How to Score a Game of Darts

Darts games are popular contests of skill and accuracy found in English pubs, American bars and home recreation rooms. While the games include '01 countdown games (301, 501, and so on), cricket, high score and Shanghai, all of them rely on the same dartboard with 20 numbered wedges, an inner and outer ring, an inner and outer bullseye and the same rules for scoring individual throws.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dartboard
• Set of darts (3)

1. Allow 3 dart throws for each player per round in the game.

2. Count every dart that hits the board as a throw, whether it sticks to the board or not. Score only those darts whose points touch the board (including one whose point is not embedded but is supported by other darts so that it touches), but do not score darts that lose their points before hitting the board or that stick into other darts (called "Robin Hoods").

3. Score a dart that lands outside the bullseye and outside the inner and outer rings with the value of the wedge it lands on. If the dart point crosses under the wire separating 2 wedges, score it by the value of the wedge from which the point visibly sticks out. If the dart splits the wire between 2 scoring areas so that it lands in both, score the dart by the higher value, even if it causes the player to "bust" in a countdown game.

4. Double the score of the dart if it lands within the outer ring of a scoring wedge. If the dart crosses under the wire separating the ring from the rest of the wedge, score it according to from where the point visibly sticks out.

5. Triple the score of the dart if it lands within the inner ring of a scoring wedge.

6. Award 25 points if the dart lands in the outer bullseye and 50 points if it lands in the inner bullseye.

Tips & Warnings

• Some countdown games require players to "double in," "double out" or both by having them make their first, last or both scoring throws in the double ring. In others, players must reach zero by having their last dart land in either the inner or outer ring, called "masters out."
• In countdown games, any dart that "busts" (scores more points than the player needs to reach zero) ends the player's turn, whether it is the first, second or third dart thrown.

Resources

• Learn dart terms and definitions.
• Learn how to set up a board and how to buy darts at Cyber/Darts.

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