RP Open first to use IBF new scoring rule

The Philippine Open Badminton Championships will get the distinction of being the first IBF (International Badminton Federation)-ranked tournament to implement the new scoring system when the event is held March 1-5 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The IBF Council recently approved the decision to test the new rally point scoring system in all IBF-sanctioned events. The system carries world-ranking points beginning with the $120,000 Philippine Open where some of the world’s finest players will battle it out for badminton supremacy.

Under the new rules, a point will be scored every time a side serves and a match will now consist of 3 games up to 21 points (previously 15 points for men/doubles and 11 points for ladies in singles). If the score becomes 20 all, the side gaining a two-point lead first will win that game. In the event of 29-all game, the side scoring the 30th point will be declared the winner.

Supporters of the new system say the game will now have more flow and will be more attractive to TV and sponsors. More importantly, rally scoring has proven to increase excitement in sports such as volleyball and table tennis as more focus is put on the quality of each serve.

But critics still prefer the "slower-burn" of the traditional method.

Taufik Hidayat, the Indon ace who became the first player to win the Olympic men’s singles and the world crowns, has reservations on how the new system will work, saying: "The pace of matches will be much faster and I will have to wait and see if this affects how I approach the game."

Hidayat leads the crack foreign field in the RP Open where he is expected to share top billing with the likes of Lin Dan, Pi Hongyan, Nathan Robertson, Gail Emms and Mia Audina Tjiptawan, who all saw action in last year’s MVP Cup.

The RP Open, a four-star tournament sponsored by Bingo Bonanza Corp. and JVC, marks the first time that an IBF tournament is held in the Philippines, thus giving local players the rare chance to obtain world-ranking points.

The organizing IMG is expecting close to 200 players from 25 countries to compete in the event, held under the auspices of the Philippine Badminton Association and backed by The Philippine STAR, Solar Sports, Jam 88.3, 99.5 RT, Magic 89.9, 103.5 K-Lite, Wave 89.1, Snickers, Toby’s Sports, Inquirer Badminton, Fossil Watches, Bacchus, Yonex Sunrise and Crowne Plaza, the official hotel.

For details, contact the PBA, Badminton Hall, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, P. Ocampo St., Malate, Manila c/o Joel Maborang at +63 926 5973222 or send an e-mail to [email protected] and [email protected] or log on to the event’s website on www.philippineopenbadminton.com