by Costas Chryanthou

Created on: March 26, 2008   Last Updated: January 12, 2010

There are a maximum of two players per competitive game. Each player has three darts to thrown each time. Player rotation follows after each three darts thrown until there is a winner. Match rules state that no more than three darts can be thrown on the board at one time.

A player's choice of darts must be steel tipped and weigh no more than fifty five grams.

The set up of the dartboard area is important, there is a need for good lighting, a space that does not make throwing the darts dangerous.

The dartboard must be approximately 5ft 8 inches off the ground. The dartboard bullseye is the guide for this maximum height level. Secondly the length from the dartboard to where the player must throw is 7ft 9 and 3 quarter inches. Players must stand in a horizontal stance with this distance from the board.

Players who overstep the throwing line on the oche, their scores from that particular attempt are deemed to not count.

A dart can hit the ground even if it has hit the board. In this case the score of that dart does not count. However if a dart hits the board though it is loose or appears that it will fall out, the player score will count if it is removed before the dart has fallen.

There are different ways of playing darts for a amateur. These could include around the clock, a game of 501, 301 and 701. The around the clock game involves throwing three darts in turn. The aim of the game is to score one to twenty in order. Then the player must finish the game by hitting a twenty five, outer bullseye and the bullseye. The winner is the first one to complete this task. 501,301,701 games involve starting at for example at 501 and finishing the game by hitting a double. A double score is the numbers on the outer segments. So if a player's score at some stage during the game is forty then the player would have to hit a double twenty.

A score keeper must count and note down mentally or on paper or via electronic means the scores of each player, until there is a winner. It is the job of the score keeper to ensure the accuracy of the scores.

Scoring: Numbers on the board range from one to twenty, along with the bullseye and the outer bullseye. There are treble segments on the board that count for three times the number hit. So if a person hit a treble twenty then the score would count as sixty. A double segment would be double the number hit.

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