Darts is a game that has been enjoyed for generations, and is a staple in many bars and pubs. The game may seem straightforward, but darts has a list of specific rules and regulations that must be followed to successfully play the game. These guidelines,however, are easy to learn with some tips and hints.

Beginning
Darts is a two sided game that requires either two people or two teams. If using teams,the number of people on each team can be determined by the individual. Traditionally,each player is allowed nine warm up throws prior to the start of the game. The player orteam that throws a dart closest to the bullseye during this warm up usually goes first once the game begins. Before beginning, mark a line on the floor to determine where players must stand when they throw. Players who step over this line may be penalized a point.

Scoring
During each player's turn, the individual throws three darts. Darts that bounce or fall off the board don't count. Darts that stick to the board earn a point value based on where they land. If the dart falls in the outer circle, it earns the amount shown on the outer circle for that section. If it falls in the second inner circle, it earns twice that amount. If it falls in the third inner circle, it earns three times that amount. If it falls in the white part of the bullseye, it earns 25 points. If it falls in the red part of the bullseye, it earns 50 points.

Variations
A number of variations have been created for playing darts. One variation is 301, where teams start with 301 points and throw darts to earn points that reduce the initial number. The goal here is to be the first team or player to reach zero. Another variation is Cricket where only the darts thrown in sections numbered 15 to 20 are valid to earn points; the other sections are off limits. Players can make the other numbers valid by throwing three darts into that number's section.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

Darts is a game that ranges from a recreational activity to a competitive sport. Rules and regulations are determined primarily by the World Darts Federation (WDF) and the British Darts Organization (BDO), including equipment, scoring and penalties.

Types of Dart Games
The most common type of game is '01, which refers to amount of points a particular game is played until, always ending in the numbers 01. Teams usually play in the higher point games. The most popular type of game played in tournaments is "501."

The Darts
Darts should never have a total length of greater than 1 foot and have a weight of greater than 50 g. Each dart must consist of a visible point, shaft and flight, which are the fins on the back of the dart to serve as a stabilizer.

The Dart Board
Dart boards are commonly made of natural rope fiber. The required size of a dart board is 18 inches across and raised to 5 feet, 8 inches above the floor. Players must throw the darts from behind the foul line, located 7 feet, 9 1/4 inches away from the board.

Scoring
A standard dart board has 20 sections with different point values for each, ranging from one point to 20 points. If a player hits any part of a column not colored red or green,the player is awarded the exact point value marked on that section of the board. If a player hits the small bands on the outside part of a column, they are awarded double thepoint value marked on that section. If a player hits the small bands on the inside part of a column, they are awarded triple the point value marked on that section. The outerring in the center of the board, known as the "bull," is worth 25 points, as the circle in the direct center of the board, known as the "bulls eye," is worth 50 points.

Penalties
In darts, any form of heckling or taunting is prohibited while a player is in the process of throwing. The main penalty that arises in games are foot fouls, where a player fails to remain behind the throwing line during his throw. Any such fault will result in a loss of that shot.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

The game of darts began in medieval England. Darts were used to help teach archery and were thrown at the bottoms of empty wine barrels. The students would take their darts to the local pubs to show off the skills they had learned. In the 1900’s, darts rules became similar to the ones we use today.

Dartboards
Modern dartboards are made from sisal, which is also used to make ropes. Regulation dartboards measure 17 3/4 inches in diameter and are divided equally into 20 sections.

Each section is numbered from 1 to 20. The number 20 is always at the top of the dartboard. The dartboard must be hung so that the bull's eye in the center of the board is 5 feet 8 inches from the ground. Darts must be thrown from behind a line on the floorcalled an oche. This must be 17 feet 9 3/4 inches away from the board. The outer ring on a dartboard doubles the score of the section the dart landed in, so if a dart landed in the outer ring of the number 20, then 40 points would be scored. There is also a smaller ring running through the middle of the numbers which trebles the score of the dart. If a dart lands in the treble section of the number 20, then 60 points are scored.

Darts
Darts must weigh between 1 and 2 ounces and must be no longer than 12 inches in length.Professional darts are usually made from tungsten but can also be made from brass.Tungsten is used because it is a heavy metal and less of the material is used and this means the darts can be made smaller in size. The flights on a dart are usually made from nylon or a plastic polymer.

How to Play Darts
Darts is a game between two players who take it in turns to throw a set of three darts at the dartboard from behind the oche. When the game begins, both players have a score of 501. After they have each thrown a set of three darts, the score they achieved is subtracted from the previous total. The game is completed when one of the players reaches zero by scoring a double, which is the outer ring on the dartboard, or by scoring a bull's eye. If a player goes "bust," meaning he scores more points than he actually needs, his score returns to what it was before the most recent set of darts was thrown.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

There are significant differences between English and American darts, from the construction of the dart board and darts to the rules of the game. Both track their origins to the late 1800s, with the American version surfacing in Philadelphia around the late 1800s.

Dartboard Differences

The American dartboard is made from a solid hardwood, with the metal dividing the board's sections set flush inside the wood. English dartboards, by comparison, are made from synthetics and have different size scoring areas.

The Game
English darts players start their game with a fixed number of points, which they try to subtract with each throw. Americans base their game on baseball, throwing three darts apiece for their turn, called an "inning." The person with the most points wins at the end.

Darts
American darts are sharper than English, allowing them to embed deeper in the dartboard.They are also unique in that they have a wooden shaft with turkey feather stabilizers.

Bringing Darts to the Pub
The English usually bring their own darts to the pub to play, so they retrieve their darts from the board. Americans share darts.

Keeping Score
English scorekeepers write the tally of each round on a chalk board.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

Darts is an English pub game that is popular worldwide. According to darts historian Patrick Chaplin, darts was played with different rules and boards all over England until it was organized into league play by breweries just after World War I. The English dart board is the standard dart board used across the world, but regional and specialty dart boards are available. Mounting an English dart board takes only a few minutes and requires little work.

1.Select a wall with at least 11 feet of floor space in front of it. Choose an area free from foot traffic.

2.Run a stud finder across the wall at shoulder height until it finds a stud. Mark the edges of the stud with a pencil.

3.Measure 5 feet, 8 inches off the ground. Make a mark in the center of the stud with a pencil.

4.Hold the dart board against the wall so the bullseye is directly over the mark. Lift the hanger bracket and mark where the nail should go with a pencil. Remove the dart board, place a nail against the mark and pound it in with a hammer. Leave 1/2-inch of the nail head protruding. Hang the dart board on the nail and adjust it so the "20" is centered at the top.

5.Measure 7 feet, 9-1/4 inches from the wall. Place a long piece of colored masking tape parallel to the wall at this distance. This is the throwing line.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

Like flights, shafts come in a vast variety of lengths, materials and colors.

A selection of nylon shafts. These shafts are cheap, so when anything breaks replacement is not too expensive. A bad problem is that these shafts tend to break at the thread when dropped. It can be quite difficult to get the remaining thread out of the barrel. There is a special tool available for that (see tools page), but a standard method is making a screwdriver hot and stick it in the remaining thread piece. Then you can screw out the remaining thread piece easily. 

A selection of aluminum shafts. These shafts are more expensive than nylon, but also last longer. You won't face the problem with darts breaking at the thread. But aluminum darts tend to bend when dropped, and it is quite difficult to bend them into right shape later. Aluminum shafts are heavier than nylon shafts, which can lead to problems in flight tuning. 

Titanium shafts like these are the latest development in shafts technology. They have all advantages of aluminum darts, but don't bend that easy. But they are also the most expensive shafts.

shaft rings
These are small rings that are used for keeping the flight on the shaft. I don't recommend using them. The reason is that they really fix the flight quite strong on the shaft.

Once you are getting better you will be able to achieve a closer "grouping" of your darts. Close grouping is very important in darts. You will you ever achieve the top 180 score without being able to group your darts closely together? If you have your flight fixed on the shaft it is very likely that you will have deflections when you are grouping your darts closely. Deflection is when the target of your incoming dart is obstructed by a dart already sticking in the board. The incoming dart has no space, and is -- well,deflected by the dart in the board. When your flights are fixed in the shaft then deflections are very likely. If they are sticking loose enough on the shaft then the flight can simply pop off, so there is no negative effect by a deflection.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

The dart: The real object of our desire is last here. Remember to guide the dart along the parabolic curve. In geometric language, your dart must always be in line with the throwing parabola's tangent in the point of intersection of your hand and the parabola (mph, hope that's even near...). You don't have to tape your throw with a video camera and draw a perfect parabola on the TV with this neat everlast paint to achieve this, it usually develops quite naturally (thank god and our stone-throwing-and-thus-animals-killing-for-getting-yummy-food-ancestor's genetic heritage on throwing parabolas). Keep your attention on the following things: The dart points up in the aiming position. This angle is increased in the backward movement, and it then decreases steadily in the acceleration part. When the dart is released it is nearly horizontally, but still points up a bit. In every circumstances a dart that points down in any of the throwing phases is bad, bad, bad! You got it? That's another DON'T!

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

Aiming: Put your eyes, the dart and the target you want to hit in one line. Focus the target, not the dart or that pretty girl/boy just entering the bar. Use aiming points on the target if you like, or aim in a different way, but: Aim!. Most darters do aiming naturally, but surpisingly some beginners don't do from the start. It's a must DO, so do it.

Backward move: Do this, but don't do it too fast. Many beginners fear the necessary loss of aiming during the backward move, but controlling this is only a matter of practice.

There are only few successful players out who omit the backward movement, so it's another DO for 99 percent of us. How far you move back is a personal thing, but it's good tomove back quite a bit. If you find it comfortable, you can and should move back as far as possible. You can avoid slamming into your eyes or nose by pulling back under your chin or beside your cheek (the one in your FACE, of course!), that depends on your personal technique. A typical error here is not to pull back enough because control of this is difficult, but you will thus sacrifice a lot of acceleration space and accuracy. Better practice more than going the easy way!

 Acceleration: Not that crucial as you might think. Do it naturally, and don't do it too fast or with too much force. Do it smoothely in one move and all the way to the follow-through. Remember the elbow coming up. IF you do wrist-snap, then your hand goes forward in this phase until full extension of the whole arm in follow-through.

Release: As wrote above, with the right throwing this comes naturally and is no big problem. If you have troubles with the release point, then most probably you do a technical error, don't raise your elbow or don't do follow-through. This is the critical point for your wrist-snap. The hand must be in the correct angle to the forearm here. If it has travelled further, your dart points down at the release point, and this - well, refer to the 'The Dart' section at the end of this document. Follow-through: A very important thing. Remember the shotgun-rifle comparison. Best way to follow-through is to end up with your hand aiming at the chosen target. A typical error is to let your arm 'fall down' after the release. Just keep your arm in the straight and slight upward position for a moment, just like in the above animation, and you will get the feeling for follow-through quite fast.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

Flight protectors are very useful. Their original purpose is enhancing the durability of your flights. Whenever an incoming dart strucks the flight of a dart already sticking in the board this flight is in danger of being damaged. The flight protector can almost eliminate this damage. Another benefit is that flight protectors help keeping your dart spread -- which is a necessity (as explained above). The negative point with flight protectors is that they tend to get lost. When it pops off a dart it is usually impossible to find on the floor later -- it's just too small. Use flight protectors. You will have to spend a few additional bucks a season, but the benefit is worth the price.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn

The flight is necessary to stabilize your dart in the air. Flights are available in a vast selection of colors, sizes and materials. There is no "correct" or "best" flight

shape. It depends on your personal throw which flight to choose. Selecting the proper flight for your darts is a trial-error process. We will have a closer look at this in the darts tuning section.

The most important rules for handling your flights are:

1) Always use the same flight shape on all your 3 darts.

2) Always spread your flights.

Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online –http://www.chinadart.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten & Molybdenum Information Bank: http://i.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Molybdenum News & Molybdenum Price: http://news.molybdenum.com.cn