[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":7730},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-en":3},[4,944,1341,1595,1823,2242,2528,2783,3022,3271,3575,3889,4237,4527,4727,4996,5239,5472,5695,5963,6215,6582,6834,7059,7309,7532],{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"date":934,"description":935,"extension":936,"key":937,"meta":938,"navigation":939,"path":940,"seo":941,"stem":942,"__hash__":943},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002F501-checkout-chart.md","501 checkout chart: every double-out finish from 170 to 2",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":922},"minimark",[10,19,24,45,52,56,63,67,78,85,89,92,508,536,540,543,837,843,847,877,881,895,902,906],[11,12,13,14,18],"p",{},"In 501, scoring heavy isn't enough: you have to land on ",[15,16,17],"strong",{},"exactly zero",", and on a double. That's where legs are won and lost. Here's the checkout chart worth learning, plus the handful of principles that stop you getting stuck on 1.",[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"how-checkouts-work-in-double-out","How checkouts work in double out",[11,25,26,27,32,33,36,37,40,41,44],{},"In ",[28,29,31],"a",{"href":30},"\u002Fen\u002Frules\u002Fx01","501 double out",", your last dart has to land in ",[15,34,35],{},"a double"," (the outer ring) or the ",[15,38,39],{},"inner bull worth 50",", which counts as a double. Go below zero, drop to 1, or hit zero with a single or a treble, and it's a ",[15,42,43],{},"bust",": the whole visit is wiped and your score goes back to what it was before the turn.",[11,46,47,48,51],{},"You get ",[15,49,50],{},"3 darts"," per visit, so finishes come in one, two or three darts.",[20,53,55],{"id":54},"the-highest-checkout-170","The highest checkout: 170",[11,57,58,59,62],{},"The biggest checkout in the game is ",[15,60,61],{},"170: T20, T20, Bull"," (60 + 60 + 50), nicknamed \"the big fish\". Below it, the big finishes all go through the bull or through two trebles and a big double.",[20,64,66],{"id":65},"the-numbers-you-cant-finish-in-three-darts","The numbers you can't finish in three darts",[11,68,69,70,73,74,77],{},"Under 170, seven numbers ",[15,71,72],{},"can't"," be checked out in a single visit, whatever you do: ",[15,75,76],{},"169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159",". They're known as the bogey numbers. Land on one and your visit is all about setting up the next.",[11,79,80,81,84],{},"With two darts, the highest finish is ",[15,82,83],{},"110 (T20, Bull)",", and 109, 108, 106, 105, 103, 102 and 99 can't be done in two.",[20,86,88],{"id":87},"three-dart-checkouts-170-to-101","Three-dart checkouts (170 to 101)",[11,90,91],{},"T = treble (x3), D = double (x2), S = single, 25 = outer bull, Bull = inner bull (50). Most numbers have several routes: this is a classic one for each.",[93,94,95,112],"table",{},[96,97,98],"thead",{},[99,100,101,105,108,110],"tr",{},[102,103,104],"th",{},"Left",[102,106,107],{},"Checkout",[102,109,104],{},[102,111,107],{},[113,114,115,130,144,158,172,186,200,214,228,242,256,270,284,298,312,326,340,354,368,382,396,410,424,438,452,466,480,494],"tbody",{},[99,116,117,121,124,127],{},[118,119,120],"td",{},"170",[118,122,123],{},"T20 T20 Bull",[118,125,126],{},"135",[118,128,129],{},"T20 T17 D12",[99,131,132,135,138,141],{},[118,133,134],{},"167",[118,136,137],{},"T20 T19 Bull",[118,139,140],{},"134",[118,142,143],{},"T20 T14 D16",[99,145,146,149,152,155],{},[118,147,148],{},"164",[118,150,151],{},"T20 T18 Bull",[118,153,154],{},"133",[118,156,157],{},"T20 T19 D8",[99,159,160,163,166,169],{},[118,161,162],{},"161",[118,164,165],{},"T20 T17 Bull",[118,167,168],{},"132",[118,170,171],{},"T20 T16 D12",[99,173,174,177,180,183],{},[118,175,176],{},"160",[118,178,179],{},"T20 T20 D20",[118,181,182],{},"131",[118,184,185],{},"T20 T13 D16",[99,187,188,191,194,197],{},[118,189,190],{},"158",[118,192,193],{},"T20 T20 D19",[118,195,196],{},"130",[118,198,199],{},"T20 T18 D8",[99,201,202,205,208,211],{},[118,203,204],{},"157",[118,206,207],{},"T20 T19 D20",[118,209,210],{},"129",[118,212,213],{},"T19 T16 D12",[99,215,216,219,222,225],{},[118,217,218],{},"156",[118,220,221],{},"T20 T20 D18",[118,223,224],{},"128",[118,226,227],{},"T18 T14 D16",[99,229,230,233,236,239],{},[118,231,232],{},"155",[118,234,235],{},"T20 T19 D19",[118,237,238],{},"127",[118,240,241],{},"T20 T17 D8",[99,243,244,247,250,253],{},[118,245,246],{},"154",[118,248,249],{},"T20 T18 D20",[118,251,252],{},"126",[118,254,255],{},"T19 T19 D6",[99,257,258,261,264,267],{},[118,259,260],{},"153",[118,262,263],{},"T20 T19 D18",[118,265,266],{},"125",[118,268,269],{},"25 T20 D20",[99,271,272,275,278,281],{},[118,273,274],{},"152",[118,276,277],{},"T20 T20 D16",[118,279,280],{},"124",[118,282,283],{},"T20 T16 D8",[99,285,286,289,292,295],{},[118,287,288],{},"151",[118,290,291],{},"T20 T17 D20",[118,293,294],{},"123",[118,296,297],{},"T19 T16 D9",[99,299,300,303,306,309],{},[118,301,302],{},"150",[118,304,305],{},"T20 T18 D18",[118,307,308],{},"122",[118,310,311],{},"T18 T20 D4",[99,313,314,317,320,323],{},[118,315,316],{},"149",[118,318,319],{},"T20 T19 D16",[118,321,322],{},"121",[118,324,325],{},"T20 T11 D14",[99,327,328,331,334,337],{},[118,329,330],{},"148",[118,332,333],{},"T20 T16 D20",[118,335,336],{},"120",[118,338,339],{},"T20 S20 D20",[99,341,342,345,348,351],{},[118,343,344],{},"147",[118,346,347],{},"T20 T17 D18",[118,349,350],{},"119",[118,352,353],{},"T19 T12 D13",[99,355,356,359,362,365],{},[118,357,358],{},"146",[118,360,361],{},"T20 T18 D16",[118,363,364],{},"118",[118,366,367],{},"T20 S18 D20",[99,369,370,373,376,379],{},[118,371,372],{},"145",[118,374,375],{},"T20 T15 D20",[118,377,378],{},"117",[118,380,381],{},"T20 S17 D20",[99,383,384,387,390,393],{},[118,385,386],{},"144",[118,388,389],{},"T20 T20 D12",[118,391,392],{},"116",[118,394,395],{},"T20 S16 D20",[99,397,398,401,404,407],{},[118,399,400],{},"143",[118,402,403],{},"T20 T17 D16",[118,405,406],{},"115",[118,408,409],{},"T20 S15 D20",[99,411,412,415,418,421],{},[118,413,414],{},"142",[118,416,417],{},"T20 T14 D20",[118,419,420],{},"114",[118,422,423],{},"T20 S14 D20",[99,425,426,429,432,435],{},[118,427,428],{},"141",[118,430,431],{},"T20 T19 D12",[118,433,434],{},"113",[118,436,437],{},"T20 S13 D20",[99,439,440,443,446,449],{},[118,441,442],{},"140",[118,444,445],{},"T20 T20 D10",[118,447,448],{},"112",[118,450,451],{},"T20 S12 D20",[99,453,454,457,460,463],{},[118,455,456],{},"139",[118,458,459],{},"T20 T13 D20",[118,461,462],{},"111",[118,464,465],{},"T20 S11 D20",[99,467,468,471,474,477],{},[118,469,470],{},"138",[118,472,473],{},"T20 T18 D12",[118,475,476],{},"109",[118,478,479],{},"T20 S9 D20",[99,481,482,485,488,491],{},[118,483,484],{},"137",[118,486,487],{},"T20 T19 D10",[118,489,490],{},"108",[118,492,493],{},"T20 S8 D20",[99,495,496,499,502,505],{},[118,497,498],{},"136",[118,500,501],{},"T20 T20 D8",[118,503,504],{},"106",[118,506,507],{},"T20 S6 D20",[11,509,510,511,514,515,514,518,514,521,524,525,514,528,531,532,535],{},"Between 101 and 110, some finishes also take just two darts: ",[15,512,513],{},"110 (T20 Bull)",", ",[15,516,517],{},"107 (T19 Bull)",[15,519,520],{},"104 (T18 Bull)",[15,522,523],{},"101 (T17 Bull)",". For ",[15,526,527],{},"105",[15,529,530],{},"103"," and ",[15,533,534],{},"102"," you need three: T20 S5 D20, T19 S6 D20, T20 S10 D16.",[20,537,539],{"id":538},"two-dart-checkouts-100-to-61","Two-dart checkouts (100 to 61)",[11,541,542],{},"This is the range where a decent player wants to finish in two, keeping a dart in hand.",[93,544,545,557],{},[96,546,547],{},[99,548,549,551,553,555],{},[102,550,104],{},[102,552,107],{},[102,554,104],{},[102,556,107],{},[113,558,559,573,587,601,615,629,643,657,671,685,699,713,727,741,755,769,783,797,811,825],{},[99,560,561,564,567,570],{},[118,562,563],{},"100",[118,565,566],{},"T20 D20",[118,568,569],{},"80",[118,571,572],{},"T20 D10",[99,574,575,578,581,584],{},[118,576,577],{},"98",[118,579,580],{},"T20 D19",[118,582,583],{},"79",[118,585,586],{},"T19 D11",[99,588,589,592,595,598],{},[118,590,591],{},"97",[118,593,594],{},"T19 D20",[118,596,597],{},"78",[118,599,600],{},"T18 D12",[99,602,603,606,609,612],{},[118,604,605],{},"96",[118,607,608],{},"T20 D18",[118,610,611],{},"77",[118,613,614],{},"T19 D10",[99,616,617,620,623,626],{},[118,618,619],{},"95",[118,621,622],{},"T19 D19",[118,624,625],{},"76",[118,627,628],{},"T20 D8",[99,630,631,634,637,640],{},[118,632,633],{},"94",[118,635,636],{},"T18 D20",[118,638,639],{},"75",[118,641,642],{},"T17 D12",[99,644,645,648,651,654],{},[118,646,647],{},"93",[118,649,650],{},"T19 D18",[118,652,653],{},"74",[118,655,656],{},"T14 D16",[99,658,659,662,665,668],{},[118,660,661],{},"92",[118,663,664],{},"T20 D16",[118,666,667],{},"73",[118,669,670],{},"T19 D8",[99,672,673,676,679,682],{},[118,674,675],{},"91",[118,677,678],{},"T17 D20",[118,680,681],{},"72",[118,683,684],{},"T16 D12",[99,686,687,690,693,696],{},[118,688,689],{},"90",[118,691,692],{},"T18 D18",[118,694,695],{},"71",[118,697,698],{},"T13 D16",[99,700,701,704,707,710],{},[118,702,703],{},"89",[118,705,706],{},"T19 D16",[118,708,709],{},"70",[118,711,712],{},"T10 D20",[99,714,715,718,721,724],{},[118,716,717],{},"88",[118,719,720],{},"T16 D20",[118,722,723],{},"69",[118,725,726],{},"T19 D6",[99,728,729,732,735,738],{},[118,730,731],{},"87",[118,733,734],{},"T17 D18",[118,736,737],{},"68",[118,739,740],{},"T20 D4",[99,742,743,746,749,752],{},[118,744,745],{},"86",[118,747,748],{},"T18 D16",[118,750,751],{},"67",[118,753,754],{},"T17 D8",[99,756,757,760,763,766],{},[118,758,759],{},"85",[118,761,762],{},"T15 D20",[118,764,765],{},"66",[118,767,768],{},"T10 D18",[99,770,771,774,777,780],{},[118,772,773],{},"84",[118,775,776],{},"T20 D12",[118,778,779],{},"65",[118,781,782],{},"25 D20",[99,784,785,788,791,794],{},[118,786,787],{},"83",[118,789,790],{},"T17 D16",[118,792,793],{},"64",[118,795,796],{},"T16 D8",[99,798,799,802,805,808],{},[118,800,801],{},"82",[118,803,804],{},"Bull D16",[118,806,807],{},"63",[118,809,810],{},"T13 D12",[99,812,813,816,819,822],{},[118,814,815],{},"81",[118,817,818],{},"T19 D12",[118,820,821],{},"62",[118,823,824],{},"T10 D16",[99,826,827,829,831,834],{},[118,828],{},[118,830],{},[118,832,833],{},"61",[118,835,836],{},"25 D18",[11,838,839,842],{},[15,840,841],{},"99"," is the only number in this range that needs three darts: T19 S10 D16, for example.",[20,844,846],{"id":845},"from-60-down-to-2-keep-it-simple","From 60 down to 2: keep it simple",[848,849,850,865,871],"ul",{},[851,852,853,856,857,860,861,864],"li",{},[15,854,855],{},"41 to 60",": a single, then ",[15,858,859],{},"D20",". On 57, S17 then D20. On 50, you can also go straight for the ",[15,862,863],{},"bull",".",[851,866,867,870],{},[15,868,869],{},"40 or under, even number",": straight at the double, half of what's left. 40 = D20, 32 = D16, 16 = D8.",[851,872,873,876],{},[15,874,875],{},"Odd number",": a single to bring you back to an even double. 39 = S7 D16, 33 = S1 D16, 25 = S9 D8, 15 = S7 D4.",[20,878,880],{"id":879},"the-golden-rule-leave-an-even-double","The golden rule: leave an even double",[11,882,883,884,887,888,890,891,894],{},"Players love ",[15,885,886],{},"D16"," (32), ",[15,889,859],{}," (40) and ",[15,892,893],{},"D8"," (16) for one simple reason: miss the double into the single and you're still on an even number, so still on a double. Miss D16 into the 16 and you're left on 16, which is D8. Miss again and you're on 8, which is D4. Then D2, then D1.",[11,896,897,898,901],{},"An odd double like D19 (38) works the other way: miss into the single and you're left on 19, which costs you an extra dart to get back onto a double. So when you're setting up a finish, aim to ",[15,899,900],{},"leave 32 or 40",", not 38 or 34.",[20,903,905],{"id":904},"with-throw","With Throw",[11,907,908,909,912,913,917,918,864],{},"During an x01 game, Throw shows a ",[15,910,911],{},"checkout route"," suited to the darts you have left in the visit, favouring the doubles players like. When no finish is on, it suggests the dart that leaves you a good double for next time. The phone scores your darts on its own, busts included, so all you have to do is aim. To get going, ",[28,914,916],{"href":915},"\u002Fen\u002Finstall","install the app",", and if you're new to the game, have a look at the ",[28,919,921],{"href":920},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdouble-out-double-in-master-out","x01 variants",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":925},"",2,[926,927,928,929,930,931,932,933],{"id":22,"depth":924,"text":23},{"id":54,"depth":924,"text":55},{"id":65,"depth":924,"text":66},{"id":87,"depth":924,"text":88},{"id":538,"depth":924,"text":539},{"id":845,"depth":924,"text":846},{"id":879,"depth":924,"text":880},{"id":904,"depth":924,"text":905},"2026-10-27","Every 501 double-out checkout from 170 down to 2, the numbers you can't finish in three darts, and why players love to leave themselves an even double.","md","checkout-chart",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002F501-checkout-chart",{"title":6,"description":935},"en\u002Fblog\u002F501-checkout-chart","rqnO6nAc_uVkI79ZVGStnjyZXuXiOweBKBVOGkQu014",{"id":945,"title":946,"body":947,"date":934,"description":1334,"extension":936,"key":1335,"meta":1336,"navigation":939,"path":1337,"seo":1338,"stem":1339,"__hash__":1340},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fautomatic-darts-scoring.md","Automatic darts scoring: multi-camera, phone apps and more",{"type":8,"value":948,"toc":1325},[949,952,956,963,977,981,984,989,1000,1005,1016,1019,1023,1038,1041,1045,1056,1060,1075,1082,1086,1101,1105,1119,1124,1147,1151,1165,1168,1182,1197,1201,1289,1293,1318],[11,950,951],{},"Keeping score by hand means doing mental arithmetic between throws and getting it wrong every now and then. These days, several approaches will do the counting for you, and they differ a lot in accuracy, cost and set-up. Here's a fair look at each one, including where Throw isn't as good as the alternatives.",[20,953,955],{"id":954},"steel-tip-and-soft-tip-two-different-worlds","Steel-tip and soft-tip: two different worlds",[11,957,958,959,962],{},"First, a basic distinction. In ",[15,960,961],{},"soft-tip"," darts the board is electronic: every segment is a sensor, the dart presses on it and the board knows exactly where it landed. Automatic scoring comes built in.",[11,964,26,965,968,969,972,973,864],{},[15,966,967],{},"steel-tip"," darts the board is sisal, with no sensors at all. To score automatically, something has to ",[15,970,971],{},"look"," at the board with one or more cameras and work out where each tip went in. That's where the options start to differ. If you're still weighing up the two formats, we compare them in ",[28,974,976],{"href":975},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fsteel-tip-vs-soft-tip","steel-tip vs soft-tip",[20,978,980],{"id":979},"electronic-boards-soft-tip","Electronic boards (soft-tip)",[11,982,983],{},"The principle is simple and reliable: the segment that's hit is registered directly, no camera involved.",[11,985,986],{},[15,987,988],{},"Pros:",[848,990,991,994,997],{},[851,992,993],{},"instant, unambiguous scoring, because the board itself detects the impact;",[851,995,996],{},"nothing to calibrate, nothing to adjust;",[851,998,999],{},"some of them connect to an app so you can play against other people.",[11,1001,1002],{},[15,1003,1004],{},"Cons:",[848,1006,1007,1010,1013],{},[851,1008,1009],{},"it isn't quite the same game: lighter darts, plastic points, bigger segments and often a different throwing distance;",[851,1011,1012],{},"bounce-outs are common, and the segments wear over time;",[851,1014,1015],{},"if your goal is to improve at steel-tip (the format of the televised tournaments and most clubs), the practice doesn't carry over perfectly.",[11,1017,1018],{},"Prices cover the whole range, from very affordable entry-level boards to high-end models.",[20,1020,1022],{"id":1021},"multi-camera-systems-steel-tip","Multi-camera systems (steel-tip)",[11,1024,1025,1026,1029,1030,1033,1034,1037],{},"This is the most accurate option for a sisal board. Systems such as ",[15,1027,1028],{},"Autodarts"," or ",[15,1031,1032],{},"Scolia"," use ",[15,1035,1036],{},"several cameras mounted around the board",", usually three, spread around its edge.",[11,1039,1040],{},"Why several? Because a dart seen from one side can be hidden by another dart, or look shifted depending on the angle. With several points of view, the system cross-checks the images and places the tip far more reliably.",[11,1042,1043],{},[15,1044,988],{},[848,1046,1047,1050,1053],{},[851,1048,1049],{},"the best accuracy you can get in steel-tip;",[851,1051,1052],{},"much less bothered by hidden darts, since at least one camera usually sees the tip;",[851,1054,1055],{},"a fixed installation: once it's in place, there's nothing to set up before each game.",[11,1057,1058],{},[15,1059,1004],{},[848,1061,1062,1065,1068],{},[851,1063,1064],{},"you need dedicated hardware, bought and fitted around the board;",[851,1066,1067],{},"it's fixed, so not handy if you play at a friend's house or down the pub;",[851,1069,1070,1071,1074],{},"the budget runs to ",[15,1072,1073],{},"hundreds of pounds"," rather than tens.",[11,1076,1077,1078,1081],{},"In fact, a three-camera Autodarts setup is what we use as the ",[15,1079,1080],{},"referee"," when we measure how accurate Throw is. Autodarts also offers a single-phone version, Autodarts Lens, covered just below.",[20,1083,1085],{"id":1084},"apps-using-a-single-phone-camera","Apps using a single phone camera",[11,1087,1088,1089,1092,1093,1096,1097,1100],{},"The third option is to use the camera on the phone that's already in your pocket, set on a tripod beside the board. Plenty of apps have taken this route. Among the major players are ",[15,1090,1091],{},"Autodarts Lens"," (Autodarts' single-phone app, sold with Winmau on a subscription) and ",[15,1094,1095],{},"Dartsmind","; ",[15,1098,1099],{},"Throw"," belongs to the same family.",[11,1102,1103],{},[15,1104,988],{},[848,1106,1107,1113,1116],{},[851,1108,1109,1112],{},[15,1110,1111],{},"no hardware"," to buy or mount;",[851,1114,1115],{},"portable: put your phone down at home, at a friend's or in the pub, and off you go;",[851,1117,1118],{},"up and running in a few minutes.",[11,1120,1121],{},[15,1122,1123],{},"Cons worth knowing about:",[848,1125,1126,1132,1138,1144],{},[851,1127,1128,1131],{},[15,1129,1130],{},"occlusion",": with a single point of view, a dart already in the board can hide the new one. The camera can't guess what it can't see;",[851,1133,1134,1137],{},[15,1135,1136],{},"parallax",": filmed from the side, a dart is tilted, and its tip isn't where its body appears to point. Finding the exact entry point is still tricky;",[851,1139,1140,1143],{},[15,1141,1142],{},"darts on the wire",": within a millimetre or two, the call can go the wrong way;",[851,1145,1146],{},"results depend on the phone, where you put it and the lighting.",[20,1148,1150],{"id":1149},"where-throw-fits-in","Where Throw fits in",[11,1152,1153,1154,1157,1158,1161,1162,864],{},"Throw is a ",[15,1155,1156],{},"free web app"," you install from your browser, no app store needed, on iPhone and Android alike. You stand the phone ",[15,1159,1160],{},"to the side of the board, 1.5 to 2 m away",", and it keeps score on its own. All the processing happens on the phone, and the app ",[15,1163,1164],{},"works offline",[11,1166,1167],{},"On filmed sessions, compared with a three-camera Autodarts setup:",[848,1169,1170,1176],{},[851,1171,1172,1175],{},[15,1173,1174],{},"98%"," of darts were picked up;",[851,1177,1178,1181],{},[15,1179,1180],{},"about 9 out of 10"," landed in the same segment as Autodarts.",[11,1183,1184,1185,1188,1189,1192,1193,864],{},"To be clear: a multi-camera system is still ",[15,1186,1187],{},"more accurate",". Throw is betting on something else, ",[15,1190,1191],{},"no hardware and no cost",". When it gets one wrong, a single tap on the dart fixes it. The full story is in ",[28,1194,1196],{"href":1195},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-throw-scores-your-darts","how Throw scores your darts",[20,1198,1200],{"id":1199},"at-a-glance","At a glance",[93,1202,1203,1218],{},[96,1204,1205],{},[99,1206,1207,1209,1212,1215],{},[102,1208],{},[102,1210,1211],{},"Electronic board",[102,1213,1214],{},"Multi-camera",[102,1216,1217],{},"Single phone camera",[113,1219,1220,1233,1247,1261,1275],{},[99,1221,1222,1225,1228,1231],{},[118,1223,1224],{},"Format",[118,1226,1227],{},"Soft-tip",[118,1229,1230],{},"Steel-tip",[118,1232,1230],{},[99,1234,1235,1238,1241,1244],{},[118,1236,1237],{},"Accuracy",[118,1239,1240],{},"Very high",[118,1242,1243],{},"Best in steel-tip",[118,1245,1246],{},"Good, with the odd correction",[99,1248,1249,1252,1255,1258],{},[118,1250,1251],{},"Hardware",[118,1253,1254],{},"The board itself",[118,1256,1257],{},"Cameras and mount to fit",[118,1259,1260],{},"Your phone",[99,1262,1263,1266,1269,1272],{},[118,1264,1265],{},"Set-up",[118,1267,1268],{},"None",[118,1270,1271],{},"Fixed",[118,1273,1274],{},"Stood beside the board, movable",[99,1276,1277,1280,1283,1286],{},[118,1278,1279],{},"Budget",[118,1281,1282],{},"Varies",[118,1284,1285],{},"Hundreds",[118,1287,1288],{},"Free (Throw) or a subscription, depending on the app",[20,1290,1292],{"id":1291},"how-to-choose","How to choose",[848,1294,1295,1302,1308],{},[851,1296,1297,1298,1301],{},"You play ",[15,1299,1300],{},"a lot, always in the same place",", and want the best accuracy: a multi-camera system is worth the investment.",[851,1303,1304,1305,1307],{},"You prefer ",[15,1306,961],{}," and the arcade feel: an electronic board.",[851,1309,1310,1311,1314,1315,1317],{},"You want to ",[15,1312,1313],{},"try automatic scoring without buying anything",", or play wherever there's a board: a single-camera app. With Throw you can try it in minutes: ",[28,1316,916],{"href":915}," and start a game.",[11,1319,1320,1321,864],{},"Whatever you pick, a well-lit, properly hung board helps every system: have a look at our tips on ",[28,1322,1324],{"href":1323},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-lighting","dartboard lighting",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":1326},[1327,1328,1329,1330,1331,1332,1333],{"id":954,"depth":924,"text":955},{"id":979,"depth":924,"text":980},{"id":1021,"depth":924,"text":1022},{"id":1084,"depth":924,"text":1085},{"id":1149,"depth":924,"text":1150},{"id":1199,"depth":924,"text":1200},{"id":1291,"depth":924,"text":1292},"Multi-camera rigs, a single phone or an electronic board: the ways to score darts automatically, with the honest pros and cons of each approach.","auto-scoring-options",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fautomatic-darts-scoring",{"title":946,"description":1334},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fautomatic-darts-scoring","54Euo-yZxyg0Q1xcSKmYHfy6q4_SUXrTnFMEem3uhcI",{"id":1342,"title":1343,"body":1344,"date":934,"description":1588,"extension":936,"key":1589,"meta":1590,"navigation":939,"path":1591,"seo":1592,"stem":1593,"__hash__":1594},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fcricket-darts-strategy.md","Cricket darts strategy: when to score and when to close",{"type":8,"value":1345,"toc":1580},[1346,1353,1364,1368,1375,1378,1396,1400,1403,1409,1429,1432,1436,1443,1446,1458,1461,1465,1476,1479,1495,1502,1506,1520,1523,1547,1550,1554,1564,1572],[11,1347,1348,1349,1352],{},"Between two cricket players of the same standard, the one who knows ",[15,1350,1351],{},"when to score and when to close"," wins more legs. Accuracy matters, but every visit asks a real tactical question. Here are the principles that make the difference, in standard cricket and in cut-throat.",[11,1354,1355,1356,1359,1360,864],{},"Quick reminder first: the game is played on 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and the bull, you need ",[15,1357,1358],{},"3 marks"," to close a target, and a target you've closed scores points for as long as an opponent still has it open. The full detail is in the ",[28,1361,1363],{"href":1362},"\u002Fen\u002Frules\u002Fcricket","cricket rules",[20,1365,1367],{"id":1366},"start-on-the-20-usually-yes","Start on the 20? Usually, yes",[11,1369,1370,1371,1374],{},"There's no set order. But most players open on the ",[15,1372,1373],{},"20",": it's the target worth the most per mark (bull aside), and the one you already practise at 501. From there, most people work down: 19, 18, 17...",[11,1376,1377],{},"Two situations where you can break the habit:",[848,1379,1380,1386],{},[851,1381,1382,1385],{},[15,1383,1384],{},"Your 20 isn't going in tonight",": if your darts keep drifting into the 1 and the 5, switch to the 19 (flanked by the 7 and the 3). A visit with no marks is a visit handed to your opponent.",[851,1387,1388,1391,1392,1395],{},[15,1389,1390],{},"Your opponent has already closed the 20"," and is scoring on it: then the question isn't opening any more, it's ",[15,1393,1394],{},"covering"," (see below).",[20,1397,1399],{"id":1398},"score-or-close-the-points-rule","Score or close: the points rule",[11,1401,1402],{},"This is THE cricket dilemma. You've closed the 20, your opponent hasn't. Do you keep loading the 20 to pile up points, or go and close the 19?",[11,1404,26,1405,1408],{},[15,1406,1407],{},"Standard"," (highest score wins), one simple rule works well:",[848,1410,1411,1417,1423],{},[851,1412,1413,1416],{},[15,1414,1415],{},"You're behind on points",": score on a target you've closed and your opponent hasn't. You can't win while you're behind, even with everything closed.",[851,1418,1419,1422],{},[15,1420,1421],{},"You're ahead on points",": close. Every extra target you shut is one your opponent can no longer score on against you.",[851,1424,1425,1428],{},[15,1426,1427],{},"You're well ahead",": stop chasing more points. A points lead is only there to protect you while you close the rest.",[11,1430,1431],{},"The classic mistake: spending three visits piling points on the 20 while your opponent quietly closes 19, 18 and 17. Points are insurance, not the goal.",[20,1433,1435],{"id":1434},"covering-your-opponents-numbers","Covering your opponent's numbers",[11,1437,1438,1439,1442],{},"When your opponent has closed a target you still have open, ",[15,1440,1441],{},"every visit they put into it costs you",". Closing that target on your side is called \"covering\": the target goes dead and their advantage disappears.",[11,1444,1445],{},"When should you cover?",[848,1447,1448,1451],{},[851,1449,1450],{},"As soon as they start scoring on it and you're behind on points.",[851,1452,1453,1454,1457],{},"Especially on a high number (the 20 or the 19), where one visit can be worth ",[15,1455,1456],{},"60 points"," with a single treble.",[11,1459,1460],{},"Comfortably ahead, you can let it run for a bit. But never leave an open target to become their points machine.",[20,1462,1464],{"id":1463},"the-bull-the-endgame-battle","The bull: the endgame battle",[11,1466,1467,1468,1471,1472,1475],{},"The bull is almost always saved for last, because it's the hardest target to close: the outer bull (25) is worth ",[15,1469,1470],{},"1 mark"," and the bullseye (50) is worth ",[15,1473,1474],{},"2",". There's no treble, so no closing it with one dart.",[11,1477,1478],{},"What that means for you:",[848,1480,1481,1488],{},[851,1482,1483,1484,1487],{},"Get to the bull ",[15,1485,1486],{},"with a points lead",": the end of the leg often comes down to who closes it first, and a deficit is hard to claw back on such a small target.",[851,1489,1490,1491,1494],{},"If your opponent has closed the bull and you haven't, every mark they land is ",[15,1492,1493],{},"25 points"," for them. Covering becomes urgent.",[11,1496,1497,1498,1501],{},"In Throw, a leg has a ",[15,1499,1500],{},"maximum number of rounds"," (20 by default). If it's reached, the leg goes to the player with the most closed targets, then to the best score. One more reason not to waste visits on points you don't need.",[20,1503,1505],{"id":1504},"cut-throat-turns-it-all-upside-down","Cut-throat turns it all upside down",[11,1507,26,1508,1511,1512,1515,1516,1519],{},[15,1509,1510],{},"cut-throat"," (the default variant in Throw), everything flips: your extra marks hand points ",[15,1513,1514],{},"to every opponent still open"," on that target, and the ",[15,1517,1518],{},"lowest"," score wins.",[11,1521,1522],{},"How that changes your game:",[848,1524,1525,1531,1541],{},[851,1526,1527,1530],{},[15,1528,1529],{},"Closing is your defence."," As long as a target is open on your side, anyone can load points onto you there. Shutting the high numbers early closes the most dangerous doors.",[851,1532,1533,1536,1537,1540],{},[15,1534,1535],{},"Go after the leader."," You don't choose who gets the points: they go to everyone still open on that target. So look for targets where ",[15,1538,1539],{},"the best placed player"," is still open, ideally on their own.",[851,1542,1543,1546],{},[15,1544,1545],{},"Watch out for unspoken alliances."," With three or four players, whoever leads quickly becomes everyone's target. Leading too early isn't always a gift.",[11,1548,1549],{},"The logic is the same as standard cricket, just reversed: behind (score too high), load the others; ahead (score low), close so nothing more comes your way.",[20,1551,1553],{"id":1552},"mpr-your-measure-of-progress","MPR: your measure of progress",[11,1555,1556,1559,1560,1563],{},[15,1557,1558],{},"MPR"," (marks per round) is the go-to cricket stat: the average number of marks you land per visit of 3 darts. A treble is 3 marks, so an MPR of ",[15,1561,1562],{},"3"," is the equivalent of one treble every visit.",[11,1565,1566,1567,1571],{},"It's a good measure because it doesn't depend on your opponent's tactics: it simply tells you how much you're hitting. Throw shows it at the end of the game, and if you have an account it keeps your marks per round from one game to the next so you can follow your progress (more on that in ",[28,1568,1570],{"href":1569},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fimprove-at-darts-with-stats","improving at darts with stats",").",[11,1573,1574,1575,1579],{},"To sharpen your cricket between games, Shanghai is a great companion: it makes you aim at every number, trebles included. Our ",[28,1576,1578],{"href":1577},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fshanghai-darts-tips","Shanghai tips"," show you how to get the most out of it.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":1581},[1582,1583,1584,1585,1586,1587],{"id":1366,"depth":924,"text":1367},{"id":1398,"depth":924,"text":1399},{"id":1434,"depth":924,"text":1435},{"id":1463,"depth":924,"text":1464},{"id":1504,"depth":924,"text":1505},{"id":1552,"depth":924,"text":1553},"Start on the 20 or not, score or close, cover your opponent's numbers, save the bull for last, play cut-throat and track your MPR: cricket strategy made simple.","cricket-strategy",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fcricket-darts-strategy",{"title":1343,"description":1588},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fcricket-darts-strategy","tDKaeT2Sk00jbhXDlHhMUaaGkOaOJca7kkpGiFTF3b4",{"id":1596,"title":1597,"body":1598,"date":934,"description":1816,"extension":936,"key":1817,"meta":1818,"navigation":939,"path":1819,"seo":1820,"stem":1821,"__hash__":1822},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdart-grip.md","Dart grip: how to hold a dart for a cleaner, steadier throw",{"type":8,"value":1599,"toc":1802},[1600,1603,1607,1614,1621,1625,1630,1633,1637,1644,1648,1651,1689,1693,1700,1703,1707,1714,1718,1750,1754,1757,1777,1784,1788,1795],[11,1601,1602],{},"Watch ten good players and you'll see almost ten different ways of holding a dart. There's no perfect grip, but there are a few principles every good grip follows. Here they are, along with what you need to find your own.",[20,1604,1606],{"id":1605},"start-with-the-centre-of-gravity","Start with the centre of gravity",[11,1608,1609,1610,1613],{},"Before you put your fingers anywhere, find ",[15,1611,1612],{},"the balance point"," of your dart. Lay it flat across your outstretched index finger and slide it along until it balances, tipping neither towards the point nor towards the flight. That's its centre of gravity.",[11,1615,1616,1617,1620],{},"Your thumb usually goes ",[15,1618,1619],{},"right there, or very slightly behind it",". Your other fingers then wrap around. Holding the dart well in front of or well behind that point makes it nosedive or rear up as you let go.",[20,1622,1624],{"id":1623},"two-three-or-four-fingers","Two, three or four fingers",[1626,1627,1629],"h3",{"id":1628},"the-two-finger-grip","The two-finger grip",[11,1631,1632],{},"Thumb and index finger (or middle finger) are all you need. It's the most minimal grip: fewer fingers, fewer things to catch on release. The trade-off is that it takes good control, because the dart has fewer points of contact.",[1626,1634,1636],{"id":1635},"the-three-finger-grip","The three-finger grip",[11,1638,1639,1640,1643],{},"Thumb underneath, index and middle finger on top. It's ",[15,1641,1642],{},"the most common grip"," and a very good place to start: the dart is held securely and the release stays simple. If you're new to the game, start here.",[1626,1645,1647],{"id":1646},"the-four-finger-grip","The four-finger grip",[11,1649,1650],{},"Thumb plus three fingers, often on a long barrel. The dart feels very stable in the hand, which suits players who like to feel in control of it. The risk: more fingers means more chance of one lingering at release and knocking the dart off line.",[93,1652,1653,1663],{},[96,1654,1655],{},[99,1656,1657,1660],{},[102,1658,1659],{},"Grip",[102,1661,1662],{},"Who it suits",[113,1664,1665,1673,1681],{},[99,1666,1667,1670],{},[118,1668,1669],{},"2 fingers",[118,1671,1672],{},"Players after a very clean release, short or medium barrels",[99,1674,1675,1678],{},[118,1676,1677],{},"3 fingers",[118,1679,1680],{},"The default choice, to start with and to stick with",[99,1682,1683,1686],{},[118,1684,1685],{},"4 fingers",[118,1687,1688],{},"Long barrels, players who need plenty of support",[20,1690,1692],{"id":1691},"light-pressure","Light pressure",[11,1694,1695,1696,1699],{},"This is the most common mistake: ",[15,1697,1698],{},"squeezing too hard",". A dart gripped tightly sticks to your fingers as you release it, and that's often what sends one flying off somewhere random.",[11,1701,1702],{},"Hold it just firmly enough that it doesn't slip, and no more. A good guide: your fingertips shouldn't go white and your hand shouldn't shake. If your forearm starts tensing up late in a match, you're probably squeezing too hard.",[20,1704,1706],{"id":1705},"keep-the-tip-pointing-up","Keep the tip pointing up",[11,1708,1709,1710,1713],{},"While you aim and all the way through the throw, ",[15,1711,1712],{},"the point should stay angled slightly upwards",", never down. A dart that leaves your hand point-down dives and hits the board at an odd angle, or misses altogether. Check it in a mirror, or ask someone to watch your hand side-on.",[20,1715,1717],{"id":1716},"common-mistakes","Common mistakes",[848,1719,1720,1726,1732,1738,1744],{},[851,1721,1722,1725],{},[15,1723,1724],{},"Squeezing too hard",", as above.",[851,1727,1728,1731],{},[15,1729,1730],{},"Changing your grip every visit",": consistency comes from holding the dart the same way, every single time. Find the exact spot where your fingers land (a groove, a ring on the barrel) and always go back to it.",[851,1733,1734,1737],{},[15,1735,1736],{},"Letting a finger drag"," on release, especially with four fingers. If your darts always drift to the same side, that's often where to look.",[851,1739,1740,1743],{},[15,1741,1742],{},"Holding it with your fingernails"," or your palm: it's the pads of your fingers that should feel the barrel.",[851,1745,1746,1749],{},[15,1747,1748],{},"Copying a champion's grip exactly",": their hands, their darts and their throw aren't yours. Take inspiration, then adapt.",[20,1751,1753],{"id":1752},"match-your-grip-to-your-dart","Match your grip to your dart",[11,1755,1756],{},"Grip and dart go together:",[848,1758,1759,1765,1771],{},[851,1760,1761,1764],{},[15,1762,1763],{},"A long, straight barrel"," takes three or four fingers well, spread along its length.",[851,1766,1767,1770],{},[15,1768,1769],{},"A short or torpedo-shaped barrel"," tends to suit a compact grip, two or three fingers bunched near the centre of gravity.",[851,1772,1773,1776],{},[15,1774,1775],{},"The knurling"," (the texture on the barrel) needs to be where your fingers sit. Hold your dart on a smooth section and it'll slip.",[11,1778,1779,1780,864],{},"If your grip always feels forced, the problem may be the dart rather than your hand. We go through what to look for in ",[28,1781,1783],{"href":1782},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-darts","how to choose darts",[20,1785,1787],{"id":1786},"how-to-tell-if-your-grip-is-working","How to tell if your grip is working",[11,1789,1790,1791,1794],{},"You judge a grip over time, not over one visit. Keep the same one for several sessions and see whether your grouping tightens. The easiest way is to play proper games of ",[28,1792,1793],{"href":30},"x01"," and follow your average: with Throw, your phone keeps the score while you play, and with a free account your three-dart average is saved from one game to the next. That way you know whether a change of grip really helped or whether it just felt like it.",[11,1796,1797,1798,864],{},"Grip is only one part of the throw: your stance, your arm and your follow-through matter just as much. The natural next step: ",[28,1799,1801],{"href":1800},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-throwing-technique","darts throwing technique",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":1803},[1804,1805,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815],{"id":1605,"depth":924,"text":1606},{"id":1623,"depth":924,"text":1624,"children":1806},[1807,1809,1810],{"id":1628,"depth":1808,"text":1629},3,{"id":1635,"depth":1808,"text":1636},{"id":1646,"depth":1808,"text":1647},{"id":1691,"depth":924,"text":1692},{"id":1705,"depth":924,"text":1706},{"id":1716,"depth":924,"text":1717},{"id":1752,"depth":924,"text":1753},{"id":1786,"depth":924,"text":1787},"Two, three or four fingers, centre of gravity, light pressure, tip pointing up: find the dart grip that suits you and avoid the most common mistakes.","grip",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdart-grip",{"title":1597,"description":1816},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdart-grip","MroF9tHpxINokFSgzxNbJOKK8gFJyu9f9jhmF0Vb4CM",{"id":1824,"title":1825,"body":1826,"date":934,"description":2235,"extension":936,"key":2236,"meta":2237,"navigation":939,"path":2238,"seo":2239,"stem":2240,"__hash__":2241},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-anatomy.md","Dartboard anatomy: scoring areas, number order and sizes",{"type":8,"value":1827,"toc":2224},[1828,1831,1835,1846,1940,1943,1973,1977,1988,1992,2006,2082,2092,2096,2099,2104,2107,2111,2118,2163,2166,2177,2181,2196,2199,2203,2217],[11,1829,1830],{},"You look at it every time you throw, but do you know why the 20 is wedged between the 5 and the 1, or exactly what that little red circle in the middle is worth? Here's the standard dartboard, area by area, with its measurements and a bit of its history.",[20,1832,1834],{"id":1833},"the-scoring-areas","The scoring areas",[11,1836,1837,1838,1841,1842,1845],{},"The board is split into ",[15,1839,1840],{},"20 segments"," numbered 1 to 20, each covering ",[15,1843,1844],{},"18°",". Each segment is divided into areas that score differently.",[93,1847,1848,1861],{},[96,1849,1850],{},[99,1851,1852,1855,1858],{},[102,1853,1854],{},"Area",[102,1856,1857],{},"Where",[102,1859,1860],{},"Score",[113,1862,1863,1874,1888,1901,1914,1927],{},[99,1864,1865,1868,1871],{},[118,1866,1867],{},"Single",[118,1869,1870],{},"the two large areas in each segment",[118,1872,1873],{},"the segment's number",[99,1875,1876,1879,1882],{},[118,1877,1878],{},"Treble",[118,1880,1881],{},"the thin ring halfway out",[118,1883,1884,1887],{},[15,1885,1886],{},"3 times"," the number",[99,1889,1890,1893,1896],{},[118,1891,1892],{},"Double",[118,1894,1895],{},"the thin ring on the outer edge",[118,1897,1898,1887],{},[15,1899,1900],{},"2 times",[99,1902,1903,1906,1909],{},[118,1904,1905],{},"Outer bull (25)",[118,1907,1908],{},"the green ring around the centre",[118,1910,1911],{},[15,1912,1913],{},"25",[99,1915,1916,1919,1922],{},[118,1917,1918],{},"Bullseye (double bull)",[118,1920,1921],{},"the small red circle in the centre",[118,1923,1924],{},[15,1925,1926],{},"50",[99,1928,1929,1932,1935],{},[118,1930,1931],{},"Off the board",[118,1933,1934],{},"outside the double ring",[118,1936,1937],{},[15,1938,1939],{},"0",[11,1941,1942],{},"A few numbers that follow from that:",[848,1944,1945,1956,1963],{},[851,1946,1947,1948,1951,1952,1955],{},"the best single dart is ",[15,1949,1950],{},"treble 20",", worth ",[15,1953,1954],{},"60",";",[851,1957,1958,1959,1962],{},"three treble 20s make ",[15,1960,1961],{},"180",", the maximum for a visit;",[851,1964,1965,1966,1969,1970,864],{},"the bullseye counts as a ",[15,1967,1968],{},"double",": that's what lets you check out 170 in three darts (treble 20, treble 20, bull), the biggest possible finish under ",[28,1971,1972],{"href":920},"double out",[1626,1974,1976],{"id":1975},"the-colours","The colours",[11,1978,1979,1980,1983,1984,1987],{},"The segments alternate ",[15,1981,1982],{},"black and white"," (usually cream). The double and treble rings alternate ",[15,1985,1986],{},"red and green",". In the middle, the 25 is green and the 50 is red. The colours are only there to make the board easy to read; they make no difference to the score.",[20,1989,1991],{"id":1990},"the-measurements","The measurements",[11,1993,1994,1995,1998,1999,514,2002,2005],{},"A standard bristle board is ",[15,1996,1997],{},"451 mm in diameter"," overall. Not all of that counts, though: the scoring area stops at the ",[15,2000,2001],{},"outer edge of the double ring",[15,2003,2004],{},"170 mm from the centre",". Beyond that is the black outer band that holds the number ring, and a dart landing there scores nothing.",[93,2007,2008,2018],{},[96,2009,2010],{},[99,2011,2012,2015],{},[102,2013,2014],{},"Part",[102,2016,2017],{},"Measurement",[113,2019,2020,2030,2041,2052,2062,2072],{},[99,2021,2022,2025],{},[118,2023,2024],{},"Overall board diameter",[118,2026,2027],{},[15,2028,2029],{},"451 mm",[99,2031,2032,2035],{},[118,2033,2034],{},"Outer radius of the double ring",[118,2036,2037,2040],{},[15,2038,2039],{},"170 mm"," (a 340 mm scoring area)",[99,2042,2043,2046],{},[118,2044,2045],{},"Outer radius of the treble ring",[118,2047,2048,2049],{},"about ",[15,2050,2051],{},"107 mm",[99,2053,2054,2057],{},[118,2055,2056],{},"Inside width of the doubles and trebles",[118,2058,2059],{},[15,2060,2061],{},"8 mm",[99,2063,2064,2067],{},[118,2065,2066],{},"Outer bull (25) diameter",[118,2068,2069],{},[15,2070,2071],{},"31.8 mm",[99,2073,2074,2077],{},[118,2075,2076],{},"Bullseye (50) diameter",[118,2078,2079],{},[15,2080,2081],{},"12.7 mm",[11,2083,2084,2085,2087,2088,2091],{},"The ",[15,2086,2061],{}," of the doubles and trebles is measured inside the wires. Aiming for a treble means aiming for a band barely wider than a fingernail, from 2.37 m away. The wires themselves make up the ",[15,2089,2090],{},"spider",", and a dart never lands \"in\" a wire: it always falls on one side or the other.",[20,2093,2095],{"id":2094},"the-number-order","The number order",[11,2097,2098],{},"Starting at the top and going clockwise:",[11,2100,2101],{},[15,2102,2103],{},"20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5",[11,2105,2106],{},"The 20 sits at the top, centred (it spans 9° either side of vertical). The 3 is at the bottom, the 6 on the right and the 11 on the left.",[1626,2108,2110],{"id":2109},"why-that-order","Why that order?",[11,2112,2113,2114,2117],{},"It's anything but random: the layout is designed to ",[15,2115,2116],{},"punish inaccuracy",". The big numbers are nearly always flanked by small ones:",[848,2119,2120,2134,2144,2153],{},[851,2121,2122,2123,2125,2126,2129,2130,2133],{},"the ",[15,2124,1373],{}," sits between the ",[15,2127,2128],{},"5"," and the ",[15,2131,2132],{},"1",": just miss treble 20 and you score 5 or 1 instead;",[851,2135,2122,2136,2125,2139,2129,2142,1955],{},[15,2137,2138],{},"19",[15,2140,2141],{},"7",[15,2143,1562],{},[851,2145,2122,2146,2125,2149,2129,2151,1955],{},[15,2147,2148],{},"17",[15,2150,1474],{},[15,2152,1562],{},[851,2154,2122,2155,2125,2158,2129,2160,864],{},[15,2156,2157],{},"16",[15,2159,2141],{},[15,2161,2162],{},"8",[11,2164,2165],{},"If the numbers simply ran from 1 to 20, the big ones (17, 18, 19, 20) would all sit together: aim at that corner of the board and you'd score heavily even with a sloppy throw, and the game would lose all its tension. On the real board, every centimetre counts.",[11,2167,2168,2169,2172,2173,864],{},"It's also why some players prefer to go for ",[15,2170,2171],{},"treble 19",": its neighbours (7 and 3) are a little more forgiving than the 20's (5 and 1). More on that in ",[28,2174,2176],{"href":2175},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-hit-treble-20","how to hit treble 20",[20,2178,2180],{"id":2179},"a-little-history","A little history",[11,2182,2183,2184,2187,2188,2191,2192,2195],{},"Legend has it that the order was devised by ",[15,2185,2186],{},"Brian Gamlin",", a carpenter from Lancashire, in the ",[15,2189,2190],{},"late 19th century"," (1896 is the date usually quoted). It's a nice story, but it can't be verified and is ",[15,2193,2194],{},"often disputed"," by darts historians, and other names have been put forward. What is certain is that this layout, sometimes called the \"London\" or \"clock\" board, eventually took over everywhere.",[11,2197,2198],{},"Other regional English boards still exist, with different layouts, and some don't even have a treble ring. But every competition and every common game is played on the standard board described here.",[20,2200,2202],{"id":2201},"know-your-board-play-better","Know your board, play better",[11,2204,2205,2206,2209,2210,2213,2214,2216],{},"Knowing what surrounds each number changes how you play: in ",[28,2207,2208],{"href":1362},"cricket",", in Halve It or when setting up a finish in ",[28,2211,2212],{"href":30},"501",", picking a target that forgives a miss can save a visit. And if you'd rather not do the maths yourself, ",[28,2215,1099],{"href":915}," does it for you: a phone stood off to the side works out where each dart lands on these very areas and keeps score on its own.",[11,2218,2219,2220,864],{},"For the rest of the vocabulary (oche, spider, ton, bust...), head to the ",[28,2221,2223],{"href":2222},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-glossary","darts glossary",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":2225},[2226,2229,2230,2233,2234],{"id":1833,"depth":924,"text":1834,"children":2227},[2228],{"id":1975,"depth":1808,"text":1976},{"id":1990,"depth":924,"text":1991},{"id":2094,"depth":924,"text":2095,"children":2231},[2232],{"id":2109,"depth":1808,"text":2110},{"id":2179,"depth":924,"text":2180},{"id":2201,"depth":924,"text":2202},"Singles, doubles, trebles, the 25 and 50 bull, the number order and why the 20 sits between the 5 and the 1: everything worth knowing about the dartboard.","board-anatomy",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-anatomy",{"title":1825,"description":2235},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-anatomy","1SYMQnPnekqemU0YoQH_8QxNrLySDNH9uYDUJPJrBhg",{"id":2243,"title":2244,"body":2245,"date":934,"description":2521,"extension":936,"key":2522,"meta":2523,"navigation":939,"path":2524,"seo":2525,"stem":2526,"__hash__":2527},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-care.md","Dartboard care: make your bristle board last for years",{"type":8,"value":2246,"toc":2511},[2247,2250,2254,2261,2272,2276,2279,2290,2302,2305,2309,2316,2319,2323,2326,2340,2343,2347,2350,2370,2377,2386,2390,2395,2398,2420,2423,2427,2430,2461,2475,2479],[11,2248,2249],{},"A decent bristle board can last for years, or wear out around treble 20 in a few months. The difference isn't the price tag; it's a handful of habits that surprisingly few players know about. None of them takes more than a couple of minutes.",[20,2251,2253],{"id":2252},"how-a-bristle-board-works","How a bristle board works",[11,2255,2256,2257,2260],{},"A bristle board is made of sisal fibres (a plant fibre from the agave) packed tightly together and cut so the ends face the surface. When a dart goes in, the point ",[15,2258,2259],{},"pushes the fibres apart"," rather than piercing them. When you pull it out, the fibres close back up and the hole disappears: that's the \"self-healing\" effect.",[11,2262,2263,2264,2267,2268,2271],{},"Everything about looking after a board follows from that: ",[15,2265,2266],{},"don't damage the fibres",", and ",[15,2269,2270],{},"spread the wear"," so no area gives out before the rest.",[20,2273,2275],{"id":2274},"rotate-the-board","Rotate the board",[11,2277,2278],{},"This is the big one. Players mostly aim at the 20, the 19 and a few favourite doubles, so those areas take the bulk of the hits and wear far faster than the rest.",[11,2280,2281,2282,2285,2286,2289],{},"The fix: ",[15,2283,2284],{},"rotate the board"," every so often, then put the ",[15,2287,2288],{},"number ring"," back the right way round with the 20 at the top. On most modern boards the number ring comes off (it's held by clips or notches) for exactly this reason.",[2291,2292,2293,2296,2299],"ol",{},[851,2294,2295],{},"Take off the number ring.",[851,2297,2298],{},"Lift the board off and turn it by one or more segments.",[851,2300,2301],{},"Hang it back up and refit the number ring with the 20 at the top.",[11,2303,2304],{},"The worn treble 20 area ends up somewhere less popular, and a fresh patch takes its place. How often depends on how much you play: as soon as the fibres in treble 20 start to dip, or holes take a while to close, it's time. Some boards have a marker on the back or a bracket designed to make rotating easier.",[20,2306,2308],{"id":2307},"never-wet-it","Never wet it",[11,2310,2311,2312,2315],{},"An old tip still does the rounds: dampen the board to \"swell the fibres\" and close the holes. ",[15,2313,2314],{},"Don't."," Water makes the sisal swell unevenly, the board warps, fibres come loose more easily as it dries, and the metal wires can rust.",[11,2317,2318],{},"The same goes for cleaning products: no sprays, no cleaners. A soft brush or a dry cloth is all you need to clear away fibre dust.",[20,2320,2322],{"id":2321},"watch-the-damp-and-the-heat","Watch the damp and the heat",[11,2324,2325],{},"A damp cellar, an unheated garage or a spot above a radiator will slowly ruin a board:",[848,2327,2328,2334],{},[851,2329,2330,2333],{},[15,2331,2332],{},"too damp",", and the fibres swell and lose their grip;",[851,2335,2336,2339],{},[15,2337,2338],{},"too hot and dry",", and they shrink and snap more easily.",[11,2341,2342],{},"Avoid hanging it right above a radiator or in full sun behind a window. An ordinary, temperate living space suits it perfectly.",[20,2344,2346],{"id":2345},"look-after-your-points","Look after your points",[11,2348,2349],{},"A point in bad shape damages a board faster than anything else.",[848,2351,2352,2358,2364],{},[851,2353,2354,2357],{},[15,2355,2356],{},"Too sharp"," (needle-like), and it cuts the fibres instead of parting them. The holes stop closing.",[851,2359,2360,2363],{},[15,2361,2362],{},"Too blunt",", and it shoves the fibres aside, bounces out more often and tears them on the way out.",[851,2365,2366,2369],{},[15,2367,2368],{},"A burr"," (a tiny lip of metal after hitting a wire or the floor) acts like a hook.",[11,2371,2372,2373,2376],{},"What you want is a ",[15,2374,2375],{},"slightly rounded"," point, neither a needle nor a ball. A small dart-sharpening stone is plenty: a few light strokes while turning the dart, no more. Run a finger over the point now and then to feel for burrs.",[11,2378,2379,2380,2383,2384,864],{},"To pull a dart out, draw it ",[15,2381,2382],{},"straight towards you"," with a slight twist. No levering up and down, which rips the fibres. More on kit in ",[28,2385,1783],{"href":1782},[20,2387,2389],{"id":2388},"check-the-wires-the-spider","Check the wires (the spider)",[11,2391,2084,2392,2394],{},[15,2393,2090],{}," is the set of metal wires dividing up the board. On modern boards it's thin and held without visible staples, which cuts down on bounce-outs. On older or entry-level boards, staples hold the wires in place.",[11,2396,2397],{},"Check every so often that:",[848,2399,2400,2407,2413],{},[851,2401,2402,2403,2406],{},"no wire ",[15,2404,2405],{},"lifts"," or moves when you press on it;",[851,2408,2409,2410,1955],{},"no staple is ",[15,2411,2412],{},"sticking out",[851,2414,2415,2416,2419],{},"no wire has been ",[15,2417,2418],{},"bent"," by an impact.",[11,2421,2422],{},"A loose wire means one bounce-out after another, and darts landing right on the line between two areas. If a wire is lifting, don't try to superglue it back: it's often a sign the board is near the end of its life.",[20,2424,2426],{"id":2425},"when-to-replace-your-board","When to replace your board",[11,2428,2429],{},"A well-looked-after board lasts a long time, but not forever. It's time for a new one when:",[848,2431,2432,2438,2444,2450,2456],{},[851,2433,2434,2437],{},[15,2435,2436],{},"holes stop closing",", even after rotating;",[851,2439,2440,2443],{},[15,2441,2442],{},"fibres fall out",", or holes stay visible in treble 20;",[851,2445,2446,2449],{},[15,2447,2448],{},"bounce-outs keep coming"," and your points aren't to blame;",[851,2451,2452,2455],{},[15,2453,2454],{},"the surface bulges"," or dips noticeably;",[851,2457,2458,864],{},[15,2459,2460],{},"the spider comes loose",[11,2462,2463,2464,2466,2467,2471,2472,864],{},"If you keep score with ",[28,2465,1099],{"href":915},", a tired board shows up in your visits too: more bounce-outs to fix by hand, more darts falling out. For the rest of the set-up (height, lighting, protecting the wall), read ",[28,2468,2470],{"href":2469},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fset-up-a-dartboard-at-home","how to set up a dartboard at home",", and to get to know your board area by area, ",[28,2473,2474],{"href":2238},"dartboard anatomy",[20,2476,2478],{"id":2477},"the-essentials-in-5-habits","The essentials in 5 habits",[2291,2480,2481,2487,2492,2499,2505],{},[851,2482,2483,2486],{},[15,2484,2485],{},"Rotate"," the board regularly, 20 always at the top.",[851,2488,2489,2491],{},[15,2490,2308],{},", and no cleaning products either.",[851,2493,2494,2495,2498],{},"Keep it ",[15,2496,2497],{},"away from radiators"," and damp.",[851,2500,2501,2504],{},[15,2502,2503],{},"Slightly rounded points",", no burrs.",[851,2506,2507,2510],{},[15,2508,2509],{},"Pull darts out straight",", with a slight twist.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":2512},[2513,2514,2515,2516,2517,2518,2519,2520],{"id":2252,"depth":924,"text":2253},{"id":2274,"depth":924,"text":2275},{"id":2307,"depth":924,"text":2308},{"id":2321,"depth":924,"text":2322},{"id":2345,"depth":924,"text":2346},{"id":2388,"depth":924,"text":2389},{"id":2425,"depth":924,"text":2426},{"id":2477,"depth":924,"text":2478},"Rotate the board, never wet it, look after your points, check the wires: the simple habits that keep a bristle dartboard going, and when to replace it.","board-care",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-care",{"title":2244,"description":2521},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-care","ZeQg1hLpUc12bdf0eSqYqnk0-kMgJuzHlhh7XLkKAsw",{"id":2529,"title":2530,"body":2531,"date":934,"description":2776,"extension":936,"key":2777,"meta":2778,"navigation":939,"path":2779,"seo":2780,"stem":2781,"__hash__":2782},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-height-and-throw-distance.md","Dartboard height and throw distance: the official measurements",{"type":8,"value":2532,"toc":2765},[2533,2536,2540,2543,2605,2609,2616,2620,2627,2634,2638,2647,2651,2654,2689,2692,2694,2732,2736,2743,2748,2752],[11,2534,2535],{},"Hang the board a little too high or chalk the throw line by eye, and every hour of practice is built on the wrong numbers. The official measurements come down to three figures, and a tape measure and ten minutes are all it takes to get them right at home.",[20,2537,2539],{"id":2538},"the-official-measurements-at-a-glance","The official measurements at a glance",[11,2541,2542],{},"These are the figures used by the governing bodies (WDF, PDC) and by almost every club and league. For steel tip, they are the same the world over.",[93,2544,2545,2557],{},[96,2546,2547],{},[99,2548,2549,2551,2554],{},[102,2550],{},[102,2552,2553],{},"Steel tip",[102,2555,2556],{},"Soft tip (electronic)",[113,2558,2559,2574,2591],{},[99,2560,2561,2564,2570],{},[118,2562,2563],{},"Height to the centre of the bull",[118,2565,2566,2569],{},[15,2567,2568],{},"1.73 m"," (5 ft 8 in)",[118,2571,2572,2569],{},[15,2573,2568],{},[99,2575,2576,2579,2585],{},[118,2577,2578],{},"Throw distance",[118,2580,2581,2584],{},[15,2582,2583],{},"2.37 m"," (7 ft 9¼ in)",[118,2586,2587,2590],{},[15,2588,2589],{},"2.44 m"," (8 ft), the most common",[99,2592,2593,2596,2602],{},[118,2594,2595],{},"Diagonal, bull to the oche at floor level",[118,2597,2598,2601],{},[15,2599,2600],{},"2.93 m"," (9 ft 7⅜ in)",[118,2603,2604],{},"about 2.99 m",[1626,2606,2608],{"id":2607},"height-173-m-to-the-centre-of-the-bull","Height: 1.73 m to the centre of the bull",[11,2610,2611,2612,2615],{},"Height is measured ",[15,2613,2614],{},"from the floor to the centre of the bullseye",", not to the top of the board and not to the mounting screw. That's the classic mistake: the bracket goes up at 1.73 m and the board ends up higher or lower depending on where the bracket sits on its back.",[1626,2617,2619],{"id":2618},"distance-237-m-from-the-face-of-the-board","Distance: 2.37 m from the face of the board",[11,2621,2622,2623,2626],{},"The throw distance is measured ",[15,2624,2625],{},"horizontally from the face of the board",", the surface the darts land in. Not from the wall: a board is several centimetres thick, plus its bracket, plus any surround. Measure from the wall and you'll be throwing from closer than everyone else.",[11,2628,2629,2630,2633],{},"The throw line is called the ",[15,2631,2632],{},"oche"," (it rhymes with \"hockey\"). The distance runs to the edge of the line your toes rest against: your feet stay behind it, and you can lean over it as much as you like.",[1626,2635,2637],{"id":2636},"soft-tip-usually-244-m","Soft tip: usually 2.44 m",[11,2639,2640,2641,2643,2644,864],{},"Electronic boards are usually played from ",[15,2642,2589],{}," (8 ft), at the same 1.73 m height. Some soft-tip leagues and events use the steel-tip 2.37 m instead, so check your league's rules. For the other differences between the two, read ",[28,2645,2646],{"href":975},"steel tip vs soft tip",[20,2648,2650],{"id":2649},"measuring-and-marking-the-oche-at-home","Measuring and marking the oche at home",[11,2652,2653],{},"You'll need a tape measure (5 m is ideal), a pencil, a plumb line or spirit level, and some strong tape.",[2291,2655,2656,2662,2668,2674,2680],{},[851,2657,2658,2661],{},[15,2659,2660],{},"Hang the board"," so the centre of the bull is 1.73 m off the floor. Measure to the exact centre with the board already on the wall.",[851,2663,2664,2667],{},[15,2665,2666],{},"Find the point below the face",": let a plumb line hang against the surface of the board (or hold a level upright against it) and mark the floor directly underneath.",[851,2669,2670,2673],{},[15,2671,2672],{},"Measure 2.37 m"," out from that point, square to the wall, and mark it.",[851,2675,2676,2679],{},[15,2677,2678],{},"Mark the oche",": a strip of tape running parallel to the wall, with its board-side edge on your mark. A wooden bar or a mat with a built-in oche works just as well.",[851,2681,2682,2685,2686,2688],{},[15,2683,2684],{},"Check the diagonal",": from the centre of the bull to the edge of the oche at floor level, you should get ",[15,2687,2600],{},". If you don't, the height or the distance is off. Check both ends of the oche if you want to be sure it's square.",[11,2690,2691],{},"The diagonal is just Pythagoras applied to your board: it only comes out right if the other two measurements are right. It's the most reliable check there is, and the one referees use.",[20,2693,1717],{"id":1716},[848,2695,2696,2702,2708,2714,2720,2726],{},[851,2697,2698,2701],{},[15,2699,2700],{},"Measuring the height to the bracket"," instead of the centre of the bull.",[851,2703,2704,2707],{},[15,2705,2706],{},"Measuring the distance from the wall",", or from the front of the surround, rather than the face of the board.",[851,2709,2710,2713],{},[15,2711,2712],{},"Forgetting the mat",": put a thick throwing mat down afterwards and you're standing a little higher. Measure the height from the surface you actually stand on.",[851,2715,2716,2719],{},[15,2717,2718],{},"A sloping floor",": in a garage or a cellar, the floor at the foot of the wall isn't always level with the floor at the oche. The diagonal will tell you.",[851,2721,2722,2725],{},[15,2723,2724],{},"A board that spins",": if it turns on its bracket, the 20 won't stay at the top. A stabiliser or anti-rotation bracket sorts that out.",[851,2727,2728,2731],{},[15,2729,2730],{},"The wrong distance for your game",": if you play steel tip, don't keep the 2.44 m line from an old electronic board.",[20,2733,2735],{"id":2734},"short-on-space","Short on space?",[11,2737,2738,2739,2742],{},"The official set-up needs a little over 3 m of length once you count room to stand behind the line. If you don't have it, keep the ",[15,2740,2741],{},"correct height"," and shorten the distance slightly rather than the other way round: height changes your trajectory far more than you'd think. For children, there's nothing wrong with lowering the board and bringing the line closer; the point is to have fun.",[11,2744,2745,2746,864],{},"The rest of the job (mounting, protecting the wall, flooring, lighting) is covered in ",[28,2747,2470],{"href":2469},[20,2749,2751],{"id":2750},"once-the-board-is-up","Once the board is up",[11,2753,2754,2755,2757,2758,2760,2761,864],{},"With the board at the right height and the oche at the right distance, your averages mean the same as anyone else's. Stand your phone off to the side, 1.5 to 2 m from the board, and ",[28,2756,1099],{"href":915}," keeps score on its own while you play a game of ",[28,2759,2212],{"href":30}," or cricket. The full set of official rules is in ",[28,2762,2764],{"href":2763},"\u002Fen\u002Frules","the rules section",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":2766},[2767,2772,2773,2774,2775],{"id":2538,"depth":924,"text":2539,"children":2768},[2769,2770,2771],{"id":2607,"depth":1808,"text":2608},{"id":2618,"depth":1808,"text":2619},{"id":2636,"depth":1808,"text":2637},{"id":2649,"depth":924,"text":2650},{"id":1716,"depth":924,"text":1717},{"id":2734,"depth":924,"text":2735},{"id":2750,"depth":924,"text":2751},"1.73 m high, 2.37 m away, 2.93 m on the diagonal: the official dartboard measurements, and a simple way to get them right on your own wall at home.","dartboard-height",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-height-and-throw-distance",{"title":2530,"description":2776},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-height-and-throw-distance","gQe280uxCRSBDi5dfY6AQoJ_z8sz_OtNE1fEXLgsRpU",{"id":2784,"title":2785,"body":2786,"date":934,"description":3016,"extension":936,"key":3017,"meta":3018,"navigation":939,"path":1323,"seo":3019,"stem":3020,"__hash__":3021},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-lighting.md","Dartboard lighting: how to get rid of shadows on your board",{"type":8,"value":2787,"toc":3000},[2788,2791,2795,2798,2818,2825,2829,2832,2836,2840,2847,2850,2861,2868,2872,2883,2887,2890,2894,2898,2901,2905,2912,2916,2923,2927,2940,2960,2968,2972,2994],[11,2789,2790],{},"You're going for treble 20 and your first two darts cast a black shadow right across it. Poor lighting doesn't jump out at you straight away, but it tires your eyes, makes you second-guess the score and gets in the way of your third dart. The good news: it's one of the easiest things in your set-up to fix.",[20,2792,2794],{"id":2793},"why-lighting-matters-so-much","Why lighting matters so much",[11,2796,2797],{},"A dartboard is metal wires, double and treble bands 8 mm wide, and darts sticking several centimetres out from the surface. With a single light source:",[848,2799,2800,2806,2812],{},[851,2801,2802,2805],{},[15,2803,2804],{},"every dart casts a shadow"," on the board, often over the segment you're aiming at next;",[851,2807,2808,2811],{},[15,2809,2810],{},"the wires get hard to read",": you can't tell at a glance whether a point is in the treble or just below it;",[851,2813,2814,2817],{},[15,2815,2816],{},"the colours fade",": the red and green of the doubles and trebles barely stand out from the black in dim light.",[11,2819,2820,2821,2824],{},"Good lighting means light that's ",[15,2822,2823],{},"bright, even and free of cast shadows"," across the whole board.",[20,2826,2828],{"id":2827},"the-ceiling-light-trap","The ceiling light trap",[11,2830,2831],{},"A light on the ceiling in the middle of the room lights the board from a distance and from one side. Worse, when you step up to the oche you're standing between the lamp and the board, so your own body throws the shadow. It's rarely enough.",[20,2833,2835],{"id":2834},"the-fixes","The fixes",[1626,2837,2839],{"id":2838},"an-led-ring-led-surround","An LED ring (LED surround)",[11,2841,2842,2843,2846],{},"This is what most regular players go for. A ring fitted with LEDs goes ",[15,2844,2845],{},"all the way around the board",", often built into a surround, and lights the surface from the entire rim. Because the light comes from every side at once, each shadow is \"filled in\" by the light coming from the opposite side, and dart shadows all but disappear.",[11,2848,2849],{},"The upsides:",[848,2851,2852,2855,2858],{},[851,2853,2854],{},"no dart shadows, or very nearly;",[851,2856,2857],{},"the same light on every segment, from the 20 down to the 3;",[851,2859,2860],{},"nothing sticking out into the room or into your line of sight.",[11,2862,2863,2864,2867],{},"Pick one that doesn't stand too far proud of the board face (a dart that clips it will bounce out) and a ",[15,2865,2866],{},"neutral white"," light, neither too yellow nor too blue.",[1626,2869,2871],{"id":2870},"spotlights","Spotlights",[11,2873,2874,2875,2878,2879,2882],{},"Without an LED ring, spotlights do the job well, as long as you use ",[15,2876,2877],{},"at least two",", ideally three, lighting the board from different angles. Mount them ",[15,2880,2881],{},"above and slightly in front"," of the board, aimed at it, so they don't dazzle you at the oche. A single spotlight above the board guarantees a shadow under every dart.",[1626,2884,2886],{"id":2885},"combining-them","Combining them",[11,2888,2889],{},"An LED ring on the board plus soft background light in the room is the most comfortable combination. Try not to make the board the only bright spot in a dark room: the contrast wears your eyes out over a long session.",[20,2891,2893],{"id":2892},"things-to-avoid","Things to avoid",[1626,2895,2897],{"id":2896},"glare","Glare",[11,2899,2900],{},"Metal wires, a glossy surround or a varnished cabinet can all bounce light back at you. A lamp pointing too directly, or a window opposite the board, creates dazzling hot spots. Go for matt surfaces around the board and light that comes in at an angle.",[1626,2902,2904],{"id":2903},"backlight","Backlight",[11,2906,2907,2908,2911],{},"A window ",[15,2909,2910],{},"right behind"," or beside the board means aiming straight into daylight. If you've no choice, draw the curtains while you play and rely on artificial light.",[1626,2913,2915],{"id":2914},"flickering-light","Flickering light",[11,2917,2918,2919,2922],{},"Some cheap LEDs, and many LEDs dimmed right down, ",[15,2920,2921],{},"flicker"," at a rate your eye barely registers. It can be tiring over time. More to the point, a camera definitely sees it: on a phone screen it shows up as rolling bands or a pulsing picture. If you film your games or keep score with a phone, choose a decent power supply and avoid turning the dimmer right down.",[20,2924,2926],{"id":2925},"good-light-better-camera-scoring","Good light, better camera scoring",[11,2928,2929,2930,2932,2933,531,2936,2939],{},"If you use ",[28,2931,1099],{"href":915}," to keep score with your phone, lighting matters twice over. Throw compares an image of the board ",[15,2934,2935],{},"before",[15,2937,2938],{},"after"," each dart to spot the one that just arrived, then finds its tip. What helps:",[848,2941,2942,2948,2954],{},[851,2943,2944,2947],{},[15,2945,2946],{},"steady light",": a flickering lamp, a dimmer turned mid-visit or light that keeps changing all add changes to the picture that aren't darts;",[851,2949,2950,2953],{},[15,2951,2952],{},"a board that's evenly lit",": a tip stands out better on a well-lit segment than in a shadow;",[851,2955,2956,2959],{},[15,2957,2958],{},"no backlight in the frame",": a window or a bare bulb in the phone's view dazzles the camera.",[11,2961,2962,2963,2965,2966,864],{},"You don't need a film studio, though: lighting that's comfortable for your eyes is usually comfortable for the camera. For where to put the phone (off to the side, 1.5 to 2 m away, whole board in the frame), see ",[28,2964,2470],{"href":2469},", and to see what the app actually does, read ",[28,2967,1196],{"href":1195},[20,2969,2971],{"id":2970},"in-short","In short",[848,2973,2974,2977,2984,2991],{},[851,2975,2976],{},"A ceiling light on its own isn't enough.",[851,2978,2979,2980,2983],{},"An ",[15,2981,2982],{},"LED ring"," around the board gets rid of nearly every shadow.",[851,2985,2986,2987,2990],{},"Otherwise, ",[15,2988,2989],{},"several spotlights"," from different angles, above and in front of the board.",[851,2992,2993],{},"No glare, no backlight, no flicker.",[11,2995,2996,2997,864],{},"Once the lighting's sorted, all that's left is to throw. For your first games, have a look at the ",[28,2998,2999],{"href":30},"501 rules",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":3001},[3002,3003,3004,3009,3014,3015],{"id":2793,"depth":924,"text":2794},{"id":2827,"depth":924,"text":2828},{"id":2834,"depth":924,"text":2835,"children":3005},[3006,3007,3008],{"id":2838,"depth":1808,"text":2839},{"id":2870,"depth":1808,"text":2871},{"id":2885,"depth":1808,"text":2886},{"id":2892,"depth":924,"text":2893,"children":3010},[3011,3012,3013],{"id":2896,"depth":1808,"text":2897},{"id":2903,"depth":1808,"text":2904},{"id":2914,"depth":1808,"text":2915},{"id":2925,"depth":924,"text":2926},{"id":2970,"depth":924,"text":2971},"LED rings, spotlights, ceiling lights: how to light a dartboard with no shadows or glare, and why good lighting also helps when a camera is keeping score.","board-lighting",{},{"title":2785,"description":3016},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdartboard-lighting","s7u1UaC_FL6940Yaq0RZXHHkYAShqRPlvx4cWKyUmmg",{"id":3023,"title":3024,"body":3025,"date":934,"description":3264,"extension":936,"key":3265,"meta":3266,"navigation":939,"path":3267,"seo":3268,"stem":3269,"__hash__":3270},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-averages-explained.md","Darts averages explained: 3-dart average, first 9 and MPR",{"type":8,"value":3026,"toc":3253},[3027,3030,3034,3040,3043,3048,3051,3055,3062,3068,3078,3082,3096,3100,3114,3120,3131,3135,3142,3146,3149,3179,3186,3190,3202,3224,3229,3232,3236],[11,3028,3029],{},"On TV, there's always a number next to each player's name: the average. It's the headline stat in darts, the one that lets you compare two players at a glance. Here's how it's worked out, the variations you'll hear about, and what it tells you about your own game.",[20,3031,3033],{"id":3032},"the-3-dart-average","The 3-dart average",[11,3035,3036,3037],{},"This is the average everyone talks about. It answers one simple question: ",[15,3038,3039],{},"how many points do you score, on average, per visit of 3 darts?",[11,3041,3042],{},"The formula:",[11,3044,3045],{},[15,3046,3047],{},"average = points scored ÷ darts thrown × 3",[11,3049,3050],{},"It counts darts rather than visits because a finishing visit might only use one or two darts. Dividing by darts and multiplying by 3 puts everyone on a level footing.",[1626,3052,3054],{"id":3053},"an-example","An example",[11,3056,3057,3058,3061],{},"You finish a leg of 501 in ",[15,3059,3060],{},"18 darts"," (6 full visits). You've scored 501 points:",[11,3063,3064,3065,864],{},"501 ÷ 18 × 3 = an average of ",[15,3066,3067],{},"83.5",[11,3069,3070,3071,3074,3075,3077],{},"The same leg in 15 darts gives 501 ÷ 15 × 3 = ",[15,3072,3073],{},"100.2",". And the perfect leg, the nine-darter, gives 501 ÷ 9 × 3 = ",[15,3076,134],{},", the highest average possible over a leg of 501.",[1626,3079,3081],{"id":3080},"what-counts-and-what-doesnt","What counts and what doesn't",[848,3083,3084,3090,3093],{},[851,3085,3086,3087,3089],{},"A ",[15,3088,43],{}," visit counts its darts but scores nothing, so it drags your average down.",[851,3091,3092],{},"Darts missed at the doubles count too. A player who scores heavily but struggles to finish will see their average sink at the end of each leg.",[851,3094,3095],{},"Over a match, you add up all the points and all the darts from every leg, then apply the same formula.",[20,3097,3099],{"id":3098},"the-first-9-average","The first 9 average",[11,3101,2084,3102,3105,3106,3109,3110,3113],{},[15,3103,3104],{},"first 9 average"," only looks at the ",[15,3107,3108],{},"first 3 visits"," of each leg, so the first 9 darts. Why? Because at that stage everyone is going for treble 20: it measures ",[15,3111,3112],{},"pure scoring power",", without the finishing getting in the way.",[11,3115,3116,3117,864],{},"Example: you open a leg with 100, 85 and 60. That's 245 points in 9 darts, so 245 ÷ 9 × 3 = ",[15,3118,3119],{},"81.7",[11,3121,3122,3123,3126,3127,3130],{},"Your first 9 average is almost always higher than your overall average. A big gap between the two tells you one thing: your scoring holds up, it's your ",[15,3124,3125],{},"finishing"," that's costing you. That's when the ",[28,3128,3129],{"href":940},"checkout chart"," becomes your best friend.",[20,3132,3134],{"id":3133},"points-per-dart-ppd","Points per dart (PPD)",[11,3136,3137,3138,3141],{},"In soft-tip darts you'll often see ",[15,3139,3140],{},"PPD",", points per dart: points scored divided by darts thrown. It's the same information as the 3-dart average, divided by 3. An average of 60 is a PPD of 20.",[20,3143,3145],{"id":3144},"ballpark-figures","Ballpark figures",[11,3147,3148],{},"There's no official scale, and the numbers vary depending on who you ask. As a rough guide:",[848,3150,3151,3157,3163,3169],{},[851,3152,3153,3156],{},[15,3154,3155],{},"Beginner",": often under 30 to 35. Hitting the 20 area consistently is already a goal.",[851,3158,3159,3162],{},[15,3160,3161],{},"Club player",": with practice the average climbs towards 40, 50, 60. The first visits of 100 or more (a \"ton\") start coming regularly.",[851,3164,3165,3168],{},[15,3166,3167],{},"Strong amateur",": above 70, you're a feared player in your league.",[851,3170,3171,3174,3175,3178],{},[15,3172,3173],{},"Professionals on TV",": the best sit ",[15,3176,3177],{},"around 90 to 100",", and sometimes go over 100 across a match.",[11,3180,3181,3182,3185],{},"What matters isn't the raw figure, it's how it ",[15,3183,3184],{},"moves"," from one month to the next, measured in the same conditions.",[20,3187,3189],{"id":3188},"in-cricket-mpr","In Cricket: MPR",[11,3191,26,3192,3195,3196,3198,3199,864],{},[28,3193,3194],{"href":1362},"Cricket",", you don't count down a score, you close numbers. A 3-dart average doesn't mean much there, so players use ",[15,3197,1558],{},", marks per round: the average number of ",[15,3200,3201],{},"marks per visit",[848,3203,3204,3215,3218],{},[851,3205,3206,3207,3209,3210,3212,3213,864],{},"A single is worth ",[15,3208,1470],{},", a double ",[15,3211,1474],{},", a treble ",[15,3214,1562],{},[851,3216,3217],{},"The outer bull is worth 1 mark, the inner bull 2.",[851,3219,3220,3221,864],{},"A perfect visit, three trebles, is worth ",[15,3222,3223],{},"9 marks",[11,3225,3226],{},[15,3227,3228],{},"MPR = total marks ÷ number of rounds",[11,3230,3231],{},"An MPR of 1 means one mark per round on average: it takes you about three rounds to close a single number. At 2, you're closing numbers noticeably faster. Above 3, you're hitting doubles and trebles very regularly.",[20,3233,3235],{"id":3234},"track-your-stats-with-throw","Track your stats with Throw",[11,3237,3238,3239,3242,3243,3245,3246,3249,3250,864],{},"Working out your average by hand with a notebook is a chore. With Throw, the phone beside the board scores your darts on its own, and if you create a (free) account, your stats fill in with every game: your ",[15,3240,3241],{},"average per visit"," in ",[28,3244,1793],{"href":30}," and your ",[15,3247,3248],{},"marks per round"," in Cricket. A handy way to check whether your practice sessions are actually paying off. To go further, read our tips on ",[28,3251,3252],{"href":1569},"improving with stats",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":3254},[3255,3259,3260,3261,3262,3263],{"id":3032,"depth":924,"text":3033,"children":3256},[3257,3258],{"id":3053,"depth":1808,"text":3054},{"id":3080,"depth":1808,"text":3081},{"id":3098,"depth":924,"text":3099},{"id":3133,"depth":924,"text":3134},{"id":3144,"depth":924,"text":3145},{"id":3188,"depth":924,"text":3189},{"id":3234,"depth":924,"text":3235},"How the 3-dart average, the first 9 average and Cricket's MPR are worked out, with examples, and what those numbers really say about your darts.","averages",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-averages-explained",{"title":3024,"description":3264},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-averages-explained","0cPIxzdFB1YHW5jtEYa2xR5eq1EdWFSDcW1k-G85d2U",{"id":3272,"title":3273,"body":3274,"date":934,"description":3568,"extension":936,"key":3569,"meta":3570,"navigation":939,"path":3571,"seo":3572,"stem":3573,"__hash__":3574},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-etiquette.md","Darts etiquette: the unwritten rules, at the pub and beyond",{"type":8,"value":3275,"toc":3555},[3276,3279,3283,3286,3312,3315,3319,3339,3346,3350,3376,3380,3383,3386,3406,3413,3417,3443,3447,3450,3454,3468,3472,3504,3508,3511,3515,3518,3544],[11,3277,3278],{},"Darts has its official rules, and then there's everything nobody writes down but everybody expects. Knowing them is the difference between the player people want a rematch with and the one they politely avoid. Here are the essentials, from the club to the pub to online games.",[20,3280,3282],{"id":3281},"while-your-opponent-is-throwing","While your opponent is throwing",[11,3284,3285],{},"This is rule number one, and the one most often forgotten.",[848,3287,3288,3294,3300,3306],{},[851,3289,3290,3293],{},[15,3291,3292],{},"Keep quiet."," No comments, no jokes, no \"come on, hit the double!\" as they draw their arm back. Talk between visits, not during them.",[851,3295,3296,3299],{},[15,3297,3298],{},"Stand behind them."," Stay back, behind the oche, never next to the board or in their line of sight.",[851,3301,3302,3305],{},[15,3303,3304],{},"Keep still."," No pacing about, no phone waved in the air, no clinking glasses. Any movement in the corner of their eye can put them off.",[851,3307,3308,3311],{},[15,3309,3310],{},"No distracting warm-ups."," Loosening your arm or throwing air darts right beside them is a no.",[11,3313,3314],{},"The day you're on the oche needing a double to win, you'll be glad of the same courtesy.",[20,3316,3318],{"id":3317},"on-the-oche","On the oche",[848,3320,3321,3327,3333],{},[851,3322,3323,3326],{},[15,3324,3325],{},"No toes over the line."," Lean as far as you like, but your feet stay behind the oche.",[851,3328,3329,3332],{},[15,3330,3331],{},"Don't dawdle."," Take a moment to settle, but not whole minutes of aiming before every dart.",[851,3334,3335,3338],{},[15,3336,3337],{},"Stick to the order."," No sneaky fourth dart \"just to see\".",[11,3340,3341,3342,864],{},"For the actual regulations (distance, height, equipment), we've rounded them up in the ",[28,3343,3345],{"href":3344},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fofficial-darts-rules","official darts rules",[20,3347,3349],{"id":3348},"pulling-your-darts","Pulling your darts",[848,3351,3352,3358,3364,3370],{},[851,3353,3354,3357],{},[15,3355,3356],{},"Wait until the score has been counted"," before yanking your darts out. If they vanish before anyone has seen where they landed, the arguments start.",[851,3359,3360,3363],{},[15,3361,3362],{},"Only take your own."," You don't touch your opponent's darts unless they ask.",[851,3365,3366,3369],{},[15,3367,3368],{},"Be quick."," Pull them out, walk back, make way. Your opponent shouldn't have to wait while you admire your treble 20.",[851,3371,3372,3375],{},[15,3373,3374],{},"Dropped darts and bounce-outs"," don't score: pick them up and don't throw them again.",[20,3377,3379],{"id":3378},"keeping-and-calling-the-score","Keeping and calling the score",[11,3381,3382],{},"In competitions, a scorer calls out each visit and what the player has left. Among friends, people often keep their own score, or whoever isn't playing runs the chalkboard.",[11,3384,3385],{},"A few customs:",[848,3387,3388,3394,3400],{},[851,3389,3390,3393],{},[15,3391,3392],{},"Call your score clearly",", and check it with your opponent if there's any doubt.",[851,3395,3396,3399],{},[15,3397,3398],{},"Don't shout out the checkout"," to a player who hasn't asked. Working out the route to the double is part of the game.",[851,3401,3402,3405],{},[15,3403,3404],{},"If there's a mistake, put it right",", even when it was in your favour. Reputations are built quickly, both ways.",[11,3407,3408,3409,3412],{},"In Throw, the phone does the scoring: it counts every visit, and a ",[15,3410,3411],{},"referee voice"," calls the scores. It doesn't mean you shouldn't keep an eye on it: one tap fixes a misread dart.",[20,3414,3416],{"id":3415},"before-and-after-the-match","Before and after the match",[848,3418,3419,3425,3431,3437],{},[851,3420,3421,3424],{},[15,3422,3423],{},"Shake hands"," with your opponent before you start, and wish them a good game.",[851,3426,3427,3430],{},[15,3428,3429],{},"Shake hands again at the end",", win or lose. A simple \"well played\" does the job.",[851,3432,3433,3436],{},[15,3434,3435],{},"Win gracefully."," Celebrating your 180 is fine. Celebrating your opponent's missed double, much less so.",[851,3438,3439,3442],{},[15,3440,3441],{},"Lose with dignity."," No snapping darts, no blaming the lighting.",[20,3444,3446],{"id":3445},"at-the-pub-a-few-extra-rules","At the pub: a few extra rules",[11,3448,3449],{},"A pub board is shared, and safety comes first.",[1626,3451,3453],{"id":3452},"waiting-your-turn","Waiting your turn",[848,3455,3456,3462],{},[851,3457,3458,3461],{},[15,3459,3460],{},"Find out how it works there."," In some pubs you chalk your name on a board; in others you just ask the people playing.",[851,3463,3464,3467],{},[15,3465,3466],{},"Don't hog the board."," If people are waiting, invite them to play you or hand over after your game.",[1626,3469,3471],{"id":3470},"safety","Safety",[848,3473,3474,3480,3486,3492,3498],{},[851,3475,3476,3479],{},[15,3477,3478],{},"Never walk in front of the board"," while someone is on the oche, not even \"really quickly\".",[851,3481,3482,3485],{},[15,3483,3484],{},"Nobody throws"," while someone is near the board pulling their darts.",[851,3487,3488,3491],{},[15,3489,3490],{},"Drinks stay out of the way",", well away from the oche and never on the floor where people walk.",[851,3493,3494,3497],{},[15,3495,3496],{},"Keep a clear head."," A steel-tip dart thrown off line is no joke.",[851,3499,3500,3503],{},[15,3501,3502],{},"Keep an eye on children"," and onlookers who wander a bit too close.",[1626,3505,3507],{"id":3506},"look-after-the-kit","Look after the kit",[11,3509,3510],{},"Don't twist darts out at an angle, don't throw damaged darts at the board, and tell the landlord if the board is properly worn.",[20,3512,3514],{"id":3513},"behaving-well-online","Behaving well online",[11,3516,3517],{},"Playing online is no excuse to forget your manners, quite the opposite: your opponent only sees your board and your score.",[848,3519,3520,3526,3532,3538],{},[851,3521,3522,3525],{},[15,3523,3524],{},"Correct honestly."," In Throw, every correction shows up on your opponent's side, with a fresh image of your board. It might as well be right.",[851,3527,3528,3531],{},[15,3529,3530],{},"Don't quit mid-match."," If your connection drops, the game waits about 3 minutes before handing the win to the other player. Leaving on purpose to dodge a defeat doesn't go unnoticed.",[851,3533,3534,3537],{},[15,3535,3536],{},"Be on time"," when you've sent a challenge, and let them know if you can't play any more.",[851,3539,3540,3543],{},[15,3541,3542],{},"Say something at the end",": a \"well played\" sent after the game, even by text, is as good as a handshake.",[11,3545,3546,3547,3551,3552,3554],{},"Fancy a go? It's all explained in ",[28,3548,3550],{"href":3549},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fplay-darts-online-with-friends","playing darts online with friends",". And if some of the terms here passed you by, the ",[28,3553,2223],{"href":2222}," has you covered.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":3556},[3557,3558,3559,3560,3561,3562,3567],{"id":3281,"depth":924,"text":3282},{"id":3317,"depth":924,"text":3318},{"id":3348,"depth":924,"text":3349},{"id":3378,"depth":924,"text":3379},{"id":3415,"depth":924,"text":3416},{"id":3445,"depth":924,"text":3446,"children":3563},[3564,3565,3566],{"id":3452,"depth":1808,"text":3453},{"id":3470,"depth":1808,"text":3471},{"id":3506,"depth":1808,"text":3507},{"id":3513,"depth":924,"text":3514},"Quiet during the throw, the handshake, pulling your darts, calling scores, pub safety and fair play online: the unwritten rules every player should know.","etiquette",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-etiquette",{"title":3273,"description":3568},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-etiquette","4KpjGikBwkk_QGlUvbwFuCAllcJh8meHX9DBrn7PBzk",{"id":3576,"title":3577,"body":3578,"date":934,"description":3882,"extension":936,"key":3883,"meta":3884,"navigation":939,"path":3885,"seo":3886,"stem":3887,"__hash__":3888},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-games-for-groups.md","Darts games for groups: which one to play tonight?",{"type":8,"value":3579,"toc":3870},[3580,3583,3587,3597,3601,3604,3621,3623,3626,3635,3639,3642,3646,3652,3656,3663,3692,3696,3810,3814,3820,3835,3841,3847,3856,3860,3863],[11,3581,3582],{},"One board, a few friends, and the same question every time: what are we playing? 501 is the classic, but it isn't always the most fun when abilities are miles apart or when there are six of you. Here are the games that work best with a group, and how to pick the right one.",[20,3584,3586],{"id":3585},"the-4-games-you-can-play-in-throw","The 4 games you can play in Throw",[11,3588,3589,3590,3593,3594,864],{},"Throw scores these four by itself: one phone standing beside the board, ",[15,3591,3592],{},"1 to 8 players",", individually or ",[15,3595,3596],{},"in teams",[1626,3598,3600],{"id":3599},"_501-and-the-whole-x01-family","501 (and the whole x01 family)",[11,3602,3603],{},"Everyone starts on 501 and works down to exactly zero, finishing on a double. It's the game you see on TV, and the most demanding one too: if you can't finish on a double, the last few points can drag on for a long time.",[11,3605,3606,3607,1029,3610,3613,3614,3617,3618,864],{},"With a group, think about the shorter versions: ",[15,3608,3609],{},"301",[15,3611,3612],{},"101"," (a quick-fire game) keep things moving. And if abilities vary a lot, a ",[15,3615,3616],{},"straight out"," finish (any dart can win it) avoids never-ending legs. It's all in the ",[28,3619,3620],{"href":30},"x01 rules",[1626,3622,3194],{"id":2208},[11,3624,3625],{},"You close 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull, then score points on the targets the others haven't closed. More tactical than 501, it makes you keep an eye on everyone else.",[11,3627,3628,3629,3631,3632,3634],{},"With three or more, ",[15,3630,1510],{}," (the default in Throw) is the most fun: your points go to the others, and the lowest score wins. Expect alliances, revenge and plenty of banter. The ",[28,3633,1363],{"href":1362}," cover all three variants.",[1626,3636,3638],{"id":3637},"halve-it-le-capital","Halve It (Le Capital)",[11,3640,3641],{},"One round, one target: the 20, then 3 colours, then the 19, then a total of exactly 57... Miss the target and your score is halved. It's the perfect game for mixed groups: a lucky beginner can beat a good player, and nobody gets bored, because the challenge changes every round. In Throw, everyone can even place a secret bet on a bonus round.",[1626,3643,3645],{"id":3644},"shanghai","Shanghai",[11,3647,3648,3649,3651],{},"One round per number, from 1 to 20 (or 1 to 7 in the short version). Only darts in that number count. A ",[15,3650,3645],{}," (single, double and treble of the number in the same visit) wins the game in one go. Easy to understand, ideal for kids and beginners.",[20,3653,3655],{"id":3654},"other-classics-not-in-throw","Other classics, not in Throw",[11,3657,3658,3659,3662],{},"These games are hugely popular in pubs and at home, but ",[15,3660,3661],{},"Throw doesn't offer them",": you'll need chalk and a scoreboard. Rules vary a lot from place to place, so here's the most common version of each.",[848,3664,3665,3671,3677,3683],{},[851,3666,3667,3670],{},[15,3668,3669],{},"Around the Clock",": hit the 1, then the 2, then the 3... all the way to 20, in order. First to get round wins. Some people add the bull at the end.",[851,3672,3673,3676],{},[15,3674,3675],{},"Killer",": each player gets a number, often by throwing with their weaker hand. You first have to hit the double of your own number to become a \"killer\", then go after your opponents' doubles to take their lives. Last one standing wins. Brilliant with 4 or more.",[851,3678,3679,3682],{},[15,3680,3681],{},"Baseball",": 9 innings, each with its own number (the 1, then the 2, up to 9). You score on the inning's number, with a points scale that changes from house to house. Similar in spirit to Shanghai.",[851,3684,3685,3688,3689,3691],{},[15,3686,3687],{},"Golf",": 9 or 18 \"holes\", one number per hole, and the ",[15,3690,1518],{}," score wins. Each hit counts as a number of strokes depending on where it lands (the double is usually the best shot), and the scales vary.",[20,3693,3695],{"id":3694},"pick-at-a-glance","Pick at a glance",[93,3697,3698,3714],{},[96,3699,3700],{},[99,3701,3702,3705,3708,3711],{},[102,3703,3704],{},"Game",[102,3706,3707],{},"Playable in Throw",[102,3709,3710],{},"Suggested level",[102,3712,3713],{},"Best for",[113,3715,3716,3730,3742,3755,3766,3778,3789,3800],{},[99,3717,3718,3721,3724,3727],{},[118,3719,3720],{},"501 \u002F x01",[118,3722,3723],{},"Yes",[118,3725,3726],{},"Intermediate",[118,3728,3729],{},"2 to 4 players",[99,3731,3732,3734,3736,3739],{},[118,3733,3194],{},[118,3735,3723],{},[118,3737,3738],{},"Beginner to expert",[118,3740,3741],{},"2 players, or 3+ in cut-throat",[99,3743,3744,3747,3749,3752],{},[118,3745,3746],{},"Halve It",[118,3748,3723],{},[118,3750,3751],{},"Any level",[118,3753,3754],{},"Mixed groups",[99,3756,3757,3759,3761,3763],{},[118,3758,3645],{},[118,3760,3723],{},[118,3762,3155],{},[118,3764,3765],{},"Kids, first-timers",[99,3767,3768,3770,3773,3775],{},[118,3769,3669],{},[118,3771,3772],{},"No",[118,3774,3155],{},[118,3776,3777],{},"Warming up, first-timers",[99,3779,3780,3782,3784,3786],{},[118,3781,3675],{},[118,3783,3772],{},[118,3785,3751],{},[118,3787,3788],{},"4 players or more",[99,3790,3791,3793,3795,3797],{},[118,3792,3681],{},[118,3794,3772],{},[118,3796,3155],{},[118,3798,3799],{},"Small groups",[99,3801,3802,3804,3806,3808],{},[118,3803,3687],{},[118,3805,3772],{},[118,3807,3726],{},[118,3809,3799],{},[20,3811,3813],{"id":3812},"how-to-choose-for-your-group","How to choose for your group",[11,3815,3816,3819],{},[15,3817,3818],{},"Two of you, similar standard",": 501 or standard Cricket. These are the classic head-to-heads, where consistency wins.",[11,3821,3822,3825,3826,1029,3828,3830,3831,3834],{},[15,3823,3824],{},"Three to six of you",": Cricket in cut-throat, or Halve It. 501 drags with six, everyone waits several minutes for their turn. If you really want x01, drop to ",[15,3827,3609],{},[15,3829,3612],{}," to keep the pace up, and split into ",[15,3832,3833],{},"teams"," if you'd rather play together than every player for themselves.",[11,3836,3837,3840],{},[15,3838,3839],{},"Very mixed abilities",": Halve It, first and foremost. A missed round halves your score, which melts big leads, and the whole-visit rounds (3 colours, 57 points) reward thinking as much as accuracy. Sudden-death Shanghai works too: one Shanghai wins it, whatever the scores.",[11,3842,3843,3846],{},[15,3844,3845],{},"Kids or complete beginners",": short Shanghai (7 rounds). No counting down, no checkout rule, just adding up.",[11,3848,3849,3852,3853,864],{},[15,3850,3851],{},"A friend playing from home",": in Throw you can play online, one on one, with a free account, each of you at your own board with your own phone. Everything is explained in ",[28,3854,3855],{"href":3549},"play darts online with friends",[20,3857,3859],{"id":3858},"keep-the-evening-flowing","Keep the evening flowing",[11,3861,3862],{},"What slows a darts night down is rarely the game itself: it's the scoring. Someone has to hold the chalk, work out what's left, check the targets. With Throw, the phone keeps score on its own, and you can put the game up on a computer or TV in the living room, paired with a code. Nobody's stuck on chalk duty any more.",[11,3864,3865,3866,3869],{},"Every rule, as Throw plays it, is gathered on the ",[28,3867,3868],{"href":2763},"game rules"," page.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":3871},[3872,3878,3879,3880,3881],{"id":3585,"depth":924,"text":3586,"children":3873},[3874,3875,3876,3877],{"id":3599,"depth":1808,"text":3600},{"id":2208,"depth":1808,"text":3194},{"id":3637,"depth":1808,"text":3638},{"id":3644,"depth":1808,"text":3645},{"id":3654,"depth":924,"text":3655},{"id":3694,"depth":924,"text":3695},{"id":3812,"depth":924,"text":3813},{"id":3858,"depth":924,"text":3859},"501, Cricket, Halve It and Shanghai, plus Killer, Around the Clock, Baseball and Golf: the best darts games for groups, and how to pick one for your crowd.","party-games",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-games-for-groups",{"title":3577,"description":3882},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-games-for-groups","WOKRIQRHiHqaCBisU35cHTzZENxhbVU-7wxXuoy-WAs",{"id":3890,"title":3891,"body":3892,"date":934,"description":4231,"extension":936,"key":4232,"meta":4233,"navigation":939,"path":2222,"seo":4234,"stem":4235,"__hash__":4236},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-glossary.md","Darts glossary: 40 terms to talk like a seasoned player",{"type":8,"value":3893,"toc":4224},[3894,3897,3901,3964,3969,3973,4005,4009,4120,4124,4215,4217],[11,3895,3896],{},"Darts grew up in English pubs, and so did its vocabulary. Some of it is plain rulebook language, some of it is slang that only makes sense once someone explains it over a pint. Here are the terms you'll hear around a board, from the official to the downright cheeky.",[20,3898,3900],{"id":3899},"the-board","The board",[848,3902,3903,3909,3928,3934,3943,3952,3958],{},[851,3904,3905,3908],{},[15,3906,3907],{},"Bed",": the area of a segment between the wires, where the dart lands. You'll hear \"the treble 20 bed\".",[851,3910,3911,3914,3915,3918,3919,3921,3922,3925,3926,864],{},[15,3912,3913],{},"Bull",": the centre of the board. The ",[15,3916,3917],{},"outer bull"," (the green ring) is worth ",[15,3920,1913],{},", the ",[15,3923,3924],{},"inner bull"," is worth ",[15,3927,1926],{},[851,3929,3930,3933],{},[15,3931,3932],{},"Bullseye, double bull",": the inner bull, worth 50. It counts as a double when you're finishing a leg in double out.",[851,3935,3936,3938,3939,3942],{},[15,3937,1892],{},": the thin outer ring, which scores ",[15,3940,3941],{},"twice"," the segment. Outside it, the dart scores nothing.",[851,3944,3945,3947,3948,3951],{},[15,3946,1878],{},": the thin inner ring, which scores ",[15,3949,3950],{},"three times"," the segment. Treble 20 (60 points) is the most aimed-at bed in the game.",[851,3953,3954,3957],{},[15,3955,3956],{},"Wire, spider",": the metal web that separates the segments and rings. A dart that hits a wire has a fair chance of bouncing out.",[851,3959,3960,3963],{},[15,3961,3962],{},"Bristle board",": a steel-tip board made of compressed sisal fibres, which close back up after each dart.",[11,3965,3966,3967,864],{},"For the full tour of the board, see our article on ",[28,3968,2474],{"href":2238},[20,3970,3972],{"id":3971},"the-darts","The darts",[848,3974,3975,3981,3987,3993,3999],{},[851,3976,3977,3980],{},[15,3978,3979],{},"Barrel",": the body of the dart, the part you grip.",[851,3982,3983,3986],{},[15,3984,3985],{},"Point",": the end that goes into the board. Steel-tip or soft-tip depending on the board.",[851,3988,3989,3992],{},[15,3990,3991],{},"Shaft, stem",": the piece that joins the barrel to the flight.",[851,3994,3995,3998],{},[15,3996,3997],{},"Flight",": the fins at the back that keep the dart stable in the air.",[851,4000,4001,4004],{},[15,4002,4003],{},"Arrows",": slang for darts. \"Nice arrows\" means good throwing.",[20,4006,4008],{"id":4007},"playing-and-scoring","Playing and scoring",[848,4010,4011,4017,4023,4029,4035,4041,4047,4055,4061,4069,4075,4081,4090,4096,4102,4108,4114],{},[851,4012,4013,4016],{},[15,4014,4015],{},"Oche",": the line you throw from, 2.37 m from the board. Pronounced \"ocky\".",[851,4018,4019,4022],{},[15,4020,4021],{},"Visit",": one player's turn, 3 darts.",[851,4024,4025,4028],{},[15,4026,4027],{},"Leg",": a single game, from the starting score (501, say) down to zero.",[851,4030,4031,4034],{},[15,4032,4033],{},"Set",": a group of legs. In the big tournaments you win legs to take a set, and sets to take the match.",[851,4036,4037,4040],{},[15,4038,4039],{},"Bull-off",": each player throws one dart at the bull, and the closest goes first.",[851,4042,4043,4046],{},[15,4044,4045],{},"Bust",": a visit that takes you below zero, leaves you on 1 or finishes without a double. It's wiped out.",[851,4048,4049,4052,4053,864],{},[15,4050,4051],{},"Checkout, finish, out-shot",": the combination that takes you to exactly zero. The biggest possible in double out is 170. It's all in our ",[28,4054,3129],{"href":940},[851,4056,4057,4060],{},[15,4058,4059],{},"Leave",": the score you leave yourself after a visit. \"A good leave\" is 32 or 40: an even double.",[851,4062,4063,4066,4067,864],{},[15,4064,4065],{},"Double in, double out, master out",": the x01 starting and finishing rules, covered in our article on the ",[28,4068,921],{"href":920},[851,4070,4071,4074],{},[15,4072,4073],{},"Game shot",": the referee's call when a player wins the leg.",[851,4076,4077,4080],{},[15,4078,4079],{},"Chalker",": the person keeping score, traditionally in chalk on a blackboard.",[851,4082,4083,4086,4087,864],{},[15,4084,4085],{},"Average",": points per visit of 3 darts. The maths is in our article on ",[28,4088,4089],{"href":3267},"darts averages",[851,4091,4092,4095],{},[15,4093,4094],{},"MPR (marks per round)",": in Cricket, the average number of marks per visit.",[851,4097,4098,4101],{},[15,4099,4100],{},"Bounce out",": a dart that comes back out of the board. It doesn't score.",[851,4103,4104,4107],{},[15,4105,4106],{},"Nine-darter",": a leg of 501 finished in 9 darts, the fewest possible. The holy grail.",[851,4109,4110,4113],{},[15,4111,4112],{},"Whitewash",": winning a match without dropping a single leg (or set).",[851,4115,4116,4119],{},[15,4117,4118],{},"Mugs away",": the pub custom where the loser of the last leg throws first in the next one.",[20,4121,4123],{"id":4122},"scores-with-a-name","Scores with a name",[848,4125,4126,4135,4144,4153,4162,4171,4180,4186,4195,4201,4209],{},[851,4127,4128,4131,4132,4134],{},[15,4129,4130],{},"Ton",": a visit of ",[15,4133,563],{}," or more. \"Ton 40\" means 140.",[851,4136,4137,4140,4141,4143],{},[15,4138,4139],{},"Ton 80, maximum",": ",[15,4142,1961],{},", three treble 20s, the best visit possible.",[851,4145,4146,4140,4149,4152],{},[15,4147,4148],{},"Double top",[15,4150,4151],{},"double 20"," (40 points), right at the top of the board. Plenty of players' favourite finishing double.",[851,4154,4155,4140,4158,4161],{},[15,4156,4157],{},"Madhouse",[15,4159,4160],{},"double 1",". When you're left on 2, you're \"in the madhouse\", and you can be stuck there a while.",[851,4163,4164,4167,4168,864],{},[15,4165,4166],{},"Bag o' nuts",": a score of ",[15,4169,4170],{},"45",[851,4172,4173,4167,4176,4179],{},[15,4174,4175],{},"Bed and breakfast",[15,4177,4178],{},"26"," (single 20, single 5, single 1), the classic result of a visit that sprays either side of the 20.",[851,4181,4182,4185],{},[15,4183,4184],{},"Three in a bed",": all three darts of a visit in the same bed.",[851,4187,4188,4190,4191,864],{},[15,4189,3645],{},": a single, a double and a treble of the same number in one visit. It's also a game where, in its classic version, a Shanghai wins it outright: see the ",[28,4192,4194],{"href":4193},"\u002Fen\u002Frules\u002Fshanghai","Shanghai rules",[851,4196,4197,4200],{},[15,4198,4199],{},"Robin Hood",": a dart that sticks into the back of a dart already in the board. Rare, spectacular, and often the end of a shaft or a flight.",[851,4202,4203,4206,4207,864],{},[15,4204,4205],{},"Bogey number",": a score you can't check out in one visit in double out. Under 170 there are seven of them: ",[15,4208,76],{},[851,4210,4211,4214],{},[15,4212,4213],{},"Double trouble",": what you're in when you just can't hit your finishing double.",[20,4216,905],{"id":904},[11,4218,4219,4220,4223],{},"Throw has a referee voice that calls the scores ",[15,4221,4222],{},"in English",", just like on TV, so you'll soon have the lingo down. Stand your phone beside the board and it scores your darts on its own, whether you're playing x01, Cricket, Halve It or Shanghai.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":4225},[4226,4227,4228,4229,4230],{"id":3899,"depth":924,"text":3900},{"id":3971,"depth":924,"text":3972},{"id":4007,"depth":924,"text":4008},{"id":4122,"depth":924,"text":4123},{"id":904,"depth":924,"text":905},"Oche, ton 80, bust, checkout, Robin Hood, madhouse, bogey numbers... The darts glossary, from the rulebook terms to the slang you'll hear down the pub.","glossary",{},{"title":3891,"description":4231},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-glossary","io_RBCNg-zFiB0QoJ8PGhd19kadY0-HUJzwR4YOSOCs",{"id":4238,"title":4239,"body":4240,"date":934,"description":4520,"extension":936,"key":4521,"meta":4522,"navigation":939,"path":4523,"seo":4524,"stem":4525,"__hash__":4526},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-practice-routines.md","Darts practice routines: 5 drills to practise on your own",{"type":8,"value":4241,"toc":4510},[4242,4245,4249,4252,4255,4275,4278,4282,4289,4295,4301,4321,4324,4328,4342,4350,4359,4363,4366,4402,4407,4411,4421,4424,4439,4449,4453,4456,4476,4480,4487,4504],[11,4243,4244],{},"Playing games is great. But if you really want to improve, nothing beats a few minutes of focused practice on your own at the board. The good news: you don't need to spend hours on it. With a handful of simple routines and a way to note your results, you'll see the difference within a few weeks.",[20,4246,4248],{"id":4247},"the-warm-up-5-minutes-no-more","The warm-up: 5 minutes, no more",[11,4250,4251],{},"Never start a session (or a match) with your hardest drill. Your arm and your throw need time to get going.",[11,4253,4254],{},"A simple routine:",[2291,4256,4257,4263,4269],{},[851,4258,4259,4262],{},[15,4260,4261],{},"A few visits at the big single 20",", without going for the treble. Just a smooth, repeated throw.",[851,4264,4265,4268],{},[15,4266,4267],{},"A few visits at treble 20",", without keeping score.",[851,4270,4271,4274],{},[15,4272,4273],{},"A few darts at your favourite double"," (D20, D16...), to get your eye back on the edge of the board.",[11,4276,4277],{},"The point isn't to perform, it's to find your rhythm. If something feels off in your throw, now is the time to notice, not halfway through a match.",[20,4279,4281],{"id":4280},"drill-1-around-the-clock","Drill 1: Around the Clock",[11,4283,4284,4285,4288],{},"The classic of classics: hit the ",[15,4286,4287],{},"1, then the 2, then the 3... all the way to 20",", in order. You only move on once you've hit the current number.",[11,4290,4291,4294],{},[15,4292,4293],{},"What you measure",": how many darts it took you to get round. Write it down, and try to bring it down.",[11,4296,4297,4300],{},[15,4298,4299],{},"To make it harder",":",[848,4302,4303,4309,4315],{},[851,4304,4305,4308],{},[15,4306,4307],{},"Doubles"," version: doubles only, D1 to D20.",[851,4310,4311,4314],{},[15,4312,4313],{},"Trebles"," version: trebles only.",[851,4316,4317,4318,4320],{},"Finish on the ",[15,4319,863],{}," to close the loop.",[11,4322,4323],{},"It's the perfect drill for learning the board by heart, because the numbers aren't in order around it.",[20,4325,4327],{"id":4326},"drill-2-121-finishing-under-pressure","Drill 2: 121 (finishing under pressure)",[11,4329,4330,4331,4334,4335,4337,4338,4341],{},"Scoring is one thing. ",[15,4332,4333],{},"Finishing"," is another. 121 works on exactly that: you start on ",[15,4336,322],{}," and have ",[15,4339,4340],{},"9 darts"," (3 visits) to reach exactly zero, finishing on a double, just like 501.",[848,4343,4344,4347],{},[851,4345,4346],{},"Made it? Move up to 122, then 123, and so on.",[851,4348,4349],{},"Missed? Depending on the version you play, you stay where you are or go back to 121.",[11,4351,4352,4354,4355,4358],{},[15,4353,4293],{},": the highest number you reach in a session. To learn the right routes, keep our ",[28,4356,4357],{"href":940},"501 checkout chart"," handy.",[20,4360,4362],{"id":4361},"drill-3-bobs-27-the-doubles-killer","Drill 3: Bob's 27 (the doubles killer)",[11,4364,4365],{},"This drill, devised by former world champion Bob Anderson, has a fearsome reputation for good reason: it doesn't forgive missed doubles.",[2291,4367,4368,4374,4381,4392,4395],{},[851,4369,4370,4371,864],{},"You start on ",[15,4372,4373],{},"27 points",[851,4375,4376,4377,4380],{},"You throw 3 darts at ",[15,4378,4379],{},"D1",". Every double you hit adds its value (2 points per D1).",[851,4382,4383,4384,4387,4388,4391],{},"If ",[15,4385,4386],{},"none"," of the 3 darts hits the double, you ",[15,4389,4390],{},"lose"," its value (2 points for D1).",[851,4393,4394],{},"Carry on with D2, then D3... up to D20 (some people finish on the bull).",[851,4396,4397,4398,4401],{},"If your score drops to ",[15,4399,4400],{},"zero or below",", the game is over.",[11,4403,4404,4406],{},[15,4405,4293],{},": your final score, or the double where you went out. At first, simply surviving to the end is a goal in itself. After that, go after your record.",[20,4408,4410],{"id":4409},"drill-4-30-darts-at-one-number","Drill 4: 30 darts at one number",[11,4412,4413,4414,4417,4418,4420],{},"Simple and seriously effective: ",[15,4415,4416],{},"10 visits"," (30 darts) all at ",[15,4419,1950],{},". Note how many trebles you hit, or your total score.",[11,4422,4423],{},"Useful variations:",[848,4425,4426,4432],{},[851,4427,4428,4431],{},[15,4429,4430],{},"Treble 19",", your fallback when the 20 is blocked by your own darts.",[851,4433,4434,4435,4438],{},"Your favourite ",[15,4436,4437],{},"checkout double",", to get a real hit rate on your doubles.",[11,4440,4441,4442,4445,4446,4448],{},"That number is gold because it's ",[15,4443,4444],{},"comparable from one session to the next",": same drill, same number of darts. If the treble 20 just won't come, our guide on ",[28,4447,2176],{"href":2175}," can help.",[20,4450,4452],{"id":4451},"tracking-your-progress","Tracking your progress",[11,4454,4455],{},"Practice without measurement is just a long warm-up. A few simple rules:",[848,4457,4458,4464,4470],{},[851,4459,4460,4463],{},[15,4461,4462],{},"Write everything down",": date, drill, result. A notebook or a note on your phone will do.",[851,4465,4466,4469],{},[15,4467,4468],{},"Stick to the same drills"," for a few weeks before changing, otherwise there's nothing to compare.",[851,4471,4472,4475],{},[15,4473,4474],{},"Look at trends, not sessions",": one bad night means nothing, an average over three weeks does.",[1626,4477,4479],{"id":4478},"what-about-throw","What about Throw?",[11,4481,4482,4483,4486],{},"Throw doesn't have a dedicated practice mode: there's no Around the Clock or Bob's 27 in the app. But you can absolutely ",[15,4484,4485],{},"play its games on your own",", and the phone keeps score for you:",[848,4488,4489,4498],{},[851,4490,3086,4491,4494,4495,4497],{},[15,4492,4493],{},"solo x01"," game (101, 301 or 501) to work on your finishing, with a suggested checkout route every visit and your average per visit on screen. The ",[28,4496,3620],{"href":30}," cover every option.",[851,4499,3086,4500,4503],{},[15,4501,4502],{},"solo Shanghai",": it's Around the Clock with points, ideal for tracking your accuracy across every number.",[11,4505,4506,4507,864],{},"With a free account, Throw keeps your stats from one game to the next (average per visit at x01, marks per round at Cricket). To take it further, read how to ",[28,4508,4509],{"href":1569},"improve at darts with stats",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":4511},[4512,4513,4514,4515,4516,4517],{"id":4247,"depth":924,"text":4248},{"id":4280,"depth":924,"text":4281},{"id":4326,"depth":924,"text":4327},{"id":4361,"depth":924,"text":4362},{"id":4409,"depth":924,"text":4410},{"id":4451,"depth":924,"text":4452,"children":4518},[4519],{"id":4478,"depth":1808,"text":4479},"A warm-up, Around the Clock, 121, Bob's 27 and 30 darts at one number: five darts practice routines to do on your own, and how to track your progress.","practice-routines",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-practice-routines",{"title":4239,"description":4520},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-practice-routines","6GOhSBOX3T6F7NQUnLbPzFItVYcDWjk4fAFsMp5YnDA",{"id":4528,"title":4529,"body":4530,"date":934,"description":4721,"extension":936,"key":4722,"meta":4723,"navigation":939,"path":1800,"seo":4724,"stem":4725,"__hash__":4726},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-throwing-technique.md","Darts throwing technique: stance, arm, follow-through, rhythm",{"type":8,"value":4531,"toc":4711},[4532,4539,4543,4550,4553,4573,4580,4584,4591,4594,4598,4605,4631,4635,4642,4645,4649,4656,4659,4663,4670,4673,4677,4684,4688,4695,4702],[11,4533,4534,4535,4538],{},"In darts, power counts for almost nothing. What makes the difference is repeating ",[15,4536,4537],{},"exactly the same throw",", dart after dart. Good technique is, above all, technique you can repeat. Here are the basics, from where you put your feet to how you breathe.",[20,4540,4542],{"id":4541},"your-feet","Your feet",[11,4544,4545,4546,4549],{},"If you're right-handed, your ",[15,4547,4548],{},"right foot goes forward",", up against the oche (left foot if you're left-handed). That lead foot carries most of your weight. The back foot is mainly there for balance.",[11,4551,4552],{},"You'll see three common stances:",[848,4554,4555,4561,4567],{},[851,4556,4557,4560],{},[15,4558,4559],{},"Front-on",": body facing the board. Comfortable, but your shoulder has less freedom.",[851,4562,4563,4566],{},[15,4564,4565],{},"Side-on",": lead foot almost parallel to the oche, body in profile. Eye, dart and board line up easily.",[851,4568,4569,4572],{},[15,4570,4571],{},"Somewhere in between",": lead foot angled, at around 45°. It's the most common stance and a good place to start.",[11,4574,4575,4576,4579],{},"Whichever you go for, what matters is ",[15,4577,4578],{},"always taking the same one",". Pick a reference for your foot (a floorboard, the edge of the oche) and go back to it every visit.",[20,4581,4583],{"id":4582},"shoulders-and-upper-body","Shoulders and upper body",[11,4585,4586,4587,4590],{},"Your body should stay ",[15,4588,4589],{},"still"," during the throw. Only your arm moves. Lean forward slightly if it comes naturally, but don't overdo it: the further you lean, the harder you have to work to stay balanced, and the more your throw varies from one dart to the next.",[11,4592,4593],{},"Keep your shoulders steady and relaxed. If your shoulder lifts or twists during the throw, the whole trajectory moves with it.",[20,4595,4597],{"id":4596},"the-arm-as-a-lever","The arm as a lever",[11,4599,4600,4601,4604],{},"Picture your arm as a lever pivoting around the ",[15,4602,4603],{},"elbow",". The upper arm stays more or less fixed, and the forearm does the work:",[2291,4606,4607,4613,4619,4625],{},[851,4608,4609,4612],{},[15,4610,4611],{},"Aim",": the dart at eye level, point slightly up, lined up with the bed you're going for.",[851,4614,4615,4618],{},[15,4616,4617],{},"Draw back",": your forearm comes back towards you and the dart moves closer to your face. No need to pull back far.",[851,4620,4621,4624],{},[15,4622,4623],{},"Accelerate",": the forearm swings back towards the board, smoothly, without jerking.",[851,4626,4627,4630],{},[15,4628,4629],{},"Release",": your fingers open naturally, as your arm nears full extension.",[20,4632,4634],{"id":4633},"the-elbow-as-an-anchor","The elbow as an anchor",[11,4636,4637,4638,4641],{},"The elbow is the pivot of the whole throw. If it drops, rises or swings out to the side, the dart follows. It's normal for the elbow to ",[15,4639,4640],{},"lift a little at the end of the throw",", as your arm extends, but it shouldn't move while you're accelerating.",[11,4643,4644],{},"A simple drill: throw slowly while watching your elbow in a mirror, or film yourself side-on. You'll soon see if it's wandering.",[20,4646,4648],{"id":4647},"follow-through","Follow-through",[11,4650,4651,4652,4655],{},"Letting go isn't the end of the throw. After the release, ",[15,4653,4654],{},"your arm carries on towards the board"," and finishes extended, hand pointing at the bed you were aiming for, as if you were about to touch it.",[11,4657,4658],{},"Why it matters so much: if you brake your arm at the moment of release, you change the trajectory in a slightly different way every time. A full follow-through makes the release more natural, and so more consistent. Hold the position for a second, until the dart lands.",[20,4660,4662],{"id":4661},"rhythm","Rhythm",[11,4664,4665,4666,4669],{},"Every player has their own tempo: some fire their three darts in quick succession, others take their time. Both work, as long as you ",[15,4667,4668],{},"keep the same rhythm"," from one visit to the next.",[11,4671,4672],{},"Avoid freezing for ages on the aim. The longer you wait, the more your arm tenses and the more doubt creeps in. Aim, throw, move on.",[20,4674,4676],{"id":4675},"breathing","Breathing",[11,4678,4679,4680,4683],{},"Calm breathing helps keep your arm steady. Plenty of players ",[15,4681,4682],{},"breathe out gently before throwing",", then release towards the end of the breath, when the body is at its most relaxed. Find what works for you, but don't hold your breath for the whole visit.",[20,4685,4687],{"id":4686},"consistency-before-power","Consistency before power",[11,4689,4690,4691,4694],{},"The dart doesn't need to go fast. It needs to land ",[15,4692,4693],{},"in the same place",". Throw firmly enough for it to stick in the board properly, and no harder. A dart thrown too hard magnifies every small error in your throw.",[11,4696,4697,4698,4701],{},"To know whether your technique is improving, you need numbers over several games. With ",[28,4699,1099],{"href":4700},"\u002Fapp",", the phone beside the board keeps your score while you play, and with a free account your three-dart average in x01 is saved. No more sums between visits: you stay focused on your throw.",[11,4703,4704,4705,4708,4709,864],{},"To take it further, work on how you hold the dart with ",[28,4706,4707],{"href":1819},"our dart grip guide",", then put it all into practice on ",[28,4710,1950],{"href":2175},{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":4712},[4713,4714,4715,4716,4717,4718,4719,4720],{"id":4541,"depth":924,"text":4542},{"id":4582,"depth":924,"text":4583},{"id":4596,"depth":924,"text":4597},{"id":4633,"depth":924,"text":4634},{"id":4647,"depth":924,"text":4648},{"id":4661,"depth":924,"text":4662},{"id":4675,"depth":924,"text":4676},{"id":4686,"depth":924,"text":4687},"Lead foot, shoulders, a steady elbow, follow-through and breathing: the basics of a repeatable darts throwing technique, explained simply so you improve.","throwing-technique",{},{"title":4529,"description":4721},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdarts-throwing-technique","Ewc6CmnZwJDTYqm9KgC_iL9md5wlC6CRbo8zIRlEKTw",{"id":4728,"title":4729,"body":4730,"date":934,"description":4990,"extension":936,"key":4991,"meta":4992,"navigation":939,"path":920,"seo":4993,"stem":4994,"__hash__":4995},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fdouble-out-double-in-master-out.md","Double out, double in, master out: the x01 variants explained",{"type":8,"value":4731,"toc":4972},[4732,4743,4747,4760,4764,4768,4771,4775,4785,4789,4796,4800,4804,4807,4811,4817,4821,4827,4831,4836,4858,4861,4865,4894,4897,4901,4907,4914,4918,4957,4959],[11,4733,4734,4735,4738,4739,4742],{},"x01 is simple on paper: start from a score and bring it down to exactly zero. But the name covers several ways of playing, depending on how you're allowed to ",[15,4736,4737],{},"start"," and how you have to ",[15,4740,4741],{},"finish",". Here are the variants you'll come across, and which one suits you.",[20,4744,4746],{"id":4745},"what-they-all-have-in-common","What they all have in common",[11,4748,4749,4750,4752,4753,4756,4757,4759],{},"Whatever the variant, each player throws ",[15,4751,50],{}," per visit, and the total is ",[15,4754,4755],{},"taken off"," their score. The first player to reach ",[15,4758,17],{}," wins the leg. The variants only change two things: the dart that opens your scoring (the \"in\") and the dart that closes it (the \"out\").",[20,4761,4763],{"id":4762},"finishing-rules","Finishing rules",[1626,4765,4767],{"id":4766},"straight-out","Straight out",[11,4769,4770],{},"Any dart can finish: a single, a double, a treble, the bull. You just need to land on zero. It's the most forgiving version, ideal when you're starting out or for a quick game with friends.",[1626,4772,4774],{"id":4773},"double-out","Double out",[11,4776,4777,4778,36,4780,4782,4783,4358],{},"The competition rule. Your last dart has to land in ",[15,4779,35],{},[15,4781,39],{},", which counts as a double. Finishing means hitting a narrow target, and that's the whole point: a player can lead the entire leg and still lose it on the doubles. To know what to aim for, keep the ",[28,4784,3129],{"href":940},[1626,4786,4788],{"id":4787},"master-out","Master out",[11,4790,4791,4792,4795],{},"A middle ground: you can finish on ",[15,4793,4794],{},"a double or a treble"," (and the 50 bull). There are more ways out than in double out, but you still have to hit a ring. A good stepping stone before moving up to double out.",[20,4797,4799],{"id":4798},"starting-rules","Starting rules",[1626,4801,4803],{"id":4802},"straight-in","Straight in",[11,4805,4806],{},"The usual case: every dart counts from your very first visit.",[1626,4808,4810],{"id":4809},"double-in","Double in",[11,4812,4813,4814,4816],{},"Nothing counts until you've hit ",[15,4815,35],{},". Darts thrown before that aren't taken off your score, while the dart that hits the double does count. It adds real tension at the start: a player who misses the opening double can watch their opponent disappear into the distance. Double in, played with double out, is the format of the PDC World Grand Prix.",[1626,4818,4820],{"id":4819},"master-in","Master in",[11,4822,4823,4824,4826],{},"Same idea, but ",[15,4825,4794],{}," is enough to get you going. More forgiving than double in.",[20,4828,4830],{"id":4829},"busts-variant-by-variant","Busts, variant by variant",[11,4832,3086,4833,4835],{},[15,4834,43],{}," is a cancelled visit: your score goes back to what it was at the start of the turn, and the darts already thrown in that turn don't count. You bust when you:",[848,4837,4838,4845,4852],{},[851,4839,4840,4841,4844],{},"go ",[15,4842,4843],{},"below zero",", in every variant;",[851,4846,4847,4848,4851],{},"reach zero ",[15,4849,4850],{},"without meeting the finishing rule"," (a single in double out, for example);",[851,4853,4854,4855,4857],{},"are left on ",[15,4856,2132],{}," in double out or master out, since no double or treble is worth 1.",[11,4859,4860],{},"In straight out, being left on 1 is no problem: a single 1 finishes it.",[20,4862,4864],{"id":4863},"_101-301-501-701-1001-which-starting-score","101, 301, 501, 701, 1001: which starting score?",[848,4866,4867,4872,4877,4885],{},[851,4868,4869,4871],{},[15,4870,3612],{},": an express game, a few visits and it's done. Perfect for practising your finishes.",[851,4873,4874,4876],{},[15,4875,3609],{},": a short leg, often paired with double in.",[851,4878,4879,4881,4882,4884],{},[15,4880,2212],{},": the reference format, the one you see in tournaments and on TV. A top player can finish it in ",[15,4883,4340],{},", the fewest possible.",[851,4886,4887,531,4890,4893],{},[15,4888,4889],{},"701",[15,4891,4892],{},"1001",": longer legs, handy for team play where each team shares one score.",[11,4895,4896],{},"The higher the starting score, the more the game rewards consistent scoring. The lower it is, the more it all comes down to finishing.",[20,4898,4900],{"id":4899},"legs-and-sets","Legs and sets",[11,4902,3086,4903,4906],{},[15,4904,4905],{},"leg"," is a single game: start from the starting score and count down to zero. A match is played over a \"best of\" number of legs: in best of 5, the first to 3 legs wins.",[11,4908,4909,4910,4913],{},"In the big tournaments, legs are grouped into ",[15,4911,4912],{},"sets",": you need to win a certain number of legs to take a set, then a certain number of sets to take the match. At the PDC World Championship, a set goes to the first player to win 3 legs. At home, best of 3 or best of 5 legs is plenty.",[20,4915,4917],{"id":4916},"which-variant-for-your-level","Which variant for your level",[848,4919,4920,4929,4939,4947],{},[851,4921,4922,4925,4926,4928],{},[15,4923,4924],{},"Just starting out",": 301 or 501 ",[15,4927,3616],{},". You learn to score without spending half an hour stuck on a double.",[851,4930,4931,4934,4935,4938],{},[15,4932,4933],{},"Hitting the rings fairly often",": move up to ",[15,4936,4937],{},"master out",". You get used to aiming at a specific area to finish, with a bit more margin.",[851,4940,4941,4140,4944,4946],{},[15,4942,4943],{},"Playing at a club or looking to improve",[15,4945,31],{},", the standard format. It's the one that gets you ready for real matches.",[851,4948,4949,4952,4953,4956],{},[15,4950,4951],{},"Fancy a challenge",": add ",[15,4954,4955],{},"double in",", or try 101 double in, double out to work on both ends of the leg.",[20,4958,905],{"id":904},[11,4960,4961,4962,4964,4965,4968,4969,4971],{},"In Throw, ",[28,4963,1793],{"href":30}," runs from ",[15,4966,4967],{},"101 to 1001",", with straight in, double in or master in, and double out, master out or straight out, over legs from best of 1 to best of 11. The 50 bull counts as a double throughout. Stand your phone beside the board and it scores every dart and applies the variant you picked, busts included, while a checkout route helps you close the leg out. To try it, ",[28,4970,916],{"href":915},": it's free and it works offline.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":4973},[4974,4975,4980,4985,4986,4987,4988,4989],{"id":4745,"depth":924,"text":4746},{"id":4762,"depth":924,"text":4763,"children":4976},[4977,4978,4979],{"id":4766,"depth":1808,"text":4767},{"id":4773,"depth":1808,"text":4774},{"id":4787,"depth":1808,"text":4788},{"id":4798,"depth":924,"text":4799,"children":4981},[4982,4983,4984],{"id":4802,"depth":1808,"text":4803},{"id":4809,"depth":1808,"text":4810},{"id":4819,"depth":1808,"text":4820},{"id":4829,"depth":924,"text":4830},{"id":4863,"depth":924,"text":4864},{"id":4899,"depth":924,"text":4900},{"id":4916,"depth":924,"text":4917},{"id":904,"depth":924,"text":905},"Straight out, double out, double in, master out: x01 start and finish rules explained, how busts work, and which variant suits your level of play.","x01-variants",{},{"title":4729,"description":4990},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fdouble-out-double-in-master-out","ee5m1eXOlgi9Jn9L2i7wi6SfL_9VsgCrXXK1245oPfs",{"id":4997,"title":4998,"body":4999,"date":934,"description":5232,"extension":936,"key":5233,"meta":5234,"navigation":939,"path":5235,"seo":5236,"stem":5237,"__hash__":5238},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhalve-it-strategy.md","Halve It darts strategy: stop watching your score shrink",{"type":8,"value":5000,"toc":5217},[5001,5008,5016,5020,5027,5046,5049,5053,5058,5064,5068,5071,5075,5085,5089,5092,5095,5099,5106,5109,5113,5124,5127,5131,5134,5138,5145,5148,5152,5172,5176,5183,5186,5200,5204,5211],[11,5002,5003,5004,5007],{},"At Halve It, the best thrower in the room doesn't always win. One round on zero and your total is ",[15,5005,5006],{},"cut in half",": the whole game is about balancing ambition and caution, one round at a time. Here's how to approach each round so you finish with the biggest score on the board.",[11,5009,5010,5011,5015],{},"This guide follows the ",[28,5012,5014],{"href":5013},"\u002Fen\u002Frules\u002Fhalve-it","Halve It rules"," as Throw plays them (the French version, Le Capital): 17 rounds by default (18 with the treble 1 finale), your score halved on every fail (the default rule), rounded up.",[20,5017,5019],{"id":5018},"the-golden-rule-never-score-zero","The golden rule: never score zero",[11,5021,5022,5023,5026],{},"A fail is a round worth ",[15,5024,5025],{},"0 points",". One valid dart is enough to avoid it, and that drives almost every decision:",[848,5028,5029,5040],{},[851,5030,5031,5032,5035,5036,5039],{},"In a ",[15,5033,5034],{},"number round",", your third dart doesn't go for the treble if the first two have missed. It goes for the ",[15,5037,5038],{},"big single",", the widest part of the segment.",[851,5041,5042,5043,864],{},"The further into the game you are, the more a fail costs. In round 2 you lose half of not very much. In round 16 with 400 points, you lose ",[15,5044,5045],{},"200",[11,5047,5048],{},"Take risks early, play safe late.",[20,5050,5052],{"id":5051},"the-capital-round-your-foundation","The CAPITAL round: your foundation",[11,5054,5055,5056,864],{},"The whole board counts: you can't fail unless all three darts miss the board. Aim at whatever you hit best at 501, usually the ",[15,5057,1950],{},[11,5059,5060,5061,864],{},"It's your base, and if the TREBLE 1 round is switched on, ",[15,5062,5063],{},"every treble 1 in the finale is worth exactly this score",[20,5065,5067],{"id":5066},"number-rounds-20-19-18-13","Number rounds (20, 19, 18... 13)",[11,5069,5070],{},"Single, double or treble of the number, each at face value. Your first two darts can go for the treble; if neither has landed, the third makes sure of the single. On the numbers you rarely practise (14, 13), a single in the right bed beats a missed treble in the neighbour.",[20,5072,5074],{"id":5073},"whole-visit-rounds-adapt-dart-by-dart","Whole-visit rounds: adapt dart by dart",[11,5076,5077,5078,5081,5082,864],{},"Five rounds are judged on ",[15,5079,5080],{},"all 3 darts together",". It's all or nothing: make it and you score your visit's total; miss it and you score zero. The trick is to ",[15,5083,5084],{},"choose each dart based on the one before",[1626,5086,5088],{"id":5087},"_3-colours","3 COLOURS",[11,5090,5091],{},"Singles are black or white (they alternate around the board), doubles and trebles red or green, the bullseye red and the outer bull green. You need three different colours.",[11,5093,5094],{},"The safest route: two singles of different colours (the black 20 and the white 1, say), then a dart in a ring or the bull for your red or green.",[1626,5096,5098],{"id":5097},"_3-in-a-row","3 IN A ROW",[11,5100,5101,5102,5105],{},"Three consecutive numbers (4, 5, 6), in any order, ",[15,5103,5104],{},"trebles excluded",". Consecutive numbers aren't neighbours on the board, so each dart needs its own aim.",[11,5107,5108],{},"Don't lock in your plan: if your first dart lands in the 12, go for the 11 or the 13 next. And watch out for trebles, a single one spoils the round.",[1626,5110,5112],{"id":5111},"_57-points","57 POINTS",[11,5114,5115,5116,5119,5120,5123],{},"You need a total of ",[15,5117,5118],{},"exactly 57",". The simplest way: ",[15,5121,5122],{},"three single 19s"," (19 + 19 + 19). Another favourite: 20 + 20 + 17.",[11,5125,5126],{},"Do the maths after every dart: how much is left, and which bed gives you exactly that? After a 20, you need 37 with two darts (20 + 17 or 18 + 19). After a treble 20, you're already over: the round is gone.",[1626,5128,5130],{"id":5129},"_3-side-by-side","3 SIDE BY SIDE",[11,5132,5133],{},"Three neighbouring segments on the board (like 20, 1, 18), trebles allowed. The easiest round to build: your \"missed\" darts land right next door anyway. Let the first one pick the area, then fill in around it.",[1626,5135,5137],{"id":5136},"diagonal","DIAGONAL",[11,5139,5140,5141,5144],{},"One bull and two numbers ",[15,5142,5143],{},"opposite"," each other on the board (20 and 3, or 6 and 11 across the middle). Order doesn't matter.",[11,5146,5147],{},"The trick: your first dart in a number decides the diagonal. Landed in the 19? Your opposite number is the 1, and the bull is still to come. You can also flip it round and start with the bull, the hardest dart: if it goes in, all you need is two numbers facing each other.",[20,5149,5151],{"id":5150},"treble-double-and-bull","TREBLE, DOUBLE and BULL",[848,5153,5154,5160,5166],{},[851,5155,5156,5159],{},[15,5157,5158],{},"TREBLE",": only trebles count, any treble. Pick the one you hit most often, not necessarily the 20.",[851,5161,5162,5165],{},[15,5163,5164],{},"DOUBLE",": only doubles, bullseye included. Your favourite checkout double from 501 is the right call.",[851,5167,5168,5171],{},[15,5169,5170],{},"BULL",": 25 or 50. Aim at the middle, an outer bull is enough to save your round.",[20,5173,5175],{"id":5174},"picking-your-secret-bonus","Picking your secret bonus",[11,5177,5178,5179,5182],{},"Before the game, everyone secretly bets on one round. If you post ",[15,5180,5181],{},"the best score of that round, on your own",", it gets multiplied (x2 by default, x3 as an option). With bonus stealing on, another player who tops that round on their own takes it from you.",[11,5184,5185],{},"Two ways to play it:",[848,5187,5188,5194],{},[851,5189,5190,5193],{},[15,5191,5192],{},"A round where you have a real edge",": your favourite number, or the TREBLE round if you're the most consistent player at the table.",[851,5195,5196,5199],{},[15,5197,5198],{},"A hard whole-visit round"," (DIAGONAL, 57 POINTS): others often score zero, so one success puts you alone at the top. But if everybody misses, the bonus is lost, just as it is on a tie.",[20,5201,5203],{"id":5202},"the-treble-1-finale","The treble 1 finale",[11,5205,5206,5207,5210],{},"If it's switched on, every ",[15,5208,5209],{},"treble 1"," is worth your CAPITAL round score. Three darts, three shots at big points. But no treble 1 at all is a fail, and your total gets halved in the very last round. If you're well ahead, this is the moment to hold your nerve.",[11,5212,5213,5214,864],{},"In Throw, the phone judges every round by itself, whole-visit rounds included: you focus on your maths, not the scoresheet. Fancy a change? Try ",[28,5215,5216],{"href":3885},"more darts games for groups",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":5218},[5219,5220,5221,5222,5229,5230,5231],{"id":5018,"depth":924,"text":5019},{"id":5051,"depth":924,"text":5052},{"id":5066,"depth":924,"text":5067},{"id":5073,"depth":924,"text":5074,"children":5223},[5224,5225,5226,5227,5228],{"id":5087,"depth":1808,"text":5088},{"id":5097,"depth":1808,"text":5098},{"id":5111,"depth":1808,"text":5112},{"id":5129,"depth":1808,"text":5130},{"id":5136,"depth":1808,"text":5137},{"id":5150,"depth":924,"text":5151},{"id":5174,"depth":924,"text":5175},{"id":5202,"depth":924,"text":5203},"The CAPITAL round, tricky targets, exactly 57, the diagonal and the secret bonus: a Halve It strategy guide to hit every round and keep your score intact.","capital-strategy",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhalve-it-strategy",{"title":4998,"description":5232},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fhalve-it-strategy","QYES002dEG-qTrh9w-WfAx0Vv3KvbyOJhaHsUFE9EJs",{"id":5240,"title":5241,"body":5242,"date":934,"description":5466,"extension":936,"key":5467,"meta":5468,"navigation":939,"path":1782,"seo":5469,"stem":5470,"__hash__":5471},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-darts.md","How to choose darts: weight, tungsten, barrel shape and grip",{"type":8,"value":5243,"toc":5457},[5244,5247,5251,5262,5265,5285,5288,5292,5295,5333,5340,5344,5347,5367,5373,5377,5380,5384,5387,5401,5404,5408,5437,5441,5448],[11,5245,5246],{},"On a shop wall or a website, darts all look much the same, yet two sets at the same price can feel completely different in your hand. The good news: only four or five things really matter. Here's how to make sense of them, whether you're buying your first set or your second.",[20,5248,5250],{"id":5249},"weight-comes-first","Weight comes first",[11,5252,5253,5254,5257,5258,5261],{},"In steel-tip, most players throw darts somewhere between ",[15,5255,5256],{},"18 and 30 g",". The rules allow much heavier (up to ",[15,5259,5260],{},"50 g","), but above 30 g you're mostly looking at special cases.",[11,5263,5264],{},"What weight changes:",[848,5266,5267,5273,5279],{},[851,5268,5269,5272],{},[15,5270,5271],{},"A light dart"," (around 18 to 21 g) needs a slightly firmer throw and flies in more of an arc. Some players love that delicate feel.",[851,5274,5275,5278],{},[15,5276,5277],{},"A heavy dart"," (around 24 to 26 g and up) travels flatter and forgives small wobbles in your arm a little more, but it tires you out more over a long evening.",[851,5280,5281,5284],{},[15,5282,5283],{},"In between"," (22 to 24 g) is a sensible starting point if you don't yet know what you like.",[11,5286,5287],{},"There's no universally correct weight: the right one is the one you group best with, without forcing it.",[20,5289,5291],{"id":5290},"tungsten-or-brass","Tungsten or brass",[11,5293,5294],{},"The barrel (the part you hold) is the heart of the dart, and what it's made of changes everything.",[93,5296,5297,5307],{},[96,5298,5299],{},[99,5300,5301,5304],{},[102,5302,5303],{},"Material",[102,5305,5306],{},"What to know",[113,5308,5309,5319],{},[99,5310,5311,5316],{},[118,5312,5313],{},[15,5314,5315],{},"Brass",[118,5317,5318],{},"Cheap but not very dense: for the same weight, the barrel is chunky. Fine for trying the game without spending much.",[99,5320,5321,5326],{},[118,5322,5323],{},[15,5324,5325],{},"Tungsten",[118,5327,5328,5329,5332],{},"Very dense: at the same weight, the barrel is ",[15,5330,5331],{},"slimmer",", which leaves more room for your darts in the same treble.",[11,5334,5335,5336,5339],{},"Tungsten is always alloyed with other metals, and the percentage on the box (often 80, 90 or 95%) tells you how much of it there is. The higher the percentage, the slimmer the barrel can be for a given weight, and the higher the price. For most players, ",[15,5337,5338],{},"90%"," is a very good balance. Slimness starts to matter once you're grouping: three darts in treble 20 means three barrels squeezed into a bed a few millimetres wide.",[20,5341,5343],{"id":5342},"barrel-shape","Barrel shape",[11,5345,5346],{},"At the same weight, where the mass sits changes the feel:",[848,5348,5349,5355,5361],{},[851,5350,5351,5354],{},[15,5352,5353],{},"Straight"," (cylindrical): the weight is spread along the whole length, so you can hold it in several places. The most versatile choice.",[851,5356,5357,5360],{},[15,5358,5359],{},"Torpedo",": thicker towards the front, which moves the centre of gravity forward. Plenty of players feel it \"pulls\" towards the board.",[851,5362,5363,5366],{},[15,5364,5365],{},"Bomb"," (or barrel-bellied): fatter in the middle, easy to hold in the centre, good for a compact grip.",[11,5368,5369,5370,864],{},"A long barrel often suits a three or four-finger grip, a short one a tighter grip. There's more on that in ",[28,5371,5372],{"href":1819},"how to hold a dart",[20,5374,5376],{"id":5375},"grip-the-knurling","Grip: the knurling",[11,5378,5379],{},"The barrel surface is machined so your fingers don't slip: rings, grooves, fine or aggressive knurling. A heavy grip feels reassuring if your hands get sweaty, but it can catch your fingers on release. A nearly smooth barrel asks for a more consistent hold. If in doubt, go for a medium grip, and above all check that the spot where your fingers naturally land is properly textured.",[20,5381,5383],{"id":5382},"shafts-and-flights","Shafts and flights",[11,5385,5386],{},"They're the cheapest parts, yet they change how the dart flies:",[848,5388,5389,5395],{},[851,5390,5391,5394],{},[15,5392,5393],{},"Shafts",": short, medium or long, in nylon, aluminium or carbon. A longer shaft makes the dart steadier in flight but more prone to clipping darts already in the board. Nylon is light and cheap but breaks sooner; aluminium lasts longer but can bend or work loose.",[851,5396,5397,5400],{},[15,5398,5399],{},"Flights",": standard, slim, kite, pear... A big flight steadies and slows the dart, a small one flies faster and leaves more room in the treble.",[11,5402,5403],{},"These parts wear out, so always keep a spare set in your case. They're the first thing to experiment with before you change barrels.",[20,5405,5407],{"id":5406},"tips-for-beginners","Tips for beginners",[848,5409,5410,5416,5422,5428],{},[851,5411,5412,5415],{},[15,5413,5414],{},"Start simple",": an entry-level tungsten set around 22 to 24 g, straight barrel, medium shafts, standard flights. You can fine-tune later.",[851,5417,5418,5421],{},[15,5419,5420],{},"Change one thing at a time",": if you go from short to long shafts, keep the same barrels long enough to feel the difference.",[851,5423,5424,5427],{},[15,5425,5426],{},"Give a set a few weeks"," before you judge it. In the first days, we blame the dart for what's mostly down to the throw.",[851,5429,5430,5433,5434,5436],{},[15,5431,5432],{},"Keep track of your results",": without numbers you go on how the evening felt. With ",[28,5435,1099],{"href":4700}," the score keeps itself while you play, and your three-dart average in x01 is saved if you have a free account, so you can compare two sets over several games.",[20,5438,5440],{"id":5439},"try-before-you-buy","Try before you buy",[11,5442,5443,5444,5447],{},"It's the best advice and the most ignored. Plenty of specialist shops have demo darts and a board to throw at. At the club or the pub, players are usually happy to lend you their set for a few visits. Throw at least ten visits with each model and look at ",[15,5445,5446],{},"your grouping",", not one lucky shot.",[11,5449,5450,5451,531,5454,864],{},"Once you've picked your set, stick with it for a while: consistency comes from repetition, and repetition needs the same kit. Next up, have a look at ",[28,5452,5453],{"href":1800},"throwing technique",[28,5455,5456],{"href":975},"the difference between steel-tip and soft-tip",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":5458},[5459,5460,5461,5462,5463,5464,5465],{"id":5249,"depth":924,"text":5250},{"id":5290,"depth":924,"text":5291},{"id":5342,"depth":924,"text":5343},{"id":5375,"depth":924,"text":5376},{"id":5382,"depth":924,"text":5383},{"id":5406,"depth":924,"text":5407},{"id":5439,"depth":924,"text":5440},"Weight, tungsten or brass, barrel shape, grip, shafts and flights: a straightforward guide to choosing steel-tip darts that actually suit you.","choose-darts",{},{"title":5241,"description":5466},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-choose-darts","qnENvm8x-70v0YJjsRKEBIByFLW8XxREgdwXkXrXXBI",{"id":5473,"title":5474,"body":5475,"date":934,"description":5689,"extension":936,"key":5690,"meta":5691,"navigation":939,"path":2175,"seo":5692,"stem":5693,"__hash__":5694},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-hit-treble-20.md","How to hit treble 20: grouping, the T19 switch and drills",{"type":8,"value":5476,"toc":5678},[5477,5480,5484,5496,5503,5507,5514,5517,5539,5543,5546,5556,5603,5606,5610,5614,5621,5625,5632,5636,5639,5645,5649,5652,5672,5675],[11,5478,5479],{},"Treble 20 is the bed everyone aims for, the one behind every 180 on TV. But aiming at T20 isn't the same as hitting it, and plenty of players throw away points by hammering at it without a plan. Here's how to approach it sensibly, and how to tell whether you're really getting better.",[20,5481,5483],{"id":5482},"why-everyone-aims-for-20","Why everyone aims for 20",[11,5485,5486,5487,5489,5490,5492,5493,5495],{},"The 20 is the highest-scoring segment: ",[15,5488,1456],{}," in the treble, and ",[15,5491,1961],{}," if all three darts go in, the maximum for a visit. That's why in ",[28,5494,1793],{"href":30},", until you're on a finish, nearly all your darts head for the top of the board.",[11,5497,5498,5499,5502],{},"The catch is its neighbours: ",[15,5500,5501],{},"5 on the left and 1 on the right",", two of the lowest numbers on the board. A dart that drifts just off the 20 is worth next to nothing. For a player who groups well, the gamble pays off. For a very scattered player, it's more debatable (more on that below with the 19).",[20,5504,5506],{"id":5505},"grouping-before-trebles","Grouping before trebles",[11,5508,5509,5510,5513],{},"Before you chase the treble, chase the ",[15,5511,5512],{},"grouping",": three darts close together. A tight group in the single 20 beats three scattered darts with one lucky treble among them.",[11,5515,5516],{},"A few pointers for grouping:",[848,5518,5519,5525,5533],{},[851,5520,5521,5524],{},[15,5522,5523],{},"Aim at a precise spot",", not \"the treble\" in general. The middle of T20, say, or a hole in the sisal.",[851,5526,5527,5530,5531,864],{},[15,5528,5529],{},"Keep the same throw"," for all three darts. If the first lands low, don't rebuild your whole throw: just nudge your aiming point a little. There's more on the throw itself in ",[28,5532,1801],{"href":1800},[851,5534,5535,5538],{},[15,5536,5537],{},"Don't look at the darts already in the board"," to aim, look at your target.",[20,5540,5542],{"id":5541},"when-a-dart-blocks-switch-to-19","When a dart blocks: switch to 19",[11,5544,5545],{},"It happens all the time: your first dart lands in T20 or just above it, and its barrel or flight hides the treble. Aiming at the same spot means risking a deflection (knocking a dart out, or damaging a flight).",[11,5547,5548,5549,5551,5552,5555],{},"The classic alternative is ",[15,5550,2171],{}," (57 points), at the bottom of the board. The 19 has another advantage: its neighbours, ",[15,5553,5554],{},"7 and 3",", are worth more than 5 and 1. A dart that drifts there costs you less.",[93,5557,5558,5573],{},[96,5559,5560],{},[99,5561,5562,5565,5567,5570],{},[102,5563,5564],{},"Target",[102,5566,1878],{},[102,5568,5569],{},"Neighbours",[102,5571,5572],{},"Neighbours' trebles",[113,5574,5575,5589],{},[99,5576,5577,5579,5583,5586],{},[118,5578,1373],{},[118,5580,5581],{},[15,5582,1954],{},[118,5584,5585],{},"5 and 1",[118,5587,5588],{},"15 and 3",[99,5590,5591,5593,5598,5600],{},[118,5592,2138],{},[118,5594,5595],{},[15,5596,5597],{},"57",[118,5599,5554],{},[118,5601,5602],{},"21 and 9",[11,5604,5605],{},"Some players, while their grouping is still wide, go as far as playing the 19 by default. If you can't decide, try both over several sessions and compare your averages.",[20,5607,5609],{"id":5608},"simple-drills","Simple drills",[1626,5611,5613],{"id":5612},"ten-visits-at-t20","Ten visits at T20",[11,5615,5616,5617,5620],{},"Throw ",[15,5618,5619],{},"10 visits of 3 darts",", at T20 only. Count how many trebles you hit out of the 30 darts. Write the result down every session: it's your main indicator.",[1626,5622,5624],{"id":5623},"score-on-the-20","Score on the 20",[11,5626,5627,5628,5631],{},"Same drill, but you count the points scored ",[15,5629,5630],{},"in the 20 only"," (single, double or treble), ignoring the neighbours. It rewards grouping, not just trebles.",[1626,5633,5635],{"id":5634},"alternating-t20-t19","Alternating T20 \u002F T19",[11,5637,5638],{},"One visit at T20, one at T19, and so on. You get used to switching targets without losing your throw, which is exactly what you need to do in a match when a dart blocks.",[11,5640,5641,5642,864],{},"You'll find more ideas in ",[28,5643,5644],{"href":4523},"our darts practice routines",[20,5646,5648],{"id":5647},"measuring-your-progress","Measuring your progress",[11,5650,5651],{},"Two numbers are enough:",[848,5653,5654,5663],{},[851,5655,5656,5659,5660,864],{},[15,5657,5658],{},"Treble percentage",": the number of T20s divided by the number of darts you threw at it. In the ten-visit drill, 3 trebles from 30 darts is ",[15,5661,5662],{},"10%",[851,5664,5665,5668,5669,864],{},[15,5666,5667],{},"Three-dart average",": total points scored divided by the number of darts thrown, multiplied by 3. It's the standard measure in x01, the one you see on screen on TV. It's all explained in ",[28,5670,5671],{"href":3267},"darts averages explained",[11,5673,5674],{},"Your treble percentage you'll note down yourself during drills. Your average you can leave to your phone: with Throw beside the board, the score keeps itself during your x01 games, and with a free account your three-dart average is saved game after game. That way you can see whether your work on T20 is really turning into points.",[11,5676,5677],{},"Don't worry about bad nights: judge yourself over several weeks, not a single session.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":5679},[5680,5681,5682,5683,5688],{"id":5482,"depth":924,"text":5483},{"id":5505,"depth":924,"text":5506},{"id":5541,"depth":924,"text":5542},{"id":5608,"depth":924,"text":5609,"children":5684},[5685,5686,5687],{"id":5612,"depth":1808,"text":5613},{"id":5623,"depth":1808,"text":5624},{"id":5634,"depth":1808,"text":5635},{"id":5647,"depth":924,"text":5648},"Why everyone aims for treble 20, what to do when a dart blocks it, simple drills to practise and how to measure your progress so you score more.","aim-treble-20",{},{"title":5474,"description":5689},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-hit-treble-20","yKzBXWA3f20P3VB-lzL81rrE2iTm8xH3otZiwpnQprs",{"id":5696,"title":5697,"body":5698,"date":934,"description":5957,"extension":936,"key":5958,"meta":5959,"navigation":939,"path":1569,"seo":5960,"stem":5961,"__hash__":5962},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fimprove-at-darts-with-stats.md","How to improve at darts by tracking your stats and averages",{"type":8,"value":5699,"toc":5940},[5700,5703,5707,5714,5717,5721,5724,5727,5733,5741,5746,5750,5753,5761,5764,5768,5776,5783,5788,5792,5795,5799,5803,5810,5814,5821,5825,5828,5832,5835,5838,5855,5859,5866,5877,5880,5884,5891,5898,5931,5934],[11,5701,5702],{},"\"I played well tonight.\" Did you, though? In darts, gut feeling is often misleading: one memorable 140 makes you forget ten visits of 26. Stats set the record straight. Pick the right ones and they'll show you where you are, what's holding you back, and whether your practice is paying off.",[20,5704,5706],{"id":5705},"why-track-your-stats","Why track your stats",[11,5708,5709,5710,5713],{},"Without numbers you're improving blind. You don't know whether you've really become more consistent, whether the new darts make any difference, or whether it's your finishing that's costing you legs. With a handful of stats tracked over time, you know ",[15,5711,5712],{},"what to work on",", and you can see progress even before the match results catch up.",[11,5715,5716],{},"The key: a few stats, the right ones, always measured the same way.",[20,5718,5720],{"id":5719},"the-stats-that-really-matter","The stats that really matter",[1626,5722,5667],{"id":5723},"three-dart-average",[11,5725,5726],{},"This is THE benchmark stat in x01, the one you see on TV. It tells you how much you score, on average, per visit of three darts.",[11,5728,5729,5732],{},[15,5730,5731],{},"The maths",": total points scored, divided by the number of darts thrown, multiplied by 3.",[11,5734,5735,5736,5738,5739,864],{},"Example: you finish a leg of 501 in ",[15,5737,3060],{},". Your average is 501 \u002F 18 × 3 = ",[15,5740,3067],{},[11,5742,5743,5744,864],{},"It's a good reflection of your scoring power and consistency. The variations (first-nine average, per leg, per match) are covered in our article on ",[28,5745,5671],{"href":3267},[1626,5747,5749],{"id":5748},"doubles-success","Doubles success",[11,5751,5752],{},"Plenty of legs are lost not in the scoring but in the finishing. If you're stuck on 32 for five visits, a lovely average won't save you.",[11,5754,5755,5757,5758,864],{},[15,5756,5731],{},": doubles hit, divided by the number of darts thrown at a double. Example: ",[15,5759,5760],{},"3 doubles hit from 12 attempts = 25%",[11,5762,5763],{},"This is the stat that exposes a weakness fastest. And it's one you can practise very effectively.",[1626,5765,5767],{"id":5766},"marks-per-round-in-cricket","Marks per round in Cricket",[11,5769,26,5770,5772,5773,5775],{},[28,5771,3194],{"href":1362},", the score depends a lot on tactics, so players look at ",[15,5774,3248],{}," (MPR) instead. A single is worth 1 mark, a double 2, a treble 3.",[11,5777,5778,5779,5782],{},"Example: in one visit you hit single 20, single 20 and treble 19. That's ",[15,5780,5781],{},"5 marks"," for the round.",[11,5784,5785,5787],{},[15,5786,5731],{},": total marks divided by rounds played. It shows whether you're hitting the right numbers, and above all the trebles.",[1626,5789,5791],{"id":5790},"the-feel-good-stats","The \"feel-good\" stats",[11,5793,5794],{},"Best visit, number of 180s: they don't say much about your real level, but they're motivating. Keep them, just don't make them the goal.",[20,5796,5798],{"id":5797},"setting-realistic-goals","Setting realistic goals",[1626,5800,5802],{"id":5801},"one-stat-at-a-time","One stat at a time",[11,5804,5805,5806,5809],{},"Trying to improve everything at once means improving nothing. Pick ",[15,5807,5808],{},"one"," stat for a few weeks: your average if you're not scoring much, your doubles if you keep losing legs on the finish.",[1626,5811,5813],{"id":5812},"watch-the-trend-not-the-evening","Watch the trend, not the evening",[11,5815,5816,5817,5820],{},"One bad night means nothing. Tiredness, lighting, the opponent: it all plays a part. Compare your numbers ",[15,5818,5819],{},"over several weeks",", not from one game to the next.",[1626,5822,5824],{"id":5823},"aim-small-but-steady","Aim small, but steady",[11,5826,5827],{},"Adding a few points to your average over several months is real progress. Over-ambitious targets are discouraging; small steps you actually reach make you want to keep going.",[20,5829,5831],{"id":5830},"play-regularly","Play regularly",[11,5833,5834],{},"Regularity beats intensity. Several short sessions a week are worth more than one long one on a Sunday: the throw beds in through repetition, not exhaustion.",[11,5836,5837],{},"Mix it up:",[848,5839,5840,5846],{},[851,5841,5842,5845],{},[15,5843,5844],{},"matches"," (x01, Cricket), for stats under game conditions;",[851,5847,5848,5851,5852,864],{},[15,5849,5850],{},"targeted drills",", on doubles or treble 20, to work on your weak spot. There are plenty in our ",[28,5853,5854],{"href":4523},"darts practice routines",[20,5856,5858],{"id":5857},"keep-a-history","Keep a history",[11,5860,5861,5862,5865],{},"A single number tells you nothing: it's the ",[15,5863,5864],{},"series"," that tells the story of your progress. After each session, note down:",[848,5867,5868,5871,5874],{},[851,5869,5870],{},"the date and the game;",[851,5872,5873],{},"your main stats;",[851,5875,5876],{},"the context, if something has changed (new darts, new grip, new board).",[11,5878,5879],{},"After a few months you'll know exactly what worked.",[20,5881,5883],{"id":5882},"your-stats-in-throw","Your stats in Throw",[11,5885,5886,5887,5890],{},"Throw keeps score on its own, so your stats fill themselves in ",[15,5888,5889],{},"without any effort from you",": no scoresheet, no calculator.",[11,5892,5893,5894,5897],{},"With a ",[15,5895,5896],{},"free account",", the stats of every player who has an account are kept, game after game:",[848,5899,5900,5909,5915,5922,5925],{},[851,5901,5902,5903,5905,5906,5908],{},"in ",[15,5904,1793],{},": your ",[15,5907,3241],{}," (very close to the three-dart average), your best visit and your 180s;",[851,5910,5902,5911,5905,5913,1955],{},[15,5912,3194],{},[15,5914,3248],{},[851,5916,5902,5917,531,5919,5921],{},[15,5918,3746],{},[15,5920,3645],{},": your points per round;",[851,5923,5924],{},"how many games you've played and won;",[851,5926,5927,5928,864],{},"your ",[15,5929,5930],{},"game history",[11,5932,5933],{},"To keep a precise record of your doubles in practice, a notebook beside the board does the job nicely.",[11,5935,5936,5937,864],{},"And if you play offline, your games are sent to your account as soon as you're back online. All that's left is to ",[28,5938,5939],{"href":4700},"start a game",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":5941},[5942,5943,5949,5954,5955,5956],{"id":5705,"depth":924,"text":5706},{"id":5719,"depth":924,"text":5720,"children":5944},[5945,5946,5947,5948],{"id":5723,"depth":1808,"text":5667},{"id":5748,"depth":1808,"text":5749},{"id":5766,"depth":1808,"text":5767},{"id":5790,"depth":1808,"text":5791},{"id":5797,"depth":924,"text":5798,"children":5950},[5951,5952,5953],{"id":5801,"depth":1808,"text":5802},{"id":5812,"depth":1808,"text":5813},{"id":5823,"depth":1808,"text":5824},{"id":5830,"depth":924,"text":5831},{"id":5857,"depth":924,"text":5858},{"id":5882,"depth":924,"text":5883},"Three-dart average, doubles success, marks per round in Cricket: the stats that really matter for improving at darts, and how to keep track of them.","improve-with-stats",{},{"title":5697,"description":5957},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fimprove-at-darts-with-stats","JTgUAKdrK1T5EsZPD-8IVVPfsiP-rXKMLxTxMcGLrNA",{"id":5964,"title":5965,"body":5966,"date":934,"description":6209,"extension":936,"key":6210,"meta":6211,"navigation":939,"path":3344,"seo":6212,"stem":6213,"__hash__":6214},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fofficial-darts-rules.md","Official darts rules: the essentials for competition play",{"type":8,"value":5967,"toc":6197},[5968,5971,5975,5978,5999,6009,6011,6014,6027,6030,6034,6043,6047,6058,6061,6065,6068,6095,6099,6109,6112,6116,6123,6149,6151,6157,6162,6166,6169,6180,6185,6187],[11,5969,5970],{},"Among friends, everyone has their own house rules. But as soon as you want to play at a club, enter a tournament, or just settle an argument down the pub, it pays to know the rules that steel-tip competitions share. Here are the essentials, without the rulebook jargon.",[20,5972,5974],{"id":5973},"the-board-and-the-distance","The board and the distance",[11,5976,5977],{},"The measurements are the same everywhere, from your local to the televised finals:",[848,5979,5980,5988,5993],{},[851,5981,5982,5984,5985,1955],{},[15,5983,2568],{}," from the floor to the ",[15,5986,5987],{},"centre of the bull",[851,5989,5990,5992],{},[15,5991,2583],{}," from the face of the board to the oche, the throwing line, measured along the floor;",[851,5994,5995,5996,5998],{},"which makes roughly ",[15,5997,2600],{}," on the diagonal, from the centre of the bull down to the oche on the floor. Handy for checking your setup with a single tape measure.",[11,6000,6001,6002,6005,6006,864],{},"The board is a standard bristle (sisal) board with the ",[15,6003,6004],{},"20 at the top",". To put yours up properly, follow our guide to ",[28,6007,6008],{"href":2779},"dartboard height and throwing distance",[20,6010,3972],{"id":3971},[11,6012,6013],{},"Under WDF (World Darts Federation) rules, a dart must not exceed:",[848,6015,6016,6021],{},[851,6017,6018,6020],{},[15,6019,5260],{}," in weight;",[851,6022,6023,6026],{},[15,6024,6025],{},"30.5 cm"," in overall length.",[11,6028,6029],{},"In practice nobody comes close to the limit: plenty of players pick darts of around twenty grams. Every player throws their own darts, by hand, one at a time.",[20,6031,6033],{"id":6032},"throwing-from-the-oche","Throwing from the oche",[11,6035,6036,6037,6040,6041,864],{},"You throw from ",[15,6038,6039],{},"behind the oche",": your feet mustn't cross it as you throw. You're allowed to lean forward, as long as your feet stay behind the line. Each turn, called a visit, is ",[15,6042,50],{},[20,6044,6046],{"id":6045},"who-goes-first-the-bull-off","Who goes first: the bull-off",[11,6048,6049,6050,6053,6054,6057],{},"To decide who opens the match, players do a ",[15,6051,6052],{},"bull-off",": each throws one dart at the bull, and whoever lands closest to the centre throws first in the first leg. After that, the start ",[15,6055,6056],{},"alternates",": a different player opens each leg, so nobody keeps the advantage of throwing first.",[11,6059,6060],{},"Among friends, other customs exist, such as letting the loser of the previous leg start the next one. Just agree on it before you play.",[20,6062,6064],{"id":6063},"darts-that-count-and-darts-that-dont","Darts that count (and darts that don't)",[11,6066,6067],{},"This is the rule that causes the most arguments:",[848,6069,6070,6077,6092],{},[851,6071,6072,6073,6076],{},"A dart scores where ",[15,6074,6075],{},"its point is in the board",", not where its flight is pointing.",[851,6078,6079,6080,6083,6084,6087,6088,6091],{},"A dart that ",[15,6081,6082],{},"bounces out"," off the board or a wire, or ",[15,6085,6086],{},"falls out"," before it's been removed, ",[15,6089,6090],{},"doesn't score",". And you can't throw it again: it's lost for that visit.",[851,6093,6094],{},"A dart that misses the board scores nothing, but it still counts as thrown.",[20,6096,6098],{"id":6097},"score-before-you-pull-the-darts-out","Score before you pull the darts out",[11,6100,6101,6102,6105,6106,6108],{},"A visit's score is read ",[15,6103,6104],{},"off the board",", with the darts still in. It's called and written down ",[15,6107,2935],{}," the darts come out. Once they're out, there's no going back: if you think a dart is in the treble, get it checked before you touch it.",[11,6110,6111],{},"In competition, a referee or a scorer usually calls the scores. At home, it's the player or their opponent.",[20,6113,6115],{"id":6114},"the-standard-format-501-double-out","The standard format: 501 double out",[11,6117,6118,6119,4300],{},"The reference format in competition is ",[15,6120,6121],{},[28,6122,31],{"href":30},[848,6124,6125,6131,6143],{},[851,6126,6127,6128,6130],{},"each player starts from ",[15,6129,2212],{}," and takes off the total of each visit;",[851,6132,6133,6134,6136,6137,6139,6140,6142],{},"you have to reach ",[15,6135,17],{},", with your last dart in a ",[15,6138,1968],{}," or the ",[15,6141,3924],{}," (50);",[851,6144,6145,6146,6148],{},"going below zero, dropping to 1 or finishing without a double is a ",[15,6147,43],{},": the visit is wiped and the score goes back to where it was.",[20,6150,4900],{"id":4899},[11,6152,6153,6154,6156],{},"One game of 501 down to zero is a ",[15,6155,4905],{},". A match is played over the best of a set number of legs: in best of 5, the first to 3 legs wins.",[11,6158,4909,6159,6161],{},[15,6160,4912],{},", and the match is played over the best of a number of sets. How many legs and sets depends on each competition and each round: there's nothing universal about it.",[20,6163,6165],{"id":6164},"sportsmanship","Sportsmanship",[11,6167,6168],{},"A few customs are part of the game, even if they aren't always written down:",[848,6170,6171,6174,6177],{},[851,6172,6173],{},"don't talk, move or walk into the eyeline of the player throwing;",[851,6175,6176],{},"stand well back from the oche during your opponent's turn;",[851,6178,6179],{},"shake hands at the start and the end of the match.",[11,6181,6182,6183,3554],{},"If you come across a term you don't know, our ",[28,6184,2223],{"href":2222},[20,6186,905],{"id":904},[11,6188,6189,6190,6193,6194,6196],{},"Throw follows the same principles. Your phone, standing beside the board, reads each dart where its point is in the board, and the visit is confirmed ",[15,6191,6192],{},"when you pull your darts out",", just like scoring before you remove them. If a dart bounces out, you tag it with a tap. In ",[28,6195,1793],{"href":30},", busts are applied automatically. And it's all free, from a web app you install without an app store.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":6198},[6199,6200,6201,6202,6203,6204,6205,6206,6207,6208],{"id":5973,"depth":924,"text":5974},{"id":3971,"depth":924,"text":3972},{"id":6032,"depth":924,"text":6033},{"id":6045,"depth":924,"text":6046},{"id":6063,"depth":924,"text":6064},{"id":6097,"depth":924,"text":6098},{"id":6114,"depth":924,"text":6115},{"id":4899,"depth":924,"text":4900},{"id":6164,"depth":924,"text":6165},{"id":904,"depth":924,"text":905},"Board height, throwing distance, dart weight, the bull-off, bounce-outs, legs and sets: the main rules of competitive steel-tip darts, explained simply.","official-rules",{},{"title":5965,"description":6209},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fofficial-darts-rules","6X2zcZwBsUcMc2WTg8DJnwyfd4f19ZmxAcDCGepggt8",{"id":6216,"title":6217,"body":6218,"date":934,"description":6575,"extension":936,"key":6576,"meta":6577,"navigation":939,"path":6578,"seo":6579,"stem":6580,"__hash__":6581},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Forganise-a-darts-tournament.md","How to organise a darts tournament with friends: the guide",{"type":8,"value":6219,"toc":6556},[6220,6223,6227,6238,6242,6245,6267,6310,6313,6317,6320,6336,6343,6347,6354,6366,6370,6380,6384,6386,6399,6405,6409,6412,6429,6435,6439,6443,6450,6454,6460,6464,6467,6493,6497,6526,6530,6536,6548],[11,6221,6222],{},"A darts tournament with friends is the best way to turn an evening into a proper event. Without a bit of organisation, though, it quickly turns into matches dragging on until 2 am and arguments about who's playing whom. Here's how to pick the right format and keep things on schedule.",[20,6224,6226],{"id":6225},"picking-the-tournament-format","Picking the tournament format",[11,6228,6229,6230,6233,6234,6237],{},"The format depends mainly on two things: the ",[15,6231,6232],{},"number of players"," and how much ",[15,6235,6236],{},"time"," you have.",[1626,6239,6241],{"id":6240},"round-robin-everyone-plays-everyone","Round robin (everyone plays everyone)",[11,6243,6244],{},"Each player takes on everyone else in their group. Players are ranked on wins, then on leg difference if they're level.",[848,6246,6247,6253],{},[851,6248,6249,6252],{},[15,6250,6251],{},"Upside",": everyone gets plenty of darts, even the weakest player.",[851,6254,6255,6258,6259,6262,6263,6266],{},[15,6256,6257],{},"Downside",": the number of matches climbs fast. With ",[15,6260,6261],{},"n"," players you need ",[15,6264,6265],{},"n × (n - 1) \u002F 2"," matches.",[93,6268,6269,6279],{},[96,6270,6271],{},[99,6272,6273,6276],{},[102,6274,6275],{},"Players in the group",[102,6277,6278],{},"Matches to play",[113,6280,6281,6289,6296,6303],{},[99,6282,6283,6286],{},[118,6284,6285],{},"4",[118,6287,6288],{},"6",[99,6290,6291,6293],{},[118,6292,2128],{},[118,6294,6295],{},"10",[99,6297,6298,6300],{},[118,6299,6288],{},[118,6301,6302],{},"15",[99,6304,6305,6307],{},[118,6306,2162],{},[118,6308,6309],{},"28",[11,6311,6312],{},"Beyond 5 or 6 players, you're better off splitting into several groups.",[1626,6314,6316],{"id":6315},"knockout","Knockout",[11,6318,6319],{},"Lose once and you're out. The classic bracket of the big tournaments.",[848,6321,6322,6331],{},[851,6323,6324,6326,6327,6330],{},[15,6325,6251],{},": quick, with ",[15,6328,6329],{},"n - 1"," matches in total, and real tension every round.",[851,6332,6333,6335],{},[15,6334,6257],{},": half the field only plays one match. Among friends, that's a bit harsh.",[11,6337,6338,6339,6342],{},"If the number of players isn't a power of 2 (4, 8, 16), some players get a ",[15,6340,6341],{},"bye"," through the first round.",[1626,6344,6346],{"id":6345},"double-elimination","Double elimination",[11,6348,6349,6350,6353],{},"You have to lose ",[15,6351,6352],{},"two matches"," to go out. First-round losers drop into a losers' bracket, whose winner meets the winner of the main bracket in the final.",[848,6355,6356,6361],{},[851,6357,6358,6360],{},[15,6359,6251],{},": one bad match doesn't ruin anyone's evening.",[851,6362,6363,6365],{},[15,6364,6257],{},": roughly twice as many matches as a straight knockout, and a bracket that's harder to follow.",[1626,6367,6369],{"id":6368},"the-hybrid-often-the-best-option","The hybrid, often the best option",[11,6371,6372,6373,6376,6377,6379],{},"For 8 to 16 players, the combination that works best: ",[15,6374,6375],{},"groups of 4",", then the top two from each group go into a ",[15,6378,6315],{},". Everyone plays at least three matches, and the evening ends with games that matter.",[20,6381,6383],{"id":6382},"picking-the-match-format","Picking the match format",[1626,6385,4900],{"id":4899},[11,6387,3086,6388,6390,6391,6394,6395,6398],{},[15,6389,4905],{}," is one game of x01 (usually 501, finishing on a double). A match is played as the best of several legs: ",[15,6392,6393],{},"best of 3"," (first to 2 legs), ",[15,6396,6397],{},"best of 5"," (first to 3)...",[11,6400,6401,6404],{},[15,6402,6403],{},"Sets"," group several legs together, as at the World Championship. Among friends that's usually too long: save sets for the final if you fancy a bit of ceremony.",[1626,6406,6408],{"id":6407},"matching-the-level","Matching the level",[11,6410,6411],{},"Between casual players, a leg of 501 can go on for a while, especially when nobody can find their double. A few options:",[848,6413,6414,6420,6423],{},[851,6415,6416,6417,6419],{},"switch to ",[15,6418,3609],{}," for the group stage and keep 501 for the knockout;",[851,6421,6422],{},"play best of 3 legs in the groups and best of 5 in the final;",[851,6424,6425,6426,864],{},"set a ",[15,6427,6428],{},"maximum number of rounds per leg",[11,6430,6431,6432,864],{},"If the finishing rules are a bit hazy, we cover them in ",[28,6433,6434],{"href":920},"double out, double in and master out",[20,6436,6438],{"id":6437},"the-draw-and-the-bull-off","The draw and the bull-off",[1626,6440,6442],{"id":6441},"the-draw","The draw",[11,6444,6445,6446,6449],{},"Names in a hat or a random draw on a phone, it doesn't matter. If a couple of players are clearly stronger, make them ",[15,6447,6448],{},"seeds",": put them in different groups, or at opposite ends of the bracket, so they don't knock each other out in the first round.",[1626,6451,6453],{"id":6452},"who-throws-first","Who throws first?",[11,6455,6456,6457,6459],{},"Tradition says ",[15,6458,6052],{},". Each player throws one dart at the centre, and whoever is closest to the bull starts. After that, the player throwing first alternates from leg to leg.",[20,6461,6463],{"id":6462},"managing-the-time","Managing the time",[11,6465,6466],{},"This is where most tournaments among friends go off the rails.",[848,6468,6469,6475,6481,6487],{},[851,6470,6471,6474],{},[15,6472,6473],{},"Count your matches in advance"," using the table above, and time the first match to estimate the rest.",[851,6476,6477,6480],{},[15,6478,6479],{},"One board is a bottleneck."," If you have two boards, run two matches side by side.",[851,6482,6483,6486],{},[15,6484,6485],{},"Put the schedule up",": who's playing, on which board, and who's next. A player who knows they're up is a player who's ready.",[851,6488,6489,6492],{},[15,6490,6491],{},"No wandering off"," between legs: pull your darts out and crack on.",[20,6494,6496],{"id":6495},"the-kit","The kit",[848,6498,6499,6510,6516,6519],{},[851,6500,6501,6502,6505,6506,6509],{},"one or more ",[15,6503,6504],{},"properly hung boards",", at the right height and distance (it's all in ",[28,6507,6508],{"href":2779},"dartboard height and throw distance",");",[851,6511,6512,6515],{},[15,6513,6514],{},"good lighting"," and a clearly marked oche;",[851,6517,6518],{},"something to track the bracket: a sheet of paper, a whiteboard, a spreadsheet;",[851,6520,6521,6522,6525],{},"a few ",[15,6523,6524],{},"spare darts"," for whoever forgets theirs.",[20,6527,6529],{"id":6528},"where-throw-comes-in","Where Throw comes in",[11,6531,5616,6532,6535],{},[15,6533,6534],{},"doesn't have a tournament mode",": the bracket, the groups and the standings are handled separately, on paper or in a spreadsheet.",[11,6537,6538,6541,6542,6544,6545,6547],{},[15,6539,6540],{},"Each match, on the other hand, plays very nicely in Throw."," Start a game of ",[28,6543,1793],{"href":30}," over best of 3 or 5 legs, with whatever starting score and finishing rule you like, and if needed a maximum number of rounds per leg to keep to time. The phone beside the board keeps score on its own, so nobody's stuck being the scorer. The \"who starts\" option even offers a ",[15,6546,6052],{},", measured by the camera.",[11,6549,6550,6551,6555],{},"For the final, open ",[6552,6553,6554],"code",{},"throw.maz-ui.com\u002Fapp\u002Fscreen"," on a TV or a computer and pair the phone with the code shown: everyone can follow the score on the big screen.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":6557},[6558,6564,6568,6572,6573,6574],{"id":6225,"depth":924,"text":6226,"children":6559},[6560,6561,6562,6563],{"id":6240,"depth":1808,"text":6241},{"id":6315,"depth":1808,"text":6316},{"id":6345,"depth":1808,"text":6346},{"id":6368,"depth":1808,"text":6369},{"id":6382,"depth":924,"text":6383,"children":6565},[6566,6567],{"id":4899,"depth":1808,"text":4900},{"id":6407,"depth":1808,"text":6408},{"id":6437,"depth":924,"text":6438,"children":6569},[6570,6571],{"id":6441,"depth":1808,"text":6442},{"id":6452,"depth":1808,"text":6453},{"id":6462,"depth":924,"text":6463},{"id":6495,"depth":924,"text":6496},{"id":6528,"depth":924,"text":6529},"Round robin, knockout, legs, the draw, the bull-off and timing: everything you need to run a darts tournament with friends that finishes before midnight.","tournament",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Forganise-a-darts-tournament",{"title":6217,"description":6575},"en\u002Fblog\u002Forganise-a-darts-tournament","6E2-ZOTou7rQlVh3g3M_TbctZrdsm0vKX-fxhpPETbw",{"id":6583,"title":6584,"body":6585,"date":934,"description":6828,"extension":936,"key":6829,"meta":6830,"navigation":939,"path":3549,"seo":6831,"stem":6832,"__hash__":6833},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fplay-darts-online-with-friends.md","Play darts online with friends, each at your own board",{"type":8,"value":6586,"toc":6807},[6587,6590,6594,6597,6604,6608,6631,6638,6642,6646,6657,6661,6672,6679,6683,6687,6698,6702,6709,6713,6724,6728,6731,6756,6760,6764,6771,6775,6780,6784,6787,6791,6797,6801],[11,6588,6589],{},"Your favourite opponent has moved away, or simply lives too far for a midweek match? With Throw you can play darts online, each of you at your own board, with your own phone keeping score. Here's how it works, what it doesn't do yet, and how to get the most out of a game.",[20,6591,6593],{"id":6592},"the-idea-two-boards-one-game","The idea: two boards, one game",[11,6595,6596],{},"Each player stands their phone beside their board, just as for a normal game. Your phone scores your darts, and the Throw server links the two of you: it receives every visit, applies the rules and keeps the score up to date on both sides.",[11,6598,6599,6600,6603],{},"The game is played ",[15,6601,6602],{},"live",", turn by turn: you throw your visit, your opponent watches your score drop, then it's their go. Just like down the pub, except the other board is in another town.",[20,6605,6607],{"id":6606},"what-you-need","What you need",[848,6609,6610,6616,6625],{},[851,6611,6612,6615],{},[15,6613,6614],{},"A free Throw account",": it's how you find your friends, invite them and keep your stats. You don't need one to watch a public game.",[851,6617,6618,6621,6622,864],{},[15,6619,6620],{},"A steel-tip board"," with your phone beside it, ",[15,6623,6624],{},"side-on, 1.5 to 2 m away",[851,6626,6627,6630],{},[15,6628,6629],{},"An internet connection"," during the game (the rest of the app works offline, but online play obviously needs the network).",[11,6632,6633,6634,6637],{},"If you haven't got the app yet, ",[28,6635,6636],{"href":915},"install it from your browser",", no app store required.",[20,6639,6641],{"id":6640},"starting-an-online-game","Starting an online game",[1626,6643,6645],{"id":6644},"challenge-a-friend","Challenge a friend",[11,6647,6648,6649,6652,6653,6656],{},"Add your friend by their username. Once you're friends, you can see when they're online, and a ",[15,6650,6651],{},"Challenge"," button creates the game and invites them in one go. They get a notification, even with the app closed, if they've turned notifications on. You can also send someone the game's ",[15,6654,6655],{},"invite link",", even if you aren't friends yet.",[1626,6658,6660],{"id":6659},"join-the-public-lobby","Join the public lobby",[11,6662,6663,6664,6667,6668,6671],{},"No friends around? The ",[15,6665,6666],{},"public lobby"," lists games waiting for an opponent. Before joining, you can see the rules (starting score, in and out rules, number of legs...) and each player's ",[15,6669,6670],{},"level",", based on their x01 average. Handy for avoiding someone far too strong, or far too weak.",[11,6673,6674,6675,6678],{},"Public games can also be ",[15,6676,6677],{},"watched"," by spectators.",[20,6680,6682],{"id":6681},"during-the-game","During the game",[1626,6684,6686],{"id":6685},"you-see-your-opponents-board","You see your opponent's board",[11,6688,6689,6690,6693,6694,6697],{},"There's ",[15,6691,6692],{},"no video",". Instead, your opponent's phone sends ",[15,6695,6696],{},"an image of their board with every dart",", with the impact marked. So you can see where their darts landed, visit after visit.",[1626,6699,6701],{"id":6700},"corrections-are-visible","Corrections are visible",[11,6703,6704,6705,6708],{},"If a dart is scored wrongly, each player fixes their own visit with a tap, as in a normal game. The difference: ",[15,6706,6707],{},"the correction shows up on your opponent's side",", with the details of what changed and a fresh image of the board. Everything is in the open, nobody quietly tweaks their score.",[1626,6710,6712],{"id":6711},"if-the-connection-drops","If the connection drops",[11,6714,6715,6716,6719,6720,6723],{},"The game is ",[15,6717,6718],{},"paused"," and the other player is told. You have about ",[15,6721,6722],{},"3 minutes"," to come back, otherwise your opponent wins by forfeit.",[20,6725,6727],{"id":6726},"current-limits","Current limits",[11,6729,6730],{},"We'd rather be upfront about them:",[848,6732,6733,6738,6744,6750],{},[851,6734,6735,6737],{},[15,6736,6692],{},": you see the darts in the board, not the player or their throw;",[851,6739,6740,6743],{},[15,6741,6742],{},"one on one only",": no three-player games or online teams yet;",[851,6745,6746,6749],{},[15,6747,6748],{},"one game at a time",": starting a new one cancels any game still waiting for an opponent;",[851,6751,6752,6755],{},[15,6753,6754],{},"trust",": each player's phone scores their own darts. Corrections are visible, but there's no way to dispute a score.",[20,6757,6759],{"id":6758},"tips-for-a-good-online-game","Tips for a good online game",[1626,6761,6763],{"id":6762},"get-the-calibration-right","Get the calibration right",[11,6765,6766,6767,6770],{},"Before you start, make sure your phone is ",[15,6768,6769],{},"steady"," (a tripod or a fixed stand is ideal) and can see the whole board. A phone that moves mid-game means recalibrating. The more accurate the scoring, the less time you spend correcting, and the smoother the game is for both of you.",[1626,6772,6774],{"id":6773},"light-your-board-well","Light your board well",[11,6776,6777,6778,864],{},"Strong, even light without big shadows makes a huge difference to the camera. Our detailed advice is in the article on ",[28,6779,1324],{"href":1323},[1626,6781,6783],{"id":6782},"check-your-connection","Check your connection",[11,6785,6786],{},"Home Wi-Fi is plenty, there's no video to push through. Just avoid the corner of the garage where the signal comes and goes. Plug your phone in if it looks like a long match.",[1626,6788,6790],{"id":6789},"agree-on-the-rules","Agree on the rules",[11,6792,6793,6794,6796],{},"Starting score, double out or not, number of legs: it's all shown before you join, but a quick message before sending a challenge avoids surprises. If you're unsure about the variants, the ",[28,6795,3620],{"href":30}," are explained in full.",[1626,6798,6800],{"id":6799},"play-fair","Play fair",[11,6802,6803,6804,864],{},"Correct honestly, even when the mistake was in your favour. And if you have to go, finish the game rather than leaving your opponent hanging. The rest of the good manners are in our piece on ",[28,6805,6806],{"href":3571},"darts etiquette",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":6808},[6809,6810,6811,6815,6820,6821],{"id":6592,"depth":924,"text":6593},{"id":6606,"depth":924,"text":6607},{"id":6640,"depth":924,"text":6641,"children":6812},[6813,6814],{"id":6644,"depth":1808,"text":6645},{"id":6659,"depth":1808,"text":6660},{"id":6681,"depth":924,"text":6682,"children":6816},[6817,6818,6819],{"id":6685,"depth":1808,"text":6686},{"id":6700,"depth":1808,"text":6701},{"id":6711,"depth":1808,"text":6712},{"id":6726,"depth":924,"text":6727},{"id":6758,"depth":924,"text":6759,"children":6822},[6823,6824,6825,6826,6827],{"id":6762,"depth":1808,"text":6763},{"id":6773,"depth":1808,"text":6774},{"id":6782,"depth":1808,"text":6783},{"id":6789,"depth":1808,"text":6790},{"id":6799,"depth":1808,"text":6800},"A game of 501 against a mate across town, each of you at your own board: how online darts works in Throw, what it can't do yet, and tips for a good match.","play-online",{},{"title":6584,"description":6828},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fplay-darts-online-with-friends","JpqVpMZOgoAjTLwQNJrTb7V-kVp90PZdN1EDHq1Z9aM",{"id":6835,"title":6836,"body":6837,"date":934,"description":7053,"extension":936,"key":7054,"meta":7055,"navigation":939,"path":2469,"seo":7056,"stem":7057,"__hash__":7058},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fset-up-a-dartboard-at-home.md","How to set up a dartboard at home: a step-by-step guide",{"type":8,"value":6838,"toc":7040},[6839,6842,6846,6849,6853,6865,6869,6872,6876,6879,6883,6890,6914,6917,6921,6928,6932,6935,6941,6945,6954,6958,6964,6967,6993,6999,7003,7034],[11,6840,6841],{},"Hanging a dartboard takes ten minutes. Setting one up properly is another matter: a wall that doesn't end up riddled with holes, a floor that doesn't blunt your points, lighting that doesn't hide treble 20 in shadow. Here's the order to tackle it in.",[20,6843,6845],{"id":6844},"_1-pick-the-spot","1. Pick the spot",[11,6847,6848],{},"This is the decision that matters most, and the most annoying one to change later.",[1626,6850,6852],{"id":6851},"how-much-room-you-need","How much room you need",[11,6854,6855,6856,6858,6859,6862,6863,864],{},"From the face of the board to the throw line you need ",[15,6857,2583],{}," for steel tip. Add room to stand behind the line and move: allow ",[15,6860,6861],{},"a little over 3 m in length"," in total. Widthways, leave enough to throw without catching your elbow, and somewhere for a spectator or two to stand well clear of the line of fire. The exact figures, and how to measure them, are in ",[28,6864,6508],{"href":2779},[1626,6866,6868],{"id":6867},"not-in-a-walkway","Not in a walkway",[11,6870,6871],{},"Nobody should be able to walk between the oche and the board. Avoid doors between the two, hallways and the route to the kitchen. A door opening on the board side at the wrong moment means a dart in someone's arm.",[1626,6873,6875],{"id":6874},"a-solid-wall","A solid wall",[11,6877,6878],{},"A solid wall (brick, concrete, block) holds a board without complaint. On a plasterboard partition, use proper cavity fixings, or better still, fix a wooden backing board to the studs first and hang the dartboard on that. Avoid walls that shake on every impact: the board moves and you get more bounce-outs.",[20,6880,6882],{"id":6881},"_2-hang-the-board","2. Hang the board",[11,6884,6885,6886,6889],{},"Most bristle boards come with a ",[15,6887,6888],{},"central mounting bracket",": a plate screwed to the back of the board and a matching piece that goes on the wall, which slot together.",[2291,6891,6892,6901,6904,6911],{},[851,6893,6894,6895,6897,6898,6900],{},"Mark the height the ",[15,6896,5987],{}," needs to sit at: ",[15,6899,2568],{}," from the floor.",[851,6902,6903],{},"Work out where the wall bracket has to go so the bull lands at that height once the board is hung.",[851,6905,6906,6907,6910],{},"Screw it in, hang the board, then ",[15,6908,6909],{},"measure again"," to the centre of the bull with the board in place.",[851,6912,6913],{},"Make sure the 20 is at the top and the board doesn't rotate. If it does, fit the stabilisers or anti-rotation brackets that came with it.",[11,6915,6916],{},"A dartboard cabinet (the two-door unit that closes over the board) does the same job more neatly and protects the wall immediately around the board.",[20,6918,6920],{"id":6919},"_3-protect-the-wall","3. Protect the wall",[11,6922,6923,6924,6927],{},"Even good players miss the board. A ",[15,6925,6926],{},"surround"," (a foam or EVA ring that fits around the board) stops stray darts and soaks up some of the bounce-outs. It's the best-value accessory in the whole set-up. Failing that, a large cork or wooden panel behind the board will do.",[20,6929,6931],{"id":6930},"_4-protect-the-floor-and-your-points","4. Protect the floor (and your points)",[11,6933,6934],{},"Darts that bounce out land on the floor point first. On tiles or concrete the points blunt or bend; on wooden flooring, the floor takes the damage.",[11,6936,3086,6937,6940],{},[15,6938,6939],{},"throwing mat"," solves both. Dedicated mats often have the oche printed at the right distance, so you don't have to mark it yourself. Just check the printed line matches how you play (2.37 m for steel tip) and that the mat doesn't slide about.",[20,6942,6944],{"id":6943},"_5-light-it","5. Light it",[11,6946,6947,6948,6951,6952,864],{},"A single ceiling light in the middle of the room is a poor way to light a board: the darts cast shadows over the segments, and your own body throws a shadow when you're at the oche. What you want is light coming from ",[15,6949,6950],{},"several directions"," around the board, such as an LED ring that fits around it. The details are in ",[28,6953,1324],{"href":1323},[20,6955,6957],{"id":6956},"_6-stand-a-phone-up-to-keep-score","6. Stand a phone up to keep score",[11,6959,6960,6961,6963],{},"Last but not least: who's counting? Instead of doing subtraction on a chalkboard between visits, you can stand a phone beside the board and let ",[28,6962,1099],{"href":915}," keep score for you. Throw is a free web app you install from your browser, on iPhone or Android.",[11,6965,6966],{},"To place the phone well:",[848,6968,6969,6975,6981,6987],{},[851,6970,6971,6974],{},[15,6972,6973],{},"Off to the side",", not facing the board head on: it mustn't be in your throwing line or in the path of a bounce-out.",[851,6976,6977,6980],{},[15,6978,6979],{},"Around 1.5 to 2 m"," from the board.",[851,6982,6983,6986],{},[15,6984,6985],{},"The whole board in the frame",", with a bit of margin around it.",[851,6988,6989,6992],{},[15,6990,6991],{},"Steady",": a small tripod or a shelf, so it doesn't shift with every impact.",[11,6994,6995,6996,6998],{},"At the start of a game Throw finds the board on its own, then scores each dart as it lands. If it misreads one, a tap fixes it. The app works offline, so a garage with no signal is fine. You can play ",[28,6997,2212],{"href":30},", cricket, Halve It or Shanghai, and hook up a TV or computer as a living-room screen so everyone can see the score.",[20,7000,7002],{"id":7001},"the-checklist","The checklist",[848,7004,7005,7008,7014,7022,7025,7028,7031],{},[851,7006,7007],{},"A little over 3 m of length, out of any walkway",[851,7009,7010,7011,7013],{},"Centre of the bull at ",[15,7012,2568],{},", 20 at the top, board that doesn't rotate",[851,7015,7016,7017,7019,7020],{},"Oche ",[15,7018,2583],{}," from the face of the board, diagonal ",[15,7021,2600],{},[851,7023,7024],{},"Surround or panel behind the board",[851,7026,7027],{},"Throwing mat on hard floors",[851,7029,7030],{},"Light around the board, no shadows",[851,7032,7033],{},"Phone off to the side, whole board in the frame",[11,7035,7036,7037,864],{},"And to make your board last, rotate it every so often: it's all in ",[28,7038,7039],{"href":2524},"dartboard care",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":7041},[7042,7047,7048,7049,7050,7051,7052],{"id":6844,"depth":924,"text":6845,"children":7043},[7044,7045,7046],{"id":6851,"depth":1808,"text":6852},{"id":6867,"depth":1808,"text":6868},{"id":6874,"depth":1808,"text":6875},{"id":6881,"depth":924,"text":6882},{"id":6919,"depth":924,"text":6920},{"id":6930,"depth":924,"text":6931},{"id":6943,"depth":924,"text":6944},{"id":6956,"depth":924,"text":6957},{"id":7001,"depth":924,"text":7002},"Where to put it, how to hang it, protecting the wall and floor, getting the lighting right: a practical guide to setting up a dartboard at home properly.","setup-at-home",{},{"title":6836,"description":7053},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fset-up-a-dartboard-at-home","EllgDla_IHCtNfUqOjb_-39nUIqAxwzDWLZxZB526Y4",{"id":7060,"title":7061,"body":7062,"date":934,"description":7303,"extension":936,"key":7304,"meta":7305,"navigation":939,"path":1577,"seo":7306,"stem":7307,"__hash__":7308},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fshanghai-darts-tips.md","Shanghai darts tips: when to go big and when to play safe",{"type":8,"value":7063,"toc":7294},[7064,7067,7071,7079,7083,7096,7099,7137,7140,7144,7147,7167,7171,7174,7194,7201,7204,7208,7218,7231,7237,7241,7244,7270,7275,7277],[11,7065,7066],{},"Shanghai takes ten seconds to explain: one round per number, and only darts in that number count. But behind that simplicity there's a real choice to make with every dart, and a twist that can turn the game at any moment. Here's how to get the most out of it, whether you're playing to win or playing to improve.",[20,7068,7070],{"id":7069},"the-idea-in-a-nutshell","The idea in a nutshell",[11,7072,7073,7074,7076,7077,864],{},"You aim at the 1 in the first round, the 2 in the second, and so on up to 20 (or up to 7 in a short game in Throw). A single scores the number, a double twice that, a treble three times. Everything else scores ",[15,7075,1939],{},", the bull included. Highest total wins. The full detail is in the ",[28,7078,4194],{"href":4193},[20,7080,7082],{"id":7081},"the-shanghai-the-shot-that-changes-everything","The Shanghai: the shot that changes everything",[11,7084,3086,7085,7087,7088,7091,7092,7095],{},[15,7086,3645],{}," means hitting the ",[15,7089,7090],{},"single, double and treble"," of the round's number in the same visit, in any order. It's worth 6 times the number: ",[15,7093,7094],{},"120 points"," in the 20 round (20 + 40 + 60).",[11,7097,7098],{},"In Throw, one option decides what it's worth:",[93,7100,7101,7111],{},[96,7102,7103],{},[99,7104,7105,7108],{},[102,7106,7107],{},"Option",[102,7109,7110],{},"What a Shanghai does",[113,7112,7113,7125],{},[99,7114,7115,7118],{},[118,7116,7117],{},"Sudden death (default)",[118,7119,7120,7121,7124],{},"You ",[15,7122,7123],{},"win the game on the spot",", whatever the scores.",[99,7126,7127,7130],{},[118,7128,7129],{},"Bonus",[118,7131,7132,7133,7136],{},"Worth ",[15,7134,7135],{},"3 times its points"," (90 in the 5 round), and play goes on.",[11,7138,7139],{},"With sudden death, no lead is ever safe. That's what makes the game so lively with a group.",[20,7141,7143],{"id":7142},"go-for-the-treble-or-play-safe","Go for the treble or play safe?",[11,7145,7146],{},"That's the question behind every dart. A few pointers:",[848,7148,7149,7155,7161],{},[851,7150,7151,7154],{},[15,7152,7153],{},"By default, go for the treble."," A missed treble often lands in the single of the same number (just above or below the ring), so you still score. It's the best balance of risk and reward.",[851,7156,7157,7160],{},[15,7158,7159],{},"The double is a points trap."," It sits on the edge of the board: a touch too high and your dart is off the scoring area for 0. Only go for it when you need it, to complete a Shanghai.",[851,7162,7163,7166],{},[15,7164,7165],{},"Low numbers don't weigh much."," A perfect 3 round isn't worth a lot. The big gaps open up on the high numbers, from 15 upwards. Save your focus for the end.",[20,7168,7170],{"id":7169},"when-to-go-for-the-shanghai","When to go for the Shanghai",[11,7172,7173],{},"You don't have to \"decide\" on a Shanghai before your visit. It all depends on your first darts:",[2291,7175,7176,7182,7188],{},[851,7177,7178,7181],{},[15,7179,7180],{},"First dart",": go for the treble, as usual.",[851,7183,7184,7187],{},[15,7185,7186],{},"If you already have the treble or the single"," after one or two darts, look at what's missing. You're only one or two beds away from a Shanghai.",[851,7189,7190,7193],{},[15,7191,7192],{},"Last dart",": if the double is all that's missing, this is the time to try it, especially in sudden death.",[11,7195,7196,7197,7200],{},"And if you're ",[15,7198,7199],{},"way behind"," late in a sudden-death game, the Shanghai becomes your only real way back. Aiming for single, double and treble every visit costs points, but once you can't win on points, it costs you nothing.",[11,7202,7203],{},"On the flip side, if you're well ahead, just keep hitting your trebles: you can't stop an opponent landing a Shanghai, but you can make sure your total forces them to try.",[20,7205,7207],{"id":7206},"the-penalty-option-never-score-zero","The penalty option: never score zero",[11,7209,7210,7211,7214,7215,7217],{},"Throw has a ",[15,7212,7213],{},"Penalty"," option (off by default): a round on ",[15,7216,5025],{}," halves your total, rounded up. With it switched on, the way you play changes:",[848,7219,7220,7226],{},[851,7221,7222,7223,7225],{},"If your first two darts have missed the number, the third goes for the ",[15,7224,5038],{},", not the treble.",[851,7227,7228,7229,864],{},"The last rounds (18, 19, 20) become the most dangerous: with 300 on the board, a blank costs you ",[15,7230,302],{},[11,7232,7233,7234,864],{},"It's the same logic as Halve It, which you'll find in our ",[28,7235,7236],{"href":5235},"Halve It strategy",[20,7238,7240],{"id":7239},"a-brilliant-game-for-beginners","A brilliant game for beginners",[11,7242,7243],{},"If you're new to darts, Shanghai is probably the best game to learn with:",[848,7245,7246,7252,7258,7264],{},[851,7247,7248,7251],{},[15,7249,7250],{},"You get to know the whole board."," The numbers aren't in order around the board: looking for the 1, then the 2, then the 3 makes you learn where they sit.",[851,7253,7254,7257],{},[15,7255,7256],{},"You practise every angle."," At 501 you're almost always aiming at the 20. Here you throw left, right, top and bottom.",[851,7259,7260,7263],{},[15,7261,7262],{},"The scoring stays simple."," No counting down, no checkout rule: you just add up.",[851,7265,7266,7269],{},[15,7267,7268],{},"Games are short in the 7-round version",", perfect for a first evening or for kids.",[11,7271,7272,7273,864],{},"Played solo, it's also a great practice routine: note your total from one session to the next and watch it climb. Throw lets you start a one-player game and keeps score for you, with the phone standing beside the board. More ideas in our ",[28,7274,5854],{"href":4523},[20,7276,2971],{"id":2970},[848,7278,7279,7282,7285,7288,7291],{},[851,7280,7281],{},"Go for the treble, the single often follows.",[851,7283,7284],{},"Only aim at the double to finish a Shanghai.",[851,7286,7287],{},"Save your focus for the big numbers at the end.",[851,7289,7290],{},"In sudden death, never give up: one Shanghai is enough.",[851,7292,7293],{},"With the penalty on, the third dart plays safe.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":7295},[7296,7297,7298,7299,7300,7301,7302],{"id":7069,"depth":924,"text":7070},{"id":7081,"depth":924,"text":7082},{"id":7142,"depth":924,"text":7143},{"id":7169,"depth":924,"text":7170},{"id":7206,"depth":924,"text":7207},{"id":7239,"depth":924,"text":7240},{"id":2970,"depth":924,"text":2971},"Go for the treble or settle for the single, chase the Shanghai at the right time, handle the penalty: tips to win at Shanghai and sharpen your whole board.","shanghai-tips",{},{"title":7061,"description":7303},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fshanghai-darts-tips","6tVgDiiC2gJtAg8GbP9X-I0lyrcplHjCHInPXU7JSNE",{"id":7310,"title":7311,"body":7312,"date":934,"description":7526,"extension":936,"key":7527,"meta":7528,"navigation":939,"path":975,"seo":7529,"stem":7530,"__hash__":7531},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fsteel-tip-vs-soft-tip.md","Steel-tip vs soft-tip darts: what's the difference?",{"type":8,"value":7313,"toc":7516},[7314,7317,7321,7331,7341,7345,7387,7392,7396,7405,7409,7416,7423,7433,7437,7449,7453,7462,7472,7476,7482,7486,7506],[11,7315,7316],{},"Down the pub, you often throw plastic-tipped darts at a flashing electronic board. At the club or on TV, it's steel points sinking into a bristle board. Both are called darts, but they're really two closely related sports. Here's what sets them apart, so you can work out which one is for you.",[20,7318,7320],{"id":7319},"the-board-bristle-or-electronic","The board: bristle or electronic",[11,7322,7323,7326,7327,7330],{},[15,7324,7325],{},"In steel-tip",", the board is made of ",[15,7328,7329],{},"sisal"," (usually called a bristle board): compressed plant fibres that the point slips into and that close back up when you pull it out. The beds are separated by metal wires. It's the board you see in the televised championships.",[11,7332,7333,7336,7337,7340],{},[15,7334,7335],{},"In soft-tip",", the board is ",[15,7338,7339],{},"electronic",": a plastic face drilled with thousands of small holes. The tip lodges in a hole, the segment shifts very slightly and a sensor registers the hit. Depending on the model, the rings can be wider than on a bristle board.",[20,7342,7344],{"id":7343},"distance-and-height","Distance and height",[93,7346,7347,7357],{},[96,7348,7349],{},[99,7350,7351,7353,7355],{},[102,7352],{},[102,7354,1230],{},[102,7356,1227],{},[113,7358,7359,7374],{},[99,7360,7361,7364,7368],{},[118,7362,7363],{},"Throw line distance (face of the board to the oche, along the floor)",[118,7365,7366,2584],{},[15,7367,2583],{},[118,7369,7370,7371,7373],{},"usually ",[15,7372,2589],{}," (8 ft)",[99,7375,7376,7379,7383],{},[118,7377,7378],{},"Height of the bullseye",[118,7380,7381,2569],{},[15,7382,2568],{},[118,7384,7385,2569],{},[15,7386,2568],{},[11,7388,7389,7390,864],{},"The height stays the same, only the oche moves back a little for soft-tip. To get your own board set up properly, all the measurements are in ",[28,7391,6508],{"href":2779},[20,7393,7395],{"id":7394},"dart-weight","Dart weight",[11,7397,7398,7399,7402,7403,864],{},"Soft-tip darts are ",[15,7400,7401],{},"lighter",", usually under 20 g: a heavy dart would damage the electronic board and bounce out more. In steel-tip, the usual range runs from about 18 to 30 g (the rules allow up to 50 g). So the throw isn't quite the same, and switching between the two takes a little getting used to. For choosing a steel-tip set, see ",[28,7404,1783],{"href":1782},[20,7406,7408],{"id":7407},"scoring","Scoring",[11,7410,7411,7412,7415],{},"This is where electronic boards shine: ",[15,7413,7414],{},"the board scores itself",", shows the total, runs the game and calls the next player.",[11,7417,7418,7419,7422],{},"In steel-tip, traditionally, you score ",[15,7420,7421],{},"by hand",": someone works out the totals and chalks them up on a scoreboard. It's good for you (mental arithmetic comes quickly in x01), but it's also the most tedious part, especially when you're practising alone.",[11,7424,7425,7426,7429,7430,7432],{},"These days there's a third option: ",[15,7427,7428],{},"a camera watching your bristle board",". Some systems use several cameras mounted around the board. ",[28,7431,1099],{"href":4700}," only uses your phone, stood off to the side: it sees each dart land and keeps the score for you, for free, with no hardware to fit. You keep the real sound and feel of steel-tip without doing the sums.",[20,7434,7436],{"id":7435},"noise","Noise",[848,7438,7439,7444],{},[851,7440,7441,7443],{},[15,7442,1230],{},": a dart going into sisal makes a fairly dull thud. Most of the noise comes from misses hitting the wall or the floor, which is why a surround is worth having.",[851,7445,7446,7448],{},[15,7447,1227],{},": every hit clacks on the plastic, and the board adds its own sounds and announcements. Lively in a bar, less discreet at home late in the evening.",[20,7450,7452],{"id":7451},"cost-and-upkeep","Cost and upkeep",[11,7454,7455,7458,7459,7461],{},[15,7456,7457],{},"A bristle board"," needs no power and no batteries. To make it last, rotate it now and then to spread the wear and never get it wet (more in ",[28,7460,7039],{"href":2524},"). Steel points blunt slowly and can be sharpened.",[11,7463,7464,7467,7468,7471],{},[15,7465,7466],{},"An electronic board"," needs plugging in, and a good one generally costs more than a good bristle board. As for the darts, soft tips ",[15,7469,7470],{},"snap"," regularly and need replacing. In pubs and bars, electronic boards are usually pay-per-game.",[20,7473,7475],{"id":7474},"competitions","Competitions",[11,7477,7478,7479,7481],{},"The two worlds have their own circuits. The big televised championships, the ones on over Christmas in the UK, are played ",[15,7480,967],{}," on bristle boards. Soft-tip has its own leagues and tournaments, hugely popular in bars in many countries. A competition is one discipline or the other, never a mix.",[20,7483,7485],{"id":7484},"which-one-should-you-pick","Which one should you pick?",[848,7487,7488,7494,7500],{},[851,7489,7490,7493],{},[15,7491,7492],{},"You want to play at the pub with friends without worrying about the score",": soft-tip does the job nicely.",[851,7495,7496,7499],{},[15,7497,7498],{},"You want to improve, aim for treble 20 and play like they do on TV",": steel-tip, no question. Thin wires and narrow beds reward accuracy.",[851,7501,7502,7505],{},[15,7503,7504],{},"You play at home",": a bristle board is simple, durable and quiet. The only real downside used to be the scoring, and a phone sorts that out.",[11,7507,7508,7509,7512,7513,864],{},"Throw is built for ",[15,7510,7511],{},"steel-tip darts on a bristle board",": x01, Cricket, Halve It or Shanghai, the score keeps itself while you play. The rules of each game are on ",[28,7514,7515],{"href":2763},"the rules page",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":7517},[7518,7519,7520,7521,7522,7523,7524,7525],{"id":7319,"depth":924,"text":7320},{"id":7343,"depth":924,"text":7344},{"id":7394,"depth":924,"text":7395},{"id":7407,"depth":924,"text":7408},{"id":7435,"depth":924,"text":7436},{"id":7451,"depth":924,"text":7452},{"id":7474,"depth":924,"text":7475},{"id":7484,"depth":924,"text":7485},"Bristle or electronic board, throw distance, dart weight, scoring, noise and cost: steel-tip and soft-tip darts compared so you can pick your game.","steel-vs-soft",{},{"title":7311,"description":7526},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fsteel-tip-vs-soft-tip","fX_mWqG0ql2nGyIPArkqWyQS4bR3ij1MWhdTT9KOsMg",{"id":7533,"title":7534,"body":7535,"date":7723,"description":7724,"extension":936,"key":7725,"meta":7726,"navigation":939,"path":1195,"seo":7727,"stem":7728,"__hash__":7729},"blog_en\u002Fen\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-throw-scores-your-darts.md","How Throw scores your darts with a single phone",{"type":8,"value":7536,"toc":7713},[7537,7540,7544,7551,7562,7565,7569,7578,7585,7589,7596,7600,7603,7606,7610,7620,7624,7627,7639,7642,7646,7649,7675,7682,7686,7689,7710],[11,7538,7539],{},"You stand your phone beside the board, you throw, and the score appears on its own. No cameras bolted around the board, no extra hardware, no server. Here's what happens, in plain terms, between your dart landing and the score showing up.",[20,7541,7543],{"id":7542},"step-1-find-the-board-once","Step 1: find the board (once)",[11,7545,7546,7547,7550],{},"Before it can score anything, Throw has to know ",[15,7548,7549],{},"where the board is"," in the picture and what angle it's seeing it from. Filmed from the side, a round board turns into a squashed oval, and the image needs to be \"straightened out\".",[11,7552,7553,7554,7557,7558,7561],{},"This is the only step that uses artificial intelligence. A small model, running on the phone, finds ",[15,7555,7556],{},"6 reference points"," on the outer edge of the double ring. From those 6 points Throw works out how every pixel in the image maps to every millimetre of the board. It also ",[15,7559,7560],{},"measures the rings"," on your actual board (treble, double), because not every board is identical to the millimetre.",[11,7563,7564],{},"Calibration happens at the start, with the board empty and still. If someone knocks the phone mid-game, Throw notices and recalibrates as soon as things settle down.",[20,7566,7568],{"id":7567},"step-2-compare-before-and-after","Step 2: compare before and after",[11,7570,7571,7572,7574,7575,7577],{},"This is the heart of the system, and there's no AI involved at all. Throw keeps an image of the board from ",[15,7573,2935],{}," your dart. When something moves (your dart arriving), it waits for everything to settle, a fraction of a second while the flight stops wobbling, then takes an ",[15,7576,2938],{}," image.",[11,7579,7580,7581,7584],{},"It compares the two. Darts already in the board appear in both images, so they cancel out. What's left is ",[15,7582,7583],{},"the new dart",", and only that. Before comparing, Throw lines the two images back up: the board and the phone always shift by a pixel or two on each impact, and without that step everything would look \"changed\".",[20,7586,7588],{"id":7587},"step-3-find-the-tip","Step 3: find the tip",[11,7590,7591,7592,7595],{},"Spotting the dart isn't enough. What matters is where ",[15,7593,7594],{},"the tip"," goes into the board, and a steel tip is about 2 mm wide, close to invisible. Throw finds it with geometry: it picks out the shape of the dart, works out its axis, then follows that axis to the point where the dart enters the board.",[20,7597,7599],{"id":7598},"step-4-score-it","Step 4: score it",[11,7601,7602],{},"Once the tip is placed, it just has to be dropped onto the straightened board: how far from the centre (single, treble, double, bull?) and which segment (20, 1, 18...). It's pure calculation, the same position always gives the same result.",[11,7604,7605],{},"When you pull your darts out, Throw sees they're gone and confirms the visit. Next player.",[20,7607,7609],{"id":7608},"it-all-runs-on-your-phone","It all runs on your phone",[11,7611,7612,7613,7616,7617,7619],{},"No image has to go to a server to be analysed: all the work happens ",[15,7614,7615],{},"on the phone",". Throw is a web app you install straight from your browser, no app store needed, on iPhone and Android alike. The calibration model downloads once, the first time you start the camera, and after that the app ",[15,7618,1164],{},", in the garage or down the pub.",[20,7621,7623],{"id":7622},"how-well-does-it-work","How well does it work?",[11,7625,7626],{},"To test it honestly, we filmed real play sessions with the phone off to the side, next to an Autodarts setup with three cameras acting as referee. Over those sessions (144 darts):",[848,7628,7629,7633],{},[851,7630,7631,1175],{},[15,7632,1174],{},[851,7634,7635,7638],{},[15,7636,7637],{},"roughly 9 darts out of 10"," landed in the same segment Autodarts gave. And the referee gets it wrong now and then too: checking the disagreements frame by frame, a few were on Autodarts' side.",[11,7640,7641],{},"For comparison, our first approach, which looked for the darts in a single photo at the end of the visit, topped out at 57% on the same footage.",[20,7643,7645],{"id":7644},"the-limits-honestly","The limits, honestly",[11,7647,7648],{},"One camera means one point of view, and some situations stay tricky:",[848,7650,7651,7657,7663,7669],{},[851,7652,7653,7656],{},[15,7654,7655],{},"Bounce-outs",": a dart that falls out of the board leaves nothing to see. Tag it as a bounce with a tap.",[851,7658,7659,7662],{},[15,7660,7661],{},"Hidden darts",": if the flight of a dart already in the board hides the new one, the camera can't make up what it can't see.",[851,7664,7665,7668],{},[15,7666,7667],{},"On the wire",": within a millimetre or two, the call can go the wrong way.",[851,7670,7671,7674],{},[15,7672,7673],{},"A light tip on a light bed",": sometimes it barely shows up at all.",[11,7676,7677,7678,7681],{},"In every one of these cases, fixing it is meant to be quick: ",[15,7679,7680],{},"tap the dart's slot",", pick the right value, and the score is recalculated.",[20,7683,7685],{"id":7684},"now-online-and-on-the-big-screen","Now: online and on the big screen",[11,7687,7688],{},"Two new things are here:",[848,7690,7691,7697],{},[851,7692,7693,7696],{},[15,7694,7695],{},"Online play"," against your friends, one on one, each of you at your own board with your own phone. No video: your opponent sees an image of your board with every dart, and every correction shows on their side. You need a (free) account to play, not to watch a public game.",[851,7698,7699,7702,7703,7705,7706,7709],{},[15,7700,7701],{},"A screen for the living room or the bar",": open ",[6552,7704,6554],{}," on a computer or a TV, then on the phone, in the game menu, tap ",[15,7707,7708],{},"Screen"," and type the code shown. The game your phone is scoring appears on the big screen, no account needed.",[11,7711,7712],{},"The phone keeps everything: every game stays playable on your own and offline, accounts and online play come on top, never as a requirement.",{"title":923,"searchDepth":924,"depth":924,"links":7714},[7715,7716,7717,7718,7719,7720,7721,7722],{"id":7542,"depth":924,"text":7543},{"id":7567,"depth":924,"text":7568},{"id":7587,"depth":924,"text":7588},{"id":7598,"depth":924,"text":7599},{"id":7608,"depth":924,"text":7609},{"id":7622,"depth":924,"text":7623},{"id":7644,"depth":924,"text":7645},{"id":7684,"depth":924,"text":7685},"2026-10-26","One phone beside the board and the score keeps itself. Calibration, before and after images, a tip found by geometry: here's how Throw scores your darts.","how-throw-scores",{},{"title":7534,"description":7724},"en\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-throw-scores-your-darts","oQZHV_wUcbnFzJ4eHqsj4u5huTUCO1E_IeOD-gGGjtA",1794595394413]