Tips on Playing Darts

TIP ONE:
To throw a dart like a pro, a proper stance is necessary. Align your hand, elbow, shoulder, hip and foot. If you are using your right hand, turn the right side of your body towards the board. Put your weight on your right foot in the front, slightly lean forward, and balance with the left foot. Reverse the operation if you are using your left hand.

TIP TWO:
To ease in the removal of a dart from the board, twist it to the right while pulling the dart out.

TIP THREE:
Children should always be supervised while playing darts. Enjoy some time together with a family game of darts.

301 Each player begins with 301 points, and must reach exactly zero to win. The score of each dart thrown is subtracted from the beginning score of each round. Exceeding zero causes the player to "Bust", and the score returns to what it was before that round.

501 This game is played the same as 301 except a player starts with 501 points.

601 This game is played the same as 301 except the player starts with 601 points.

701 This game is played the same as 301 except the player starts with 701 points.801 This game is played the same as 301 except the player starts with

801 points.901 This game is played the same as 301 except the player starts with 901 points. 301 LEAGUE This game is played the same as 301, except each player has a partner, as in league play (2 teams with 2 players on each team).

Each team uses two display windows, alternating turns. Team 1 = Player 1 and Player 3: Team 2 = Player 2 and Player 4. Any team player can win the game. However, there is an added "freeze rule" for team play. Freeze rule: A player can "go out" only if his partner has a score that is equal to or lower than both opponent's combined scores. If the partner's score is higher than the combined scores of their opponents the player is "frozen" and cannot win the game at that time.

The strategy then is for that player to get as low as possible in points and hope the partner has a chance to win the game. If someone is frozen and gets to zero, the game will automatically "bust" that player, not allowing that player to break the freeze rule.

GOTCHA! Each player begins with 0 points and must reach 301 exactly to win. Players can "Bomb" other players, which reduces their score to zero. This happens when the shooting player equals another player's score with any dart thrown. Therefore it is possible to bomb 3 players in 1 turn. Example: Player 1's score is 20Player 2's score is 50Player 3's score is 30Player 4 is up.The first dart thrown hits the 20-Player 1 gets bomber and goes to zero. The second dart hits the 10 (score is now 30)-Player 3 gets bombed and goes to zero. The third dart hits a 20 (score is now 50) - Player 2 gets bombed and goes to zero. If a player exceeds 301 points that player will bust and the following occurs: This is a good practice game for one player. However, no "Bombs" will go off.

QUICK CRICKET Quick Cricket is played with the numbers 15 through 20 and the bullseye. The first player marks a number three times & "open" all the numbers is the winner. Marks are indicated in the tri-colored lights scoring system at the bottom of the board. One mark is indicated by a green light, two by an amber light, and three by a red (when number is closed). Doubles count as two marks, and triples as three. The scoring window will show zero all the time as no score is required in this game.

CRICKET OPTIONS: Cricket is similar to Quick Cricket; in addition, player scores points by hitting the "opened" cricket number (15 through 20 and bullseye). No score can be made for the number that has been closed by all the players. The winner is the first player to open all the numbers and have the highest or equal score. When a player opens all the numbers but is behind in the score, he should continue scoring on his open number.

CUT THROAT CRICKET Cut Throat Cricket is played the same as Cricket except when a player opens a number and begins scoring, the points are given to all opponents that do not have that number Closed. The winner is the first player that opens all the numbers and has the lowest or equal score.

SCRAM CRICKET Scram Cricket is a variation of Cricket. The game consists of 2 rounds. In the first round, player 1 has to "close: 15 - 20 and bullseye, whilst player 2 attempts to get as many scores as he can by hitting the numbers which are still open. Round 1 will be finished if all numbers have been closed. For round 2, the reverse is practiced. The one with the highest score is the winner.

DOUBLE ONLY CRICKET Double Only Cricket is played the same, as Cricket except that a double of each designated cricket number must be hit before a player can go further with that number. Once double is hit, that number is allowed to open. Then that double, and all other doubles, triples and singles of that number count. For example, to start the 20's each player must hit double 20. After getting double 20 then a single 20 would close the number, a double would close and score 20 points, and a triple would close and score 40 points. So, it is impossible to close a number with one dart.

LOW BALL CRICKET Low Ball Cricket plays the same as Cricket with the following exceptions: a) The numbers used are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the bullseye.b) A bullseye scores 8 points. When double is selected, single bull=4 points, double bull=8 points.c) A player can win by scoring a "wicker". This is done by hitting a triple 1, triple 2, and triple 3, in any order in one round, if these numbers have not been previously marked by that player.d) Limited to a 20-point spread.e) The tri-colored light scoring system display represents the cricket number in the sequence of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, B.

WILD CARD CRICKET Wild Card Cricket plays the same as Cricket except the numbers 7 through 20 and the bullseye are used. Six "wild card" numbers will change at random, the bullseye remains constant throughout the game. The drawn number is 2-digit "flashing" shown in the text screen with dot separation between 2 numbers. Once a number is marked by a player, it is locked in and the number will not flash for the rest of the game. All numbers unmarked will randomly change after every turn, until all six "wild card" numbers are locked in. The winner is the first player to open all the numbers and have the highest or equal score.

DOUBLE DOWN The game starts with a base score of 60 for each player, the player has to score by hitting the active segment of the current round. For instance, in the 1st round, the player must throw for the 15 segment. If no 15's are hit, the player's score will be cut by half. The next round is 16 and so on. For DBL and TPL, the player has to hit any double or triple and the same rule will be applied.

HIGH SCORE High score is a game where the player with the highest score at the end of 3 rounds wins. Each player starts with zero points and adds to their score with each throw. ACE Ace is a practice game to increase accuracy. A random number will appear for each player and each turn. A player must hit the number shown to score points. Point values are as follows: Single segment=1 point, double=2 points, triple=3 points, single bullseye=4 points, double bullseye=6 points. No score will be gained if the desired number is missed. The player with the highest score wins. The number of rounds left is represented by the cricket display.

KILLER To start this game, each player has to select his number by throwing a dart at a particular segment. At this stage the text screen will display "Choose your number" and the number selected will be used for the player throughout the game. No 2 players can select the same number in one game. A player has to first hit the double of his number to become a killer. A killer can then kill the other players by hitting the segments of the other player's number until all their "lives" are killed. The last player with lives will be the winner.

COUNT-UP Score will be accumulated for each dart; the first player who reaches or goes over the set points will be winner.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK Hit in strict order of 1, 2, 3……until 5, 10, 15 or 20, straight, double or triple depending on the difficulty. The first player to reach the last score will be the winner. Players start their next turn with the next correct number in the sequence. The computer will display the number that the player has to hit. The player's score display will show the number of target left.

SHOOT OUT The computer will randomly display a score for the player to hit. One correct hit scores one mark. The first player who hits 11, 12, 13……20 marks depending on the level of difficulty is the winner. If a player does not hit the board within 10 seconds, it will automatically change to another score for the player to hit. The player's score display will show the number of the target left.

HORSE This game will randomly choose a number for all players to hit each round. The player tries to hit the number as many times as possible. A single of the number scores 1 hit, a double scores 2 hits, and a triple scores 3 hits, single bullseye scores4 hits and a double bullseye scores 6 hits. At the beginning, each player has 5 lives. In a round, the player without the highest score will deduct a life. If all players fail to hit the specified number in 3 darts, they will deduct a life. The last player in the game is the winner.

BERMUDA TRIANGLE Each round calls out a designated number or area to hit. They are:Round 1-12 Round 6-16 Round 10-19Round 2-13 Round 7-17 Round 11-20Round 3-14 Round 8-Triple (any) Round 12-BullseyeRound 4-Double (any) Round 7-18 Round 11-Double BullseyeRound 5-15Points are accumulated by any segment of the designated number for each round. For Example: In the first round a player must hit 12. A single 12 = 12 points, a double 12 = 24 points, and a triple 12 = 36 points. In round 4 a player can choose any double, (all three darts can hit a different double and score). And in round 8 a player can choose any triple. If a player misses the designated number or area with all three darts in any round, the player's total score is cut in half. The winner is the player with the highest score.

SHANGHAI Each player has to proceed for score around the board from 1 through 20 and then bullseye. Throw 3 darts for each number and the player who gets the most scores wins. There are 3 levels of difficulty and player can score at any right segments (single XI, Double X2, Triple X3) for L' level; and only double, triple will count for X' level. Also players can select super Shanghai (P Level) as a complementary option. The rules are the same as above except various doubles and triples must be hit as specified by the computer. The computer will display the chosen "double" or "triple" and display the number at the scoring screen.

GOLF Golf is a par 4, 9 holes game. The object is to get the lowest score possible. The numbers 1 through 9 are used, consecutively through the 9th round. In the first round all players must throw for the 1 segment (hole 1). In round 2, all the players throw for the 2 segment (hole 2), and so on, through round 9 (hole 9). Segment values are as follows: Double = 2 points (Eagle) Fat single = 4 points (par) Triple = 3 points (Birdie) Miss = 5 points (Bogie) Pie single = 4 points (Par) The hardest segments to hit equal the lowest score. If all 3 darts miss the targeted area, your score will be 5. The game will recognize and score the best hit of all 3 darts thrown. Example: Dart 1 = miss (5), Dart 2 = triple (3), Dart 3 = fat single(4) Players score will be 3. If the player should miss the entire segment area with all 3 darts, the game will register a score of 5 when the START GAME/NEXT PLAYER is pushed. The player with the lowest score wins. Players can play from 9 holes to 18 holes depending on the level of difficulty.

SHOVE A PENNY Same as the cricket only 15 through 20 and the bull's eye are used. All players have to hit the numbers in order with the objective to score 3 points in each segment before moving to another. Singles are 1 point, Doubles are 2 and Triples are 3. However, if a player scores more than 3 points in any one number, the excess points will be given to the next player. The first player to score 3 points in all numbers is the winner.

FOOTBALL Player has to first select their playing field by throwing a dart at the dartboard. At this stage the text screen will display "CHOOSE YOUR NUMBER". Throw a dart to select. Once a playing field is selected, you have to start points from the double segment, carry through the bull's eye and then to the opposite segments in strict sequence. The status of the player will be indicated at the cricket display.For example, if a player selects segment 11, he should hit D-11, outer S-11, T-11, inner S-11, outer bull's eye, inner bull's eye, inner S-6, T-6, outer S-6, and finally the D-6. The first player who finishes his playing field is the winner.

BOWLING This is a challenge game and the player has to be very accurate to have a good score. Each player has to select his "alley" by throwing the first dart at a segment when the text screen displays "SELECT ALLEY". Then use the 2nd and the 3rd dart to score points (i.e. pins) on the selected alley. Points (pins) are calculated as follows:Segment ScoreDouble 9 pinsOuter Single 3 pinsTriple 10 pinsInner Single 7 pinsA player cannot hit the same single segment twice within the same "frame"; if it is hit twice, the second hit will be counted as 0. Therefore, it would be more advisable for the player to hit the two respective single segments to have a score of 10 pins (7 for inner single segment and 3 for outer single segment). A player can have 20 pins if he hits the triple segment twice. There will only be 10 pins if a player hits the double twice. Otherwise you will only get 9 pins if you hit the double with your second dart and another segment with your third dart. The perfect game score is 200/220/240/260/280/300 respectively for the options chosen.

BASEBALL A baseball field includes the segment 9, 12, 5, 20, 1, 18, 4 and bullseye. A player throws 3 darts in each inning, and the runs/bases are set as follows:Segment ResultsSingle One baseDouble Two basesTriple Three basesBull's eye Home runThe "home run" can only be attempted by the 3rd dart. The player with the most runs in the game is the winner. The player1's cricket display indicates the total innings left while player 3's shows the status of the runner. Green, orange, red and flashing red represent base 1, 2, 3 and home respectively.

OVER The players have to take turns to throw 3 darts, the highest score among the players is the "leader's score". A player's score will become a new "leader's score" if his score in the new turn is higher than the previous "leader's score". Then the dartboard will announce LEADER and keep his score recorded. If not, one cricket light will turn off which means he loses one life. Before each player shoots in each round, the text screen displays the record score. A leader can choose to proceed to challenge his own leader's score but he will also lose a life if his score is lower than the leader's score. To skip his turn, just press START GAME/NEXT PLAYER, A player will be out of the game when all his lives are gone. The last surviving player is the winner.

UNDER Rules follow exactly as OVER except1. The objective is to get the lowest score.2. The leader's score is the lowest score.3. A missed dart out of the dartboard is counted as 60 by pressing the 20x3 segments. BIG 6 This game allows players to challenge their opponents to hit the targets of their choice. However, players must earn the chance of picking the next target for their opponent by making a hit on the current target first. Single 6 is the first target to hit when the game begins. Player 1 tries to hit a single 6 in 3 darts. He will lose a life when he fails. Player 2 will shoot for the single 6 that player 1 missed. If he can hit the target in the first 2 darts, the last dart will be used to determine the new target for next player. At this moment, the text screen will display "CHOOSE NEW TARGET". The same rule is applied to the following darts. Singles, doubles and triples are all separate targets for this game. The object of the game is to force your opponent into losing lives by selecting tough targets for your opponent to hit such as "Double Bullseye" or "triple 20". The last player with a life left is the winner.

FORTY ONE This game is the same as the Double Down except:1. the sequence is reversed from 20 to 152. an additional round of 41 points is included before bull's eye and a player has to get through this challenge before turning to the last round. ALL FIVE Each round each player has to score a total divisible by 5. And every divisible "5" counts one point. For instance 2, 8, 5 with a total 15, player can get 3 points as 15 divided by 5 is three. There will be no points if:a. the round (3 darts) total scores is not divisible by 5b. a player throws the 3rd dart and missed even though the previous 2 darts' score is divisible by 5The first player who gets scores of 51 will be the winner.

NINE-DART CENTURY In this game, each player has nine darts (three turns) to either score 100 points or come as close as possible to 100. Each bed is scored as per the regular method. Any player going over 100 is "busted" and is out of the game. Darts that land outside the scoring area bring the player's score down to zero and he must start over again. This eliminates deliberate misses. Darts that bounce out are not penalized, but do not count any points. The number of remaining darts is shown at the cricket display.

Dart History

Dart History

If rumor holds true, the sport of darts has a long and decorated history. Originally the sport began as a contest between warriors during lulls in battle. The soldiers heaved short throwing spears into upturned ends of wine barrels. As the competition evolved, targets were marked, leading to the use of tree slices as a target.

The tree's natural rings were perfect for scoring. Winter forced the sport indoors where shorter darts and standard rules were adopted. Darts likely evolved from archery and spear throwing, Henry VII of England and Charles VI were said to be among the first dart throwers. In 1530 Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a set of "dartes of Biscayan fashion, richly ornamented." Our pilgrim fathers aboard the Mayflower in 1620 are also said to be dart throwers, using an upturned wine barrel as a dartboard.

Throughout the establishment of the British Empire, soldiers would visit drinking clubs with built-in dartboards. The development of modern darts was closely associated with English Pubs. Darts spread and locals picked up the sport. It was commonly believed that to hit the center of the board (the bullseye) with a dart was pure luck. However, in 1908 an innkeeper demonstrated that it is indeed a game of skill. Darts is now accepted as a popular social and sporting activity. Tournaments are held in every country and millions worldwide enjoy the game. The dart itself became standardized, as the sport became a general pastime. The barrel was typically a piece of wood about 4 inches long with a metal point stuck in one end and feathers on the other.

In 1898 an American patented a folded paper flight. In 1906 an Englishman patented the all-metal barrel. Around this time, the numbering system on the dartboard was devised and gained acceptance. Placing three crates end to end from a brewery called Hockey and Sons, which supplied beer to the Southwest of England, marked the standardization of the throwing distance. The crates were three feet long, making the distance from the toe line to the board nine feet. The crates from Hockey and Sons were reduced to two feet, and four crates were lined up to mark the eight-foot distance from the board. This is supposedly the origin of the phrase "toeing the hockey".

American servicemen stationed in England during World War II caught the dart fever, often bringing the flavor of the English game home to the United States. From young to old now darts brings friends together as individuals and teams to enjoy the sport of darts. The high tech game of darts many of us know today is much different than the medieval version. Revolutionary electronics has elevated the excitement of the game to a new level. Automatic scorekeeping and new and exciting games make darts easy and fun for the entire family. The popular game of darts worldwide extends the tradition of beginning and ending each game with a handshake.

Dart Etiquette

Dart Etiquette
Darts is considered a "gentlemanly sport". There are certain things that are expected of players, scorekeepers and spectators. While there are some players that do not follow these guidelines, it is usually because they are rude, ignorant or sore losers. Better players will not like to associate with these kinds of players, and often such activity can lead to the better players giving the offenders a "taste of their own medicine". Stick to these simple rules, and you will have a much more enjoyable game and make a lot more friends than enemies.

Sportsmanship:
Generally, all dart players are good sportsmen. They will shake hands at the beginning of a match and wish each other good luck. Similarly at the end of the game, they will shake hands and say "good game" or "nice shooting".

No Distractions:
Much like professional golfers making an important putt, dart players like no distractions while throwing. This means:
Do not speak to the player who is shooting.
Don't go "ooh" and "aah" with each dart that is thrown.
Wait until all three darts have been thrown to say "good darts" or "right there".
Do not make sudden movements in front of the shooter. Scorekeepers should remain statue-still while a player is throwing.
Even better is to try to always stand behind the shooter outside his or her line of sight.

Spectators should try to keep movement and noise to a minimum while a player is shooting.

No one but the scorekeeper or a teammate should tell the shooter what has been hit.
What has been hit should only be announced if the shooter asks.
No one except a teammate, not even the scorekeeper, should ever tell the player what to hit next.

Score Your Darts Before You Pull Them:
This can avoid many arguments. If you write down the score on the board before you pull the darts from the board, you can show your opponent what you threw if there is a discrepancy.

Don't Be A Sore Loser:
Appreciate what the other player has accomplished. If the other player bested you, live with it. Remember if you had thrown something really amazing, you'd be happy about it, so be happy for the other player too. Not only will this show that you are a lady/gentleman, but by keeping your own spirits up, you will remain relaxed and throw your next darts better than if you got angry or tense. I have witnessed MANY players (including myself and other members of my team) lose a game purely because they got angry and their game suffered because of it