Quick and Dirty Dart Rules with Some Games
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The dart board is hung so that the
center of the bullseye is 1.74m (5'8") from the floor. The
throwing line, which is also referred to as the oche (pronounced
"ockey"), the ockey (mostly in America), or the toeline,
is generally located 2.37m (7'9.25") from the face of the
dartboard measured horizontally. This is the recognized world
standard asset by the World Darts Federation and is played as
such in most areas. However, there are variations in distance and
some people play from 2.29m (7'6"), 2.44m (8') and as far as
2.74m (9').
When hanging the board care must be taken to ensure that the
floor does not slope away from the wall. If it does, the height
of the bullseye will not be located the correct height from the
floor in relationship to where the player is standing. If this is
the case, the location of the dart board on the wall will have to
be adjusted either up or down whichever the case may be.
When measuring the distance from the dart board to the toe line
along the floor from the wall, care must be taken to include the
distance from the wall to the front surface of the dartboard in
the measurement to ensure proper placement. This procedure can be
facilitated by tying a weight such as a large nut to a length of
string and using it as a plumb bob by placing the other end of
the string on the board's surface and letting the weight dangle
near the floor. Place a mark on the floor with a piece of chalk
and use this as the starting point for measuring the distance to
the toe line.
An easier method is to measure diagonally from the center of the
bullseye to the floor 2.931m (115-3/8"). This will reduce
the margin of error as long as the bullseye has been placed at
the correct height and the floor and the wall make a right angle.
The National Darts Federation Of Canada (NDFC) specifies that the
minimum length of the toe line must be 610mm (24") long.
Furthermore, a raised oche is specified and must be a minimum of
38mm (1.5") high. Although a raised oche is preferred, in
most applications, the toe line is a length of tape place along
the floor parallel to the wall the dart board is mounted on.
A
Quicker Explanation
The Official throwing distance, for most countries, is 2.37
meters, as measured along the floor, from the plane of the face
of the dartboard. In feet, this is 7 feet, 9-1/4 inches. The
height of the board, to the center of the bull, is 173
centimeters, or 5 feet, 8 inches.
1 - This is Known as a
Double it is the outer ring (First Ring) of the dart board, if
you get one of your darts in this ring it is worth double the
points, EG. 1 Dart in the Double 20 is worth 40 Points. Each Dart
in a Double is worth the Value of the section Doubled.
2 - This is know as a Triple, It is the Inner ring (second Ring)
of the Dart Board and if you get one of your darts in this ring
it is worth Triple the Points. EG. 1 Dart in the Triple 20 is
worth 60 Points, 3 Darts in the Triple 20 is the Highest Points
you are able to Score on a dart board it is worth 180 points.
Each Dart in this Ring is worth the Value of the section Tripled.
3 - This is Known as a Bullseye and also a Double Bull. It is the
smallest circle (ring) located at the center of the board. The
Value for the Ring is 50 Points. For each Dart in this ring each
Dart is worth 50 points.
4 - This is Known as a Single Bull. It is the Ring located
outside the Bullseye Ring. The Value of this section is 25 Points.
For each dart that is in this Ring is worth 25 points.
5 - These sections are known as Singles. They are located Between
the Double and Triple and Also Between the Triple and Single Bull.
The Value of these are Worth the Single Value of the Section. EG
1 dart in the fat part of the 9 is worth 9 points.
6 - This Section is worth Nothing and is also known as the Out
Area. This is located on the outer side of the double. And is
worth NO Value anywhere on the Board.
The game of Cricket differs from "301","501"
and "1001" since there is an element of strategy
against the opponent rather than just individual scoring.
1. The idea of the game is to "close" the numbers 20,19,18,17,16,15
and bullseye by scoring 3 hits in each number. These numbers
including bullseye may be closed in any order. A score in the
triple or double area scores 3 and 2 respectively for that number.
2. When 3 hits are "scored" in the number, the number
is "closed" and additional darts score points only if
the other player has not yet scored his three.
3. Your opponet cannot recieve points on a number you have closed,
but can prevent you from scoring additional points when he has
scored three hits and closed it.
4. To win the game, all the numbers 20 through 15 and bullseye
must be closed before your opponent does. However, if a point
deficit exists, it must be made up by scoring points in his open
numbers.
The objects of darts is to score 301/501/1001 points in as few
throws as possible. You play with groups of 3 darts - the total
score of all 3 darts is removed from your remaining total on the
scoreboard. Any dart landing outside the board does not score.
Darts landing in the outer ring double the nominal score, darts
landing in the middle ring score triple the nominal value. The
very centre of the board is called the Bullseye, or Bull, and is
worth 50 points. The Bull is surrounded by the Outer which is
worth 25 points.
To finish the game you must score the exact number of points. If
at any time your cumulative score exceeds the target you are 'bust'
and the score of that dart AND any other dart in that group of
three does not count. You MUST also finish on a double (the dart
must land in the outer circle and the double must be the exact
score you require to finish). There is one exception to this rule,
you may also finish with a Bullseye - but beware, it is more
difficult than may appear!
Baseball
Baseball: Baseball is a very simple and fun game that may be
played by as many players or teams as wish to play. There is a
version of the game that must be played on a special dart board,
but we will only be covering the version that is played on a
standard English dart board.
The Object: The object is simple: score the most amount of runs
each inning, the highest score at the end of the game wins.
The Scoring: The numbers 1 through 9 are written in ascending
order on the left side of the scoreboard. All players names are
written in batting order across the top (batting order may be
determined any way, usually one dart each at bullseye with the
closest throwing first and the furthest last). A grid may be
drawn around the numbers and the names for easier reading.
The Play: Each player in order throws three darts at the number
of the current inning. The target is 1's in the first inning, 2's
in the second, etc. Each number only counts in the that actual
inning. For example, if a 4 is hit in the first inning, it does
not count. The thin outer "double" ring counts as two
runs, the thin inner "triple" ring counts as three runs
with the other sections of that number counting as one run.
Therefore, the highest attainable score in any one inning is nine.
The number of runs scored is NOT multiplied by the inning number.
For example, in the second inning, two single 2's and a double 2
are scored; that players score would be four for that inning.
Usually a running total is kept with the current inning's score
being added to the current total. This way, players can see how
far ahead or behind they are and saves alot of time not having to
add all nine innings at the end of the game.
If there is a tie at the end of the ninth inning, extra innings
are played with bullseyes as the target. Extra innings continue
until after all players have thrown for that inning and no tie
exists.
One interesting twist that I like to play is the "7th inning
stretch". This variation states that any player who does not
score any runs in the seventh inning has their score cut in half.
This puts a little more pressure on the seventh inning than any
other and also gives a player who is far behind a chance to catch
up.
Strategy: Try to score alot of runs.
Golf: Golf is a game that may be played with as many players as
desired. It is also a very quick game, limited to only 3 "shots"
per "hole". Games may be played with 9 or 18 holes. A 9
hole game with 2 players can be played in 5 minutes or less.
The Object: Like real golf, the object is to complete each hole
in as few shots as possible. The player with the lowest score at
the end of 9 or 18 holes wins.
The Scoring: Players names are written across the top of the
board in order. Order is usually determined by throwing one dart
each for the bullseye with the closest playing first. This is a
game that playing order makes no difference, all players have an
equal number of throws to complete the game.
The agreed upon number of holes to play is written in order down
the left side of the board (1 through 9 or 1 through 18). A
running total is kept for each hole played and written next to
the number of the hole in the column for that player.
The thin outer "doubles" ring counts as a hole in one.
The thin inner "triples" ring counts as 2 strokes. The
thin wedge between the bullseye and the triples ring counts as 3
strokes. The thick wedge between the doubles and triples ring
counts as 4 strokes. Missing the number entirely counts a 5
strokes. 5 is the worst score you can score on any one hole.
The Play: The first player begins the first hole by throwing for
1's. The player may choose to throw one, two or all three darts
for the hole. However many darts are thrown. The LAST dart thrown
is the one that counts. For example, the player throws the first
dart into the thin wedge of the 1 for a score of 3. Un-satisfied
with this score, he throws the remaining two darts at the triple
and misses the ones entirely. His score for is now 5 for the hole,
he may not choose to count the first dart because he continued
throwing. If he had been satisfied with the first dart, he may
have kept the score of three and not thrown the remaining two
darts.
The remaining players play through the first hole in order. When
play returns to the first player, the second hole is played and 2
is the target number. The game countinues as such until all 9 or
18 holes have been played.
Strategy: There isn't much strategy to this game, however unless
your very good, be satisfied with what you have, you might end up
like my example above.
This is a very difficult game with
very simple rules. Generally it is a game played by very good
players only. It may be played by any number of players.
The Object: To "close" six random numbers and the
bullseye before your opponents.
The Scoring: The players names are writen across the top of the
board in playing order. Playing order is usually determined by
throwing one dart each at bullseye, and the closest plays first.
"Closing" a number means hitting three of that number.
In the case of this game only the triples ring (the thin inner
ring) counts in this game except for the bullseye round. Each
triple counts as one towards closing the number. Therefore three
triples of each number and three bullseyes must be hit to win the
game.
Six random numbers are chosen from the board as the targets. The
random numbers may be chosen by throwing darts left handed at the
board or just called out. These numbers are written down the left
hand side of the board and a "B" for bullseye below
them.
A score of one is indicated by writing a slash ("/")
next to the number, a score of two by writing an X and a score of
three by writing a circle ("O") to show it is closed.
The Play: The first player throws darts at the triple of the
first number on the list. No other numbers count until the first
number is closed.
Play continues alternating players until someone has closed all
six numbers and the bullseye in order.
Strategy: Practice and be a pretty good player before attempting
this game. If you don't plan for a very late night.
Tic-Tac-Toe is a fun simple game for
2 players or teams. It combines the standard rules of the pen-and-paper
game with darts.
The Object: Getting a tic-tac-toe just like the regular game by
having three X's or O's in a row horizontally, vertically or
diagonally.
The Scoring: Three tic-tac-toe boards are drawn on the scoreboard,
1 small one in each of the two player/team's columns and one
larger one in the center. The small ones are used to mark what
each player hits and the big one is used for the actual tic-tac-toe
game.
The numbers that are used for the game appear on the dart board
with similar placement to the tic-tac-toe box they represent (B
means bullseye):
12 20 18
11 B 6
7 3 2
In order to place an X or an O in the big game board, a player
must "close" the number first in the small game board.
To close a number, three of that number must be scored with the
thin outer ring counting as two of that number (called a "double")
and the thin inner ring counting as three (called a triple). A
score of one is indicated with a slash ("/"). A score
of two is indicated with an X. And a score of three is indicated
with a circle to show it is "closed".
For example, a player hits a single 18, a double 18 and a single
7. In his small board, he would place a circle in the upper left
hand box to show he closed 18 and a slash in the lower left hand
box to indicate the single 7. Now because he closed 18 first, he
claims the upper left hand corner of the big game board by
placing his X or O in that box. 18's now no longer count for the
other player.
The Play: Players throw one dart each at bullseye, closest dart
throws first and that player's name is written above the left
small board with the other player's name written above the right
small board. This player also chooses to be X's or O's and writes
that near the small board too.
The first player will try to close the numbers that count as
quickly as possible to place an X or O where desired.
Players alternate until someone wins a tic-tac-toe or the game is
a draw.
Strategy: If you do not know the strategy to tic-tac-toe, you
should seek professional help.