasions the player has looked to me to make a ruling. I've been unsighted, the player is unsure, so I've called for the point to be replayed.

The second question only relates to doubles, where you are on 2nd server when you get to 11 points (playing to 21). When you change sides, does it stay at 2nd service, or does it go back to the same server, but on 1st service?

[Jan_BE]

As umpire, when you didn't see it, when you're not sure, and when the players haven't seen it, just play a led, that's all you can do.
When you didn't see it, but the players did (and they all agree on it), there's no point in replaying it because you didn't see it (might seem logical but I've seen it happen :rolleyes:)
To answer the other question about doubles: yes, after changing ends you stay on second server.
(however it seem you're playing by the new system (changing ends at 11, playing to 21). With the new system, you only have one server, so that shouldn't be an issue, right?)

[Twodogs]

No - we play to 21, change ends at 11, but have 2 servers. Don't ask me where it comes from - i'm only on my 5th game!

[Twodogs]

Its rule 11.1 here http://www.wsbaonline.com/DesktopModules/ViewDocument.aspx?Club=wsba&DocumentID=184D2C11-B50A-4265-A77A-E435A6D3AB57

[Loh]

No - we play to 21, change ends at 11, but have 2 servers. Don't ask me where it comes from - i'm only on my 5th game!

When the shuttle is unsighted, you are right in calling a 'let' and replay the point. This assumes that the match is an official one, as in a competition. If it is a social game, the players will have to be relied on to make the calls, though this is most unsatisfactory.

Maybe your 21 points is not the new 3x21 points scoring system now being tried out. Yours maybe just ONE game of 21 points, instead of the normal best of 3 games of 15 points. A match of one game is sometimes used in friendlies or during preliminary rounds just to cut short the time until the competition progresses to a higher round, especially when there are many entries. So if doubles are played, there will still be two serves and the normal rules apply, ie alternate left/right court when a point is scored and odd number on left, even number on right, depending on which partner starts the game first (on right-side court). :D

[Twodogs]

Loh is correct - we play ONE game of 21 points (at least in the normal weekly competition. Not sure what happens in the finals yet).