Dart 101

Ah, today, let me teach you all something about darts. A dart board looks like this: (der...)

The Dart Board 

The board is mounted in such a way that the bulleye is 1.73m from the ground. The player will throw 3 darts/turn behind a line 2.37m from the dartboard. Now the different parts of the dart board:

The outer (larger) red-green-red-green ring is called the Double - if your dart ganna Double, you will score the score of that segment x2. The inner (smaller) red-green-red-green ring is called the Triple - if your dart hit that ring, you will score the score of that segment x3. All other parts of the segment is called Single - erm... self-explainatory. If you hit the black region (with number labels) outside the Double ring, you don't score anything. 

Lastly, the green circle in the center is called the Single Bullseye, worth 25 pts. The red circle in th center is called Double Bullseye, worth 25 x 2 = 50 pts.

Quiz: Which part of the board is worth the most points?

Ans: It is NOT the Double Bullseye! It is Triple 20! (The red small rectangle just above bulleye.) It's worth 60 pts and the good thing about it is, the area is bigger! Easier to fit 3 darts inside. (Can be done, but not by me. Ha!)

 

The Rules

The rules of a standard dart game is pretty simple.

Everyone start with 301 points (international competitions, as seen in the video, start with 501). The aim is to reduce your point to zero, before your opponent. Easy. But the hard part is that, you only start reducing points when you hit a Double, either the outer Double ring or the Double Bullseye, ie. to Check In. If you don't hit a double, you can keep shooting and shooting until the cow come home and your score will still stay at 301. (It is possible if you are really that suay.)

Since you Checked In with a Double, you need to Check Out with a Double too. That is to say, when your score reach 40, you can hit a Double 20 and you win the game. If you missed and hit 20, you are left with 20 and now, you need to check out with a Double 10. This goes on until your score become 2, then you need to check out with a Double 1. Your score can't go below 2. Let say your score is 2 and you hit a 1 (or a Triple 20, whatever), you burst, your turn ends and your score revert back to the score before your turn, which is 2.

Tip: Most players avoid checking out with Double 1. If their score reach 2, they will try to burst themselves using their remaining darts and revert back to the score before the turn. Double 1 is damn hard to hit, and I mean it.

Quiz: What is the maximum number of darts needed to win a 301 game?

50 + 50 (Double Bullseye checking in and out) + 57 (Triple 19 to eliminate odd num) + 60 + 60 + 24 = 301 

There is prettier method:

5 x 50 (Double Bullseye) + 51 (Triple 17) = 301

At least 6 darts (2 turns) is needed.  

Why play darts?

It trains your focus, concentration and discipline. I've been reading books, my favorite author Paulo Coelho and some enlightened monks have been meditaing through a sport called Zen Archery...

"The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconscious is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill, though there is in it something of a quite different order which cannot be attained by any progressive study of the art..."

Having no forest in my backyard (erm... I don't have any backyard also) and no money to buy bow and arrows, I've decided that Zen Dart-chery will be the next best alternative. You need to really concentrate and be at peace in order for your darts to land where you want it to be. It is a good exercise to sharpen your mind.

And of course, it is fun!

*Ringggg....*

Ok time's up. I will end my Darts Lecture for today. Hopefully after today you all will take up darts. A dart board is only around $20. A decent set of darts also around $10+ only. You can easily hang the board behind the door of your room.

Class dismissed!

 

P.S. Btw, did I mention a curious security guard knocked on my door and asked me what am I doing when I was playing darts with my roommate at 2am? Haha!