ADRIAN LEWIS is aiming to follow up his UK Open triumph by continuing his push for a Betway Premier League Darts Play-Off spot against Gary Anderson as the tournament visits Nottingham's Capital FM Arena on Thursday.

Lewis picked up the fourth major title of his career on Sunday night as he romped past Terry Jenkins 11-1 in an imperious performance to win the UK Open final in Minehead.

The 29-year-old Stoke ace averaged 109 - a figure only bettered by Phil Taylor in a major televised decider - as he condemned Jenkins to his eighth defeat in a big final.

Having also drawn with World Champion Michael van Gerwen in last week's Premier League round in Exeter, Lewis is now aiming to defeat 2011 champion Anderson and kick-start his push for a Play-Off place in May.

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PHIL TAYLOR claimed his second victory of the Betway Premier League Darts season with a 7-5 defeat of Dave Chisnall in Nottingham on Thursday, as Peter Wright continued his unbeaten start to the campaign against Simon Whitlock.

Taylor has found himself in the unusual position of being inside the Premier League's bottom two after losing four of his opening five games, but kick-started his campaign by seeing off Chisnall.

The six-time Premier League Darts champion hit a 122 finish for a 12-darter as he established an early 3-1 cushion, before Chisnall hit back to level with a key 14-darter.

However, the World Grand Prix finalist could never edge ahead, as Taylor defied two 180s in a crucial 11th leg to move 6-5 up before punishing his opponent for missing the bull to grab a draw in the deciding leg by finishing double 16 for a 14-darter.

The win sees Taylor draw level with Chisnall on four points in the table, only one behind Robert Thornton and Wes Newton ahead of the final three weeks before Judgement Night,where the league's bottom two players are relegated.

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Shafts serve to hold the flights away from the center of mass of the dart barrel.  The shaft acts as a lever to make the flight more effective at resisting sideways motion.  A longer shaft will produce about the same effect as a larger flight.  There are a plethora of different shaft designs, but all serve essentially this same purpose.
SHAFTS - Plastic
Inexpensive, and available in many colors, but break fairly easily. Good shafts until you start throwing tight groups and breaking lots of shafts. Materials are usually polycarbonate or nylon, some have replaceable tops for greater longevity. Priced from $1 to $3.

Shafts - Composite
Composite type shafts, like the Alamo or Quiver, have plastic bases that thread into the dart, combined with aluminum or other metal alloy tops that hold the flight. These are excellent shafts, quite durable, and will not vibrate loose as easily as solid aluminum shafts. Generally available with replaceable tops for economy and convenience. Most styles priced at $2 to $6.

Shafts - Solid Aluminum
More rigid and durable than Plastic or Composite Shafts, in many colorful styles, some with decorative engraved stripes, flutes, or spirals. May tend to vibrate loose, especially on heavy darts. When used with thick flights, such as Dimplex or Nylon, the slots may need to be pried open slightly, with a dart tool or knife blade. Will normally bend instead of breaking when hit; just straighten for more use. Priced from $2 to $6.

Note: Aluminum shafts often vibrate loose when playing, so rubber O-ring lock washers are highly recommended. This only occurs when there is a metal-to-metal contact, so plastic shafts do not normally need the lock washers.

Shafts - Spinning
A variety of shaft styles are now available, that allow the flight to turn out of the way when struck by another dart. Spinning shafts do nothing to improve the flight of the dart through the air, but they do allow tighter groups by letting the flights align with each other. Also, these shaft will greatly reduce torn flights and "rovin-hooded" shafts. Priced from $2 to $12.

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Tungsten is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the grip will last much longer. On softer metal darts, the grooves and rough knurling may wear down fairly quickly from skin acid, friction, and hitting other darts.

The billets that tungsten darts are made from consist of a variety of metals, including tungsten.  To manufacture the blanks for machining tungsten darts, tungsten powder and other metals are blended and bonded by heat and pressure, resulting in a "sintered" material that we refer to as Nickel-Tungsten (or Copper-Tungsten, etc.)  Common materials include tungsten, nickel, copper, and iron.  The exact mix of materials varies considerably from one company to another, based on their requirements for density, cost, and ease of machining.

Tungsten darts cost more for several reasons:  The metal is expensive, and since it is very dense, tungsten requires more effort to fabricate into darts.

There are 4 general categories of Tungsten darts.

1.   50% to 70% Tungsten- $15 to $50 (commonly sold at discount stores)
2.   80% Tungsten - $25-$75 (popular with new league players)
3.    90% Tungsten- $50-$200 (high density, will hold up well, feel better to throw.)
4.    95% to 98% Tungsten - $100 - $200 (high density, thinner, resist wear, feel better to throw. However, slightly more likely to break.)

Discount outlets often sell low-density Tungsten darts without specifying the percentage of Tungsten content, but just say "Tungsten Darts". Such darts are often cheap Chinese imports of poor quality. Look for the percentage of tungsten on the packaging, a higher number means that the dart is more dense, and generally better quality.

Tungsten prices have gone up in recent years, raising the price of quality darts sets. However, in order to offer "bargain" prices, many sporting good stores & discount outlets now sell cheap "Tungsten Darts" that actually contain only a tiny trace of tungsten in them. Many of these cheap sets are about the same density as brass (or less), but cost quite a bit more. Always look for the percentage of tungsten on the package, and buy from a reliable vendor.

There are also a small number of Copper-Tungsten darts available. This is a much softer material, with about 70% Tungsten content. They are generally less expensive than Nickel-Tungsten darts. Some darters, especially old-timers, like the grip of these darts as the metal surface develops microscopic pits after they have been thrown for awhile.  Copper tungsten darts have become much less common in recent years, with Nickel/Tungsten darts becoming the primary type of high-density darts.

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Like Brass, this is a fairly dense (heavy) metal, is relatively inexpensive, and is easy to machine. However, Nickel/Silver is harder and therefore more durable, which prevents the machined grip from wearing away as rapidly. Otherwise, similar to Brass Darts, and popular with budget-minded beginning darters. (Note: There is no actual Silver content; this Nickel and Tin alloy is often used for the moving parts of silver jewelry and for trophies.)
5.Tungsten Darts
Tungsten is an extremely dense metal, heavier than lead for the same size item.  Tungsten darts are considerably more dense than Brass or Nickel/Silver Darts.

Higher density materials result in  darts with smaller diameter, better "feel", and tighter possible groups on the dart-board. Tungsten is also very durable, so the machined grip will not wear down as rapidly as on Brass or Nickel/Silver Darts.

For darters, having all of the dart's mass concentrated between the fingertips greatly enhances control of the dart.

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Brass darts is the least expensive type of metal dart. ( $5-$20 ).
Brass is a fairly dense (heavy) metal, composed mostly of copper and zinc. It is relatively inexpensive, and easy to machine. However, it is so soft that the machined "grip" may quickly wear down, changing the "feel" of the dart. Brass Darts are commonly mass-produced on automated lathes, so the quality and consistency of the machining may vary considerably. Brass darts are often used as "house darts" due to low price.

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Compared to many other sports, a a fairly small amount of equipment is required to play Darts.  Darts sets generally consist of 3 darts barrels, with points (usually of steel or plastic), as well as shafts and flights to help stabilize the path of the dart when thrown or tossed. Occasionally dart barrels are sold by themselves, but most major dart manufacturers market their darts products as complete sets, with barrels, points, flights, and shafts all pre-assembled, or at least in the same package. Some darts sets come packaged in carry cases with storage room for extra darts accessories.

Dart barrels are sometimes referred to as "dart pins" or "darts pins" in some parts of Asia.

Each person should have one set of 3 darts. Each person throws 3 darts, then removes them before the next person throws.

There should NEVER be more than 3 darts in a dartboard at one time.
It is difficult to share one set of darts, as it drastically slows down the game. Darts is not a game where blocking scoring areas by opponents is allowed. And having more than three darts in the board means more damaged darts & "robin hoods" due to hits from following darts.

As darters have different hand and finger sizes, so darts are not one-size-fits-all. That is another reason why it is often hard to pick just the right dart from a catalog or online site. It is really important to try the darts before buying, to ensure that the "fit" is just right for your hand and grip style. When buying darts, visit a darts shop that has boards setup for trying out the various darts styles available.

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Tournament quality bristle dart boards are made of natural sisal rope fiber. Sisal fiber is made from the leaves of the Agave plant, the same plant species from which tequila is made!

These rope fibers are compressed under tons of pressure, banded with steel, and bonded to a non-warping backboard.  The final effect is that of a tightly compressed brush, which will catch and hold dart points, then close up when the darts are removed. Bristle dartboards will accomodate both steel tip darts and soft-tip darts (if long points are used).

The surface is later sanded smooth and screen-printed with the appropriate colors. Finally, the wires or other dividers are attached and the number ring fastened on with clips, to allow easy rotation of worn areas. Bristle dartboards should be rotated after about every 4 hours of steady use, so that wear is evenly distributed around the dartboard's surface.

Keep dart boards dry, and never apply any type of liquid to a bristle dartboard, as water of other liquids will immediately ruin the dartboard.   (Editor's note:  No matter what you hear at a bar, applying any liquid really will ruin a bristle dartboard.  Over the years I've personally seen dozens of boards ruined this way. Yet darters keep doing this, because for an few hours, it seems to work.  Then the board's fiber pulls loose, forms giant blisters, and falls apart.)

Darts may be left in a dart-board for brief periods of time, such as a day or two.  If steel-tip darts are left in the board for extended periods (weeks or more) the dart points may rust and leave permanent stains in the bristles.

The English company NODOR first developed bristle dartboards in the 1930's, and introduced them commercially in 1936. Before that time, dartboards were generally made of elm wood, although the NODOR company also made a plasticene dartboard.

Note: It is a common misconception that dartboards are made of animal hair, such as pig bristles, camel hair, or horse hair. This is a myth... No such animal fiber boards have ever been made!

Also, the spelling "Bristol Dartboard" is incorrect. The name "Bristle Dartboard" refers to the sisal rope material that the board is made of, not the city "Bristol".

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Although not absolutely essential, a dart mat is a good idea for dart fans. A bare wood floor in front of a dart board is going to get holes in it. Carpeted floors get tracked on and cement floors create problems for the dart tips when a wild shot rebounds onto the deck.

Another advantage of a dart mat is that the toe line is generally premeasured on the mat. This way a piece of tape or paint does not have to be affixed to the floor to keep darts games within regulation distances.

When not in use the dart mat can be rolled up and put in a closet. Having a dart mat out during play clearly delineates the area in which darts will be flying and can help prevent random people from walking into areas of dangerous play.

Dart mats are usually made from thick, durable rubber or vinyl and are about two feet wide. They will not catch every bouncing dart, but they will catch most. In lieux of a dart mat, you could line up a series of doormats. However, be prepared to skip over tripping hazzards all the way to the dart board.

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A good dart throw begins with a good stance. It is best to align the body so that the throwing arm is forward. A right handed dart thrower will want his or her right foot next to the toe line. The body, should be aligned from 45 to 90 degrees from the toe line, with the opposite foot back. If the opposite foot is forward the thrower will have to sling the dart across the body. This makes for a longer throw. Also throws become awkward when the body is parallel to the oche.

Next it is important to develop a consistent grip. Probably the easiest grip for most beginners will be the pencil grip as this is familiar.However, the dart may be gripped in a variety of ways. The key is to use the thumb to push the dart against two or more fingers. Keep the point stabilized and pointed slightly upward. The dart, no matter how hard it is thrown (because of gravity) is going to travel in an arc.

Take advantage of this arc. Throw the dart so that its trajectory is along an arcing path. The amount of arc will depend upon the speed of the throw.The angle of arc will accelerate as the dart begins to drop, so a certain amount of impetus must be given in order to make accurate throws. To maintain the highest accuracy, the thrower should not make extreme variations in flight speed or grip. Continuous practice with a particular style and speed will allow the thrower to gauge where the throw will strike the board based on the angle of the throw to the oche and the angle of release.

Dart throwing is done with the arm. Do not move the body or shoulder during the throw. The elbow is fixed when pulling the dart back, but raised slightly when the dart is flung forward. This allows the hand to better follow the trajectory of the dart. Many experts use a wrist snap that makes the entire movement of the arm rather like the crack of a whip.

This imparts speed to the dart. However, it is an advanced movement and may degrade accuracy for the beginner.

Some beginners do not pull back the dart when throwing. This is a mistake as it makes it difficult to get enough acceleration from the dart to reach the board with accuracy. Also it is important to follow through. One way to do this is end the throw by leaving the throwing arm extended with the hand pointing at the target. Try to avoid the dart wobbling in flight.

This is usually caused by the dart being thrown at too much of an angle to the path of flight. The dart flights attempt to correct, and this causes the wobbling motion.

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