Darts is one of the most popular pub games out there. Whichever pub you choose to visit, there will be at least one dart board with one or two drunk guys trying to scare a bullseye. But what are the actual darts rules that professional players adhere to? Well, we are here to help you guys know more about it.
Darts: History
Only a caveman would not know what the hell the game of darts is. It is one of the most popular indoor games out there. This is primarily a bar game that was popularised in the 19th Century. 90% of the bars across England and the USA are guilty of having a dart board and some darts lying around.
Originally, the dart boards were generally made out of cork or elmwood. Later on, a material called sisal fibers, which were sourced from century plants, was used to make the boards. However, the oldest variation of the game used tree trunks as boards.
Earlier on, discarded arrows or crossbow bolt tips were used to play the game. Later on, specific pieces of equipment were used in order to play darts. Nowadays, darts can be found in different variations and are created using a myriad of materials like plastics, magnets, etc.
Pieces Of Equipment
Even though Darts is a fairly low-maintenance game that requires very little equipment. Still, if you are still planning on knowing the game from the inside out, you need to have an idea about the darts rules, pieces of equipment, and some variations that are popular.
The Board
According to the regulatory body of professional darts, a board should be approximately 451 mm or 17.8 inches in diameter and be divided into 20 radial sections. Each of these sections entails a different set of points and is separated using wire. Sisal fibers are used to make high-quality boards that are sourced from Eastern Africa, Brazil, and China.
Darts
In the 19th century, soldiers used arrow and crossbow bolt tips to play this game during their downtime. However, manufacturers started using specified pieces of equipment as the game grew in popularity. A modern-day dart must be made up of four primary components. These include:
- Point: These are the needle-like heads that puncture the board when a dart is thrown. These points come in two common lengths, 32 and 41 mm. In some darts, the points are textured and slightly retractable. Therefore, These small modifications keep the dart from bouncing off.
- Barrel: This is the middle part of the dart. A barrel’s primary job is to add weight to the dart. This helps the dart to maintain momentum and fly straight. Brass, silver-nickel, or tungsten alloys are used to make high-quality darts.
- Shafts: These are made up of plastics or nylon polymers. Shafts can be flexible as well as rigid. The shaft’s job is to connect the barrel to the flight and add some streamlines to the dart. Professional darts have longer shafts as they help in the overall quality of flight.
- Flight stabilizer: This is the final integral component of darts. A stabilizer maintains the course of the dart while in the air. It keeps the dart from shifting its weight and going astray. If you look closely, the flight stabilizers look exactly like those of arrows.
Gameplay Rules
Understanding the rules of darts is seminal for enjoying it. Therefore, Here are some of the basic darts rules that you need to know about.
Setting Up The Board
Regulation boards have a diameter of 18 inches and are divided into 22 or 20 sections. These sections hold different points and are divided by a thin wire or sheet metal. According to the regulations, the bull’s eye should be 5 feet 8 inches from the floor. Subsequently, the toe line must be 7 feet 9 inches from the face of the board. A professional game of darts always adheres to these standards.
Basic Rules
The game is usually played between 3 or 4 players. The warm-up match decides the shooting order. Hence, Each player is given one chance to hit the bullseye in a warm-up match. The person who is the closest or hits the bullseye goes first.
After the shooting order is decided, each player gets three chances to shoot their shot. The point of the dart must touch the board and remain there for a point to count.
General Scoring
A dart board is divided into wedges and sections. Each section holds a specific point. Apart from the wedges, two rings overlap the playing areas. If your dart lands outside the rings, you are awarded the face value. However, if your dart lands in the coinciding area, you will double the point. Lastly, you will be awarded triple the total point if your dart lands at the bullseye.
How To Throw
Throwing darts may seem quite an easy task to do. However, a professional dart player follows a certain checklist. These include:
- Lift your arm up and make a sharp L.
- Subsequently, hold the dart in a way that the point faces the board and is slightly tilted up.
- Stabilize your hand and take good aim.
- Control your breathing while cooking a dart. Inhale while cocking. Hold your breath and take aim.
End Note.
With that, we have reached the very end of our article, exploring some of the most important and basic darts rules, pieces of equipment, and gameplay tips that a beginner might need. Next time you play a game of darts, follow some of our tips and tell us if you got results. Keep following our page for more such content.
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