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Run a badminton tournament without paper

An organiser runs a badminton tournament on paper: four names on every scoresheet, three sets and six numbers copied by hand, and a bracket redrawn each time a result comes in. Then a code goes up on the wall, every court reports its own score and the other pair countersigns, the group table splits a tie on head-to-head, and the medals go out before anyone has left the court.

Sport
Badminton
Length
1:19

What the film says

The lines are burnt into the picture — the film plays without sound. Times are counted from the start.

  1. 0:02Courts everywhere, all mine. Four names on every sheet.
  2. 0:07Three sets, six numbers, and I copy them by hand.
  3. 0:12More sheets than I can enter. I am falling behind.
  4. 0:21I am done copying numbers.
  5. 0:25Sign-ups, groups, courts, the whole draw in one place.
  6. 0:31Doubles, best of three to 21. It knows the cap at 30.
  7. 0:37A code goes up on the wall. They scan it from the court.
  8. 0:42The court reports its score. The other side signs it off.
  9. 0:49The table does the tie-break. I used to do it by hand.
  10. 0:56One confirm from me, and the bracket redraws itself.
  11. 1:03That was the last card. We are not wasting paper.
  12. 1:07Medals out before they have left the court.
  13. 1:12Simpler, faster, better.

How this sport is scored

The rules behind every screen in the film — scoring, tie-breaks and what an organiser sets up before the first result comes in.

Read the sport page

Run your event, no paper

Set a competition up, share one link, and let the results arrive on their own.

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