Basic Rules for Games of Darts

Even though darts is a very old game, many people still find it an enjoyable pastime. Many family game rooms are equipped with some sort of a dart board and darts (many of them electronic now), and darts can still be found in bars and taverns. It is a fun alternative to other games, and to television, as it allows for conversation.

The basic rules for darts are fairly standard. However, there are variations on the basic rules. But once the basics are down, it is fairly easy to pick up on other games, and even to invent a game of your own making. Warm-up throws are made at the outset (everyone gets eight or nine warm-up throws) and teams are decided upon. Each person gets a chance to throw one last time, and whichever team or person gets closest to the bull’s eye at the center of the dart board goes first.

For a basic game of darts, each person gets a turn. Each turn has three throws. Two different sets of darts allows the teams to distinguish from one another. The first set is thrown and left in place. The second team or person has fewer options, since the first turn has taken positions away from what is available. A dart that falls from the board less than five seconds after the final throw on a turn does not count. That dart is re-thrown. However, if a dart falls off later, or if it sticks to another dart, it receives no score at all. A dart need only stay on through one turn. A turn is counted up after it is completed, so if the dart falls off during the next turn, it has already been counted and is not taken away.

Scoring works according to the position of the dart on the board. Higher scores are received for darts that land closer to the bull’s eye. There are, however, different scores. The dart board looks complicated to the beginner. Wedges and rings cross-sect each other, creating different scoring areas. The outer ring is marked by numbers, and points are given by which number is hit. The ring directly inside the outside ring indicates that the number should be doubled and the third ring indicates a triple of the number on the outside ring. Two rings make up the bull’s eye: an outer worth 25 points and the inner-most which is worth 50 points.

Games that call for reaching a certain number of points, or of starting with a certain number and then being the first to get rid of them all are common and can be played using these basic scoring rules.