Although more and more people in Germany are picking up darts, the exact rules of darts are still unclear to many. Today, we'll briefly explain what darts are all about and what you need to pay attention to.
The sport of darts has a very long history , dating back to medieval England , and the rules have been changed frequently. Today's dart rules—as we all know them—originated at the beginning of this century. Here are the five most important points:
- Each player has three arrows in his hand and therefore three throws
- Only arrows that remain stuck in the board after the last of the three throws are counted
- In most tournaments, the score is counted backwards from 501 or 301 points
- The aim of the players is to reach the score zero as quickly as possible
- The professionals usually play with “Double out” , for beginners we recommend the variant “Straight out” (no matter how to get to zero)
Game preparation: Dartboard, distance, height & dimensions
Before you can even throw your first darts and begin playing, certain preparations must be made. There are a few dart rules and dart dimensions to consider.
dartboard
First, let's look at the dartboard, or dartboard, at which the darts are thrown. It doesn't matter whether you're throwing at an electronic dartboard (such as the CB 90) or a traditional dartboard (such as the Blade 5).
All dartboards are divided into 20 equally sized segments , each assigned the numbers 1-20 . The numbers are arranged in a random order, so that large and small numbers usually alternate. The highest number, 20, is always in the top center.
All segments are traversed by two narrow rings . The outer of the two rings is the so-called double segment and surrounds the disk at its outer edge.
A hit in the double segment doubles the value of the respective segment. A small ring runs through the center of the disc. This is called the triple segment , which triples the value. The maximum score per throw is therefore the triple 20, or 60 points.
There are also two other fields in the center of the dartboard: the green Single Bull (counts 25 points) and the red Bull's Eye (counts 50 points).
Infobox: The Bull's Eye has a diameter of 1.27 centimeters, the Single Bull of 3.18 centimeters.
The other dartboard dimensions are as follows: The target area of the board, i.e., the area encompassed by the double ring, has a diameter of 34 centimeters. The entire board, however, has a diameter of 45.1 centimeters.
Distance and height
Now that we have familiarized ourselves with the scoring system on the dartboard, let's take a look at the dimensions and distance of the darts .
These have changed significantly in recent years, especially for e-darts (=games played on electronic dartboards), so that almost uniform rules now apply to the entire sport of darts.
Only the dartboard height differs : The classic dartboard is mounted on the wall so that the bull's-eye hangs at a height of 1.73 meters. For electronic darts, the dartboard height is 1.72 meters.
We especially recommend protecting the wall behind the dartboard as well as the floor within the playing area. This is especially true when playing with steel darts—i.e. , darts with an iron tip .
There are ready-made back walls for the dartboards, so-called surrounds , which can be seen in use at the World Championships, for example.
Now let's come to the dart distance: The distance from the front of the dartboard to the throwing line - also called the oche - is 2.37 meters for all variants .
It's a good idea to play with fixed dart markers to maintain the dart distance. This way, no player can overstep the mark. There are even specially manufactured dart mats or small lasers that project a dart line at the touch of a button .
Mass
Now that the dartboard is hung in the right place, all we need to worry about is the right darts. Buying the perfect darts is a science in itself, especially for beginners and newcomers to the sport.
The following general rules apply: In steel darts, only darts that are a maximum of 30.5 centimeters long and weigh 50 grams may be used. In e-dart tournaments, where players aim at an electronic dartboard, the soft darts may be a maximum of 16.8 centimeters long and weigh 20 grams, depending on the dart machine.
Now that all the preparations have been made, we can finally start throwing darts: Game On!
Game play: Basic Dart Rules, Game Mode, Calculations
Let's start with the basic rules of darts. As mentioned above, each player must stand behind the oche, or throwing line, during a throw.
If the player is standing far to the right or left of the line, they must stand behind an imaginary extension of the oche . At least one of the player's legs must always be touching the ground when throwing.
Each player starts with three darts in their hand , giving them three throws for each turn. The darts must, of course, be thrown at the board one at a time and in immediate succession.
In theory, each player has a maximum of one minute for a throw, which means he can take a maximum of three minutes for each shot (= three throws).
In practice, however, this time is normally never fully utilized; most players need a maximum of 30 seconds for their shot .
Any dart that falls or bounces off the board will not be counted. Only darts that remain in the board after the last of the three throws will be counted.
The darts must be removed from the board after the score has been recorded and announced by the referee. Steel tips with a non-slip surface are particularly helpful in preventing these bounces.
In some cases, a player may even aim so precisely that they throw their dart into a dart already stuck in the board . This is known as a "Robin Hood" throw. While this looks very spectacular, only the one dart that actually sticks in the board counts.
Game mode
Now that we're familiar with the basics, let's move on to the most common game modes . Depending on the tournament format, 501, 301, or cricket are the most popular. The classic darts game is 501 Double Out .
The starting point is 501 points per leg. The goal is to reduce the score from 501 to exactly zero as quickly as possible .
The players alternate throwing three darts. The points for the targets hit by the player are deducted from the remaining score. The first player to reduce their score to zero wins the leg.
To end the game or to reach exactly zero points, this must be done by throwing a double (outer ring) or the bull's eye. For example, if 40 points remain, the player can win the round by throwing the double 20 (=D20) field.
The highest possible score that can be checked (hit at zero) with three darts is 170. For many starting scores, there are different ways to hit zero. Therefore, there are so-called checkout tables where you can quickly see which fields you need to hit to win.
If the player scores more than necessary , they have overthrown the ball . This is considered a "no score": The turn is not counted, and the opponent takes another turn. When the player who overthrew the ball is back in play, they start again with the number of points they had before their last throw.
Calculate
To prevent this, it's especially important to master the basics of arithmetic in the 501 Double Out game mode. Most players will probably remember the simple 1x1 from their dark math lessons, but the fun stops when it comes to the big 1x1.
Correct and quick calculations can be just as important as mastering the dart rules.
At major darts tournaments on the worldwide stages of the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) and the BDO (British Darts Organisation), games are played with so-called callers .
A caller calculates the score of the shot in a fraction of a second and then loudly announces it to the audience . The legendary "onehundredandeightyyyyy" announcements at the Darts World Championship at Alexandra Palace are probably audible in every darts fan's ear.
But not all of us have the skills of a caller. It takes a long time to become capable of not only adding the shot (the three darts thrown) in a few seconds, but also subtracting the remaining darts from the shot, for example, in a 501 double out.
Calculation aids
For newcomers to the sport, it's essential to finish the throw first, then add up the totals . Otherwise, you'll quickly lose concentration .
The easiest way to start is with a pen and paper . For example, write 501 as the starting value and subtract the points rolled from it, round by round. It's a good idea to do this like you did in school: first the ones, then the tens!
Example: If, for example, the starting value is 501 and you roll 26 points (this might happen more often in the beginning), you first subtract six points and get 495 points. Then you subtract the remaining 20 points and finally get 475 points.
Even if it might be a bit tedious at first, you should be aware that the players on TV and all other experienced darts players often no longer consciously calculate. Through years of practice, they have practically all the subtractions of the most frequently thrown combinations memorized!
But we also have a solution for the really lazy calculators among us: The Dartcounter app ! All you have to do is add up your three hits and then enter them into the app .
This will then automatically deduct your points from your current score and also display possible checkout options in the finish area (see table above).
Other darts games: “Straight Out”, “Double In”, “Around the Clock” & Co
Especially when you're just starting out in darts, the 501 DO game mode can quickly become boring . In particular, trying to finish the game with a double is often very tedious at first and quickly leads to resignation .
Straight Out
The variant of ending the game with “Double Out” is the most popular among experienced darts players and is also the most well-known variant thanks to TV, but there are also numerous other possibilities.
As explained before, in the “Double Out” you need to hit the double ring to finish, i.e. end and win a round of darts.
There is also a "Master Out" version: Here, the game can be ended with a "triple" or "double" throw. In "Straight Out," any square can be thrown to end the game, as long as the player gets to zero points.
For beginners, it is especially recommended to start with this variant and later adapt the game to the correct dart rules.
Double-In
However, there are also game variations where you have to hit a predetermined field at the beginning of the game. In "Double In," you must hit any double field before the countdown can begin.
The thrown "double" is deducted from the score. With the "triple in," however, you must start by hitting a triple; only then do the points hit (including the thrown triple) count.
Around the Clock & many more
There are many other game modes available on the dartboard. These include well-known dart games like "Cricket" or "Around the Clock," which can be found on any standard dart machine .
The game “Around the Clock” is particularly suitable for beginners as it increases accuracy on individual segments of the dartboard.
The goal of the game is to hit all the numbers one after the other, starting with "1." The winner is the first to hit "20."
It doesn't matter whether the player hits a single, double, or triple segment. After hitting the "1" segment, the next dart is immediately aimed at the "18," then the "4," and so on.
There are also countless variations of this game, for example with Bull or hitting the numbers 1 – 20 in numerical order, i.e. first the “1”, then the “2”, the “3” etc.
There are also other more exotic dart games, such as “Darts 4 in a Row” or “Darts Yahtzee”.
Ready to take your skills to the next level? Discover our exclusive secrets and proven methods to optimize your game:
- Dart Doubles Training : All secrets revealed: How to become a doubles pro. Learn more and train now. Click here » including free pro tips
- Killer Darts For beginners and pros. Discover proven strategies that will lead you to victory. Click in now & play successfully! Includes insider tips!
- Better darts through solo training: Dart training games for solo players. Suitable for all skill levels. Learn more now and always throw accurately!
Das im Beitrag gezeigte Bildmaterial mit Bezug zu Dartspielern und verwandten Themen unterliegt – sofern nicht anders angegeben – dem Copyright der Professional Darts Corporation (©pdc)
