Darts is an enduringly popular pastime. It has been played in its current format ever since the invention of the modern dartboard numbering system by an English carpenter in 1896.Darts is a game of skill, and it takes serious practice to become good enough to regularly chalk up the maximum score of 180 with three darts. However, even a beginner can quickly learn the rules and stands a great chance of hitting the bull's-eye.

1.Attach the dartboard to the wall, with the center of the board 1.73 m from the floor. Use a dartboard cabinet to surround the board, protecting the wall in case a player misses the target (the cabinet will also include scoreboards). Ensure your playing area is well-lit.

2.Measure the distance to the throwing line ("oche") as 2.37 m from the front of the dartboard. Mark the oche in any appropriate manner, but do not draw a permanent line on the floor if this is undesirable.

3.Write the names of both players on the scoreboard and start the scoring at 501. Player One throws three darts at the dartboard from the oche. Add up the total score from the three darts, then subtract it from Player One's total of 501. Player Two then takes her turn to throw three darts.

4.To win, a player must reduce his score from 501 to zero. The player must also reach exactly zero with his final dart, by hitting either a double section of the dartboard, or the central ring of the bull's-eye.

5.If the player hits a single or treble section to reach or exceed zero, his score from that entire turn is canceled, and the turn passes to the other player. For example, if a player's score is on 18, he wins by hitting double nine. However, if he hits single 18 ortreble six, he forfeits the rest of her turn and remains on 18 points.

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Although there are many games played using darts and a dartboard the most famous and the one played in virtually all amateur and professional tournaments, including the PDC World Championships, is 501. The aim of 501 is to be the first player to reduce his score from 501 to zero. This is a relatively simple game allowing players to take turns throwing three darts each before subtracting the points scored from their beginning score. Any dart that bounces off or misses the board should not be rethrown and does not score any points. Each player must remove darts from the board and mark his score before the opponent throws. The difficult part of the game comes with the finish. To win the game a player must reach exactly zero and finish the game by scoring a double. For example, if a player requires 16 to win the game he must throw a double 8 to end the game.

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The height of the dartboard is measured from the floor to the center, or bull's-eye, of the board. The DRA rules state that the board should be 5 feet 8 inches or 173 centimeters from the floor. The toe or throwing line from which players throw darts toward the board should be measured along the floor from a line level with the face of the board. The toe line should be 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the face of the board. The toe line can be marked in many ways including a taped line or a wooden block. The darts can weigh up to 50 grams with either a movable or fixed point. Movable point darts are said to reduce the chances of bouncing out of the board.

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The rules of professional steel tip darts are governed by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA). Different versions of the game are played around the world. However, a basic set of rules governs all professional tournaments.

Any score can be used for a game of 501, the only rule being the score must end in 01. In professional tournaments and amateur darts leagues each game is called a leg with games being played in the "best of" format. For example, a best of five leg game would finish when a player won three legs. Professional tournaments are usually played over sets, much like a tennis match. Usually sets are played as the best of five legs with the number of sets being played changing per tournament.

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Before playing Cricket or 501, you'll need to get your dart board set up. While you may not be that concerned with having regulation placement, it's best to follow the official rules.This will add to your game and also allow you to perform better should you decide to play more competitively.

Distance
Measure the distance. The toe line, also called an oche or hockey, should be 7 feet, 9 1/4 inches from the center of the dart board. Note that the actual measurement when you mark the toe line off will be taken from the center of the board itself, not from the wall. Hang a plumb down from the center and measure back from the plumb or factor the thickness of the board into your measurement from the wall. Mark it off with a bar or piece of tape about 3-feet-long.

Soft Tips
Create your toe line an even 8 feet from the center of the board for soft tip play. This is the one variation in setting up an electronic soft tip board.

Height
The center of the dart board (middle of the double bull) should be 5 feet, 8 inches from the ground. For best mounting, use a screw in the center back of the dart board (many boards come with this type of mounting hardware). With this type of mount, you can simply mark off the 5 foot, 8 inch measurement and install your hardware. If you are hanging the dart board using a hook on the top, you'll need to take the distance from the top of the hook to the center board into account when mounting.

Position
The board should be flush against the wall. Rotate the board so that the "20" is at the very top.

Considerations
Although there's no official rules about the room, it pays to carefully consider the area around your board. You should have at least 5-feet by 11-feet of clear space around the board. There shouldn't be any valuables or breakables within close proximity, as darts can bounce off the board and cause damage. Consider using a cabinet or mounting board to prevent damage to the wall.

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Despite its reputation as a pub game, playing darts is serious business, with strict rules and regulations. Organized competition is a worldwide affair, with most of the organizing groups being members of the World Darts Federation.
In some European countries, darts is so popular that tournaments featuring the best players in the world are televised, and significant prize money is at stake. These players display astonishing levels of skill on the board; some attain celebrity status and attract lucrative endorsements.
Beginners obviously don't need to be immediately concerned with international competition, but they do need to at least know the basics: how to pick the right set of darts, and how to throw them.

Types
Mass-produced brass darts are the least expensive darts to buy, and as such, are usually the ones you'll find as "house darts" in a pub or club. Since brass is a dense metal, it is fairly easy to machine, but its softness can lead to a rapid wear-down of the machined grip.
Nickel/silver darts are also made from a relatively dense metal, and are also inexpensive to manufacture, but they do have the advantage of being harder than brass, so they are less prone to wear.
Tungsten darts are extremely durable since tungsten is a very dense and hard heavy metal. These darts can be very pricey, especially with darts made from over 95% tungsten. It's not unusual for a quality set of these darts to cost between $150 and $200. Budget versions of tungsten darts can be had for less than $50, but will usually only contain 50 to 70% tungsten. It's important to check the packaging to see what percentage of tungsten you're actually paying for.

Function
Having an expensive, state-of-the-art tungsten darts set will be of little use unless you know how to actually throw the darts.
The stance for throwing darts should be solid, but not stiff. Gripping the darts too firmly will lead to finger fatigue and errors when trying to release the fingers from the dart. An uneven release of the dart will lead to an erratic flight, making accuracy unlikely. It's best to use at least three fingers to grip the dart. Using more fingers will lend a little more accuracy and touch to the throw, but requires more coordination in the releasing of the dart.
In the case of a right-handed player, the right foot should be forward with most of the body weight rested on it. The rear foot will hold enough weight to steady the posture. It's important to make sure that this foot remains on the ground for stability.
As far as the throwing arm goes, it's a good idea to keep the elbow up, with the upper arm parallel to the ground. The dart should be in a level position. A smooth follow-through is very important, and after the release of the dart, the fingers should be pointing at the intended target. Care should be taken not to overthrow the darts; it's largely a wasted effort and can be dangerous.

Tips
A good way to perfect throwing throwing a dart is to imagine flicking water from the tips of your fingers towards the board. This is a great way to facilitate a clean release of the dart from the fingers and helps avoid too much of a jerky throwing motion.
It's vital to remember that the torso and shoulders stay as still as possible during the entire throw, with the only movement coming from the arm. Fewer variables in the mechanics of the throwing motion means that there is less to go wrong with the delivery, and the better your accuracy will be.
One of the most common problems that beginners experience is the dreaded "wobble" in the flight of the dart. The most likely cause of this is throwing the dart with the point down. To a lesser degree, this problem can also arise when the point of the dart is held too high. Either way, a good habit to get into is to always concentrate on making sure that the dart is held horizontally and directed toward the intended target for the entire throwing motion.

Features
The classic game of darts, played world-wide, is "501." The object of the game is quite simple: each player starts with 501 points and attempts to reduce their score to zero. The first player to do so wins. It sounds simple, and it is, but the difficult part of the game lies in the finish. The winning player must reach zero exactly, and the final dart must be a double, which means the last dart must either finish on a number in the narrow outer band of the dart board (the narrow inner band is a triple) or the bullseye. As an example, a player needing to score 17 points to win could do so by throwing a 3 followed by a double 7.

Warning
Be wary of leaning too much into the throw. Many beginners feel that they're gaining an advantage in that they're actually closer to the target. This is true, but the more you lean, the more unbalanced you become, and consistency will suffer. When this happens, there is also a tendency for the back foot to leave the ground, which further compounds the balance problem. Over time, this posture can also lead to back strain.

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Dart historian Patrick Chaplin traces the game's history to the archers of old England, referring to that fact that in England, "arrows" is a common name for the sport today. A popular bar diversion, dart leagues and competitive tournaments allow players to display their skills for prizes and bragging rights. In 1984 John Lowe, a three-time World Championship titleholder, threw a nine-dart finish captured on television before a live audience for the first time. This level of play is afforded to the masters of the game and is open for achievement by a dedicated student and player.

1.Purchase an instruction book about the game or watch professional videos for improving play. Books such as "Fundartmentals: How To Throw Well and Win More," by Frank Pratt and "The American Darts Organization Book of Darts," by Chris Carey, offer tips about equipment, different types of dart games to play and tips from professionals about improving your game.

2.Review the fundamentals of your technique. Rick Osgood of the website Cyber Darts says, "Accuracy begins with a solid stance. Keep your feet planted solidly on the floor and avoid lunging, rocking or lifting the back foot off the floor during the dart toss." A solid foundation allows the player to work on finessing his game.

3.Play each game with a focused intensity and for as long as attention can be placed squarely on the game. Playing beyond a period where each throw matters will not increase the level of play, no matter if shooting with a partner or in solitary practice.

4.Practice often. Karlheinz Z?chling, a professional player from Austria, suggests that how often a player practices is more important than how much he practices. "Try to practice each day of the week, with not more than one or two days off," he says.

5.Join a league for regular competitive play. This will pit you against other players of varying skill levels and increase experience in playing when the stakes matter. Getting nerves and concentration under control while in competition is large part of mastering the game.

6.Sign up for local and statewide tournaments. Consistently winning games in a bar league means you may want to take your game to the next level. Playing against increasingly better players will improve your own game and move you up the ranks in amateur standings.

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When you're ready to practice and play darts at home it is helpful to use competition conditions so you don't need to adjust your technique when taking part in matches. Follow these simple instructions..

1. Hang your dartboard,flat against the wall, so that the centre of the bull (the little dot in the middle of the board) is 1.73m (173cm) above the floor.

2. Mark a line on the floor 2.73m (273cm)from the face of the dartboard. You throw your darts from behind this line.

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The rules for the sport of darts are quite simple and a very simplified version is set out here. Following these rules will allow you to play in most competitions without mishap.

1. To start the game the captains of the opposing teams toss a coin to decide who is to "bull up" first.

2. "Bulling up" is when a member of each team throws a dart at the bull (Picture of the bull) in the centre of the dartboard. The person with the dart closest to the bull gets to choose whether their team will play first or second.

3. The player stands up to the line on the floor and starts throwing their darts. No part of the foot or footwear may be over the line. In darts "on the line is out". Stay behind the line.

4. All games, except special promotional games, must start and end with a "double". Learn more about How to Score Darts.

5.The Chalker or Caller is the person who records the score of the game and will write the score achieved on the board beside the game. They will calculate the new score and write it for all to see.

6. The Chalker may tell you the remaining score needed but must not tell you how to score the necessary points, e.g. "44 left" as opposed to "Double 20, Double 2".

7. If a dart falls out of the board before the score is called it will not be counted.

8. You may not use unfair tactics to disadvantage your opponents, e.g. excessive talking, heckling.

9. The decisions of the match Referee are absolute!

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The Dutchman laid down a marker ahead of the upcoming World Championship, at one stage reeling off eight successive legs on his way to claiming his fourth major television title.

Taylor looked to be in control when he took out double eight to restore his three-leg cushion at the end of the ninth, particularly after seeing his opponent miss two darts just before to cut the gap to one.

However 'The Power' was simply blown away after that, only managing to take another leg. Even then, his success in the 17th only turned out to be delaying the inevitable.

Van Gerwen crucially gained some momentum with a break of throw to make it 6-5 straight after a break of proceedings, then landed double 16 in back-to-back legs to move ahead for the first time in the contest.

A 110 checkout made it 8-6 and then he took out 81 with just two darts in the next to go further clear. Not content with that, 'Mighty Mike' repeated the trick in the next, firstly hitting treble 19 before moving upstairs for double 12.

Taylor stopped the rot with double 16 but Van Gerwen responded in superb fashion, setting himself up for double 12 again with treble 20, treble 20, treble 19.

He duly landed the match-winning shot at the second attempt, completing an impressive victory with a 14-dart leg.

"You always need to play well against him because he's won so many finals this year, but in the beginning of the game I struggled a bit and he was strong," said Van Gerwen, who had beaten Andy Hamilton 10-5 in the last four.

"If you want to beat Phil, you can't afford to miss and I hit some important finishes."

"I'm very happy because I'd lost in a couple of finals and people were talking about my performances, but I knew I had the game there so it's great for me and for my confidence going into the World Championship - but first I'm going to enjoy this win because it means a lot to me."

Taylor had earlier been on the other end of a blistering run, reeling off six straight legs to see off the challenge of Justin Pipe 10-4 in the semi-finals. He had also knocked out Raymond van Barneveld earlier on Sunday.

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