by Stephanie Chandler

Created on: June 02, 2009

The rules of Lawn Darts, as with any backyard game, are not steadfast. The number one rule is to play safe and have fun.

Lawn Darts is a game of precision that is easy to learn and simple to play but difficult to master. A typical set of lawn darts consists of 4 darts about twelve inches long with a metal or plastic tip at one end, three fins at the other and two round targets. The game can be played by two players, or two teams.

To play, the targets are placed 35 feet from each other. This distance can be changed as the venue requires; be sure to have plenty of open space in the play area. Each player, or one player from each team, stands at a target. Each player then tosses his/her darts, underhanded, toward the target opposite them. In the first round, the red team throws first, alternating throws with their opponent. In subsequent rounds, the player scoring the highest in the previous round throws first. The object is to land the dart in the target, thereby scoring.

There are different versions of the game where the objective is the same, but the scoring is different.

In Traditional Lawn Darts, a point is scored for each dart landing in the target area. If a player from each team lands a dart in the target, the scores will cancel each other out. Play continues until a player reaches 21, the winning score.

In Handly Cup Style Lawn Darts, the scores are based on both those darts that land in the target as well as those that do not. For each dart that lands in the target, the player scores three points, unless the opposing team also lands a dart in the target, then those scores null each other out. For example, if the blue team lands two darts in the target and the red team lands one, the blue team will only score three points.

To score those darts outside the ring, any dart that lands closer to, but outside, the ring than any other opposing team dart, scores one point. For example, if neither team lands a dart in the target, but the blue team has two darts closer to the target than the red team, the blue team scores two points. However, if both teams land a dart in the target, there is no score for darts outside the ring, since both teams have a dart closer. The first player to exactly 21 wins. If the score of a round puts that player over 21, the score for that round is deducted instead of added.

The game of Lawn Darts, or Yard Darts, or Jarts, was banned in 1988 due to injuries and even deaths caused by the darts. Although the darts do not look menacing, their trajectory through the air increases their velocity on their decent causing them to easily puncture skin or skulls. For this reason, children should not take part in a Lawn Dart game. Many people still have their old sets, and others have obtained them more recently via the internet. For those who wish to still play this outdoor game, take precautions to be sure all players and by-standers stay safe.

There are countless other games that are similar, yet not as dangerous, to Lawn Darts. Horseshoes, Quoits and Cornhole to name a few, all consist of tossing an object to a target. They each have their own strategy, but they all provide an afternoon of outdoor fun for the whole family, kids included.

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