Darts - 501 Rules

1. Aim of the game

Each player starts with 501 points. The number of points collected while hitting a board with a dart is subtracted from the given player's points. The winner is the player who scores exactly 0 points that way.

It is a double out game, which means that players must hit a double that makes their score exactly zero to win the game.

2. Bust

In case of a bust the player's score from the previous turn is restored. There is bust if one of the following events arise:

The player scores more points in the active turn, than his current score (subtracting would result in a negative score)

The player has 1 point after subtracting (you cannot score 1 with double out)

The player has 0 point after subtracting but violates the double-out rule

3. End of the game

Players continue playing until one of them scores 0 points in total. The player who does so, wins the game.

If none of the players gets to zero in 20 turns, the player with the lower point wins.

If the scores are equal after 20 turns, the game will continue for another possible 10 turns.

During these extra turns, the player who gets to zero obviously wins. A player with lower score any time after the 20th turn also wins the match.

 

If the scores are equal after 20+10 turns, the match will end in a draw.

Rules for 301 dart

Scoring

The red circle in the middle, made of hard wood, is called bulls eye and worth 50 points. It counts as a double.

The four green fields surround bulls eye are worth 25 points.

The numbers 1 through 20 placed around the board are nominal values for darts hitting the respective fields or sectors.

The two larger fields of a sector (green for the 20 sector) are worth their nominal value as denoted by the number ring surrounding the board.

The outer thin ring closest to the actual numbers is doubles, and worth double the nominal value of their sector.

The inner thin ring is worth three times the nominal score, so the highest possible score on a single dart would be triple 20 (the small red field halfway between the number 20 and bullseye) that is worth 60 points.

The black area outside the double ring is considered off the board and scores 0.

Score keeping

All players begin with 301 points, and the aim of the game is to reach zero as fast as possible.

The sum of one round of up to three darts will be withdrawn from the remaining score. That is, you do not have to throw all darts in a round, though normally you will do it unless you reach zero and thereby finish the game.

The first player to reach an even score between 2 and 50 inclusive and then scores a double to reach exactly zero points is the winner. (Unless someone else did that earlier)

Players getting a negative score or reaching exactly one point will lose all points scored in that round and the game will continue with the next player. The same goes for a player reaching zero without scoring a double with the last dart.

Tungsten Darts Types

There are many types of tungsten darts.

Choosing the Right Dart

First, choosing a dart is registration.  That’s just a long way to say “fit”, as the dart’s shape should fit the hand so comfortably that the darter never has to look at it, and is never tempted to change grip in the middle of a game. When picking up a dart, without looking at it, the barrel should immediately fall into a comfortable position in the hand.  Some groove, scallop, or band of knurling should provide a grip that is identical, every time you pick up the dart.  Everyone is a little different: different sized hands and fingers, plus different skin textures.  There are thousands of dart barrel designs, each one fitting a slightly different shaped hand and grip.

To check this, lay a few different darts on a table. Look away, then reach down and pick up a dart. Immediately, within a second or so, there should be what I call an “Ah-Ha!” moment.  The dart should just easily fall into a comfortable grip without thought or a lot of manipulation. If the darts doesn’t have that instant comfortable feel, keep trying darts, until you find the right dart to fit your hand.

When “throwing darts”, the idea is to just throw your fingertips through a spot on the board.. the dart just goes along for the ride.  Choose a dart that is so comfortable that you never have to think about it.

The dart should have enough texture so that it will not slip between your fingers, even with the lightest grip.  The dart barrel should just gently rest on the fingertips.

Test this by holding a dart as though ready to throw, at roughly eye level.  Now gently move the hand back & forth, as though practicing the start of the dart stroke.  Gradually loosen the fingers.  The dart should not slip until the fingers are actually opened away from the darts, as in a throw.  If the dart still slips while in a firm grip, the darter will have a tendency to squeeze the dart too hard. 

Such a too-hard grip will result in a wobbly throw, as the fingers & thumb cannot then release all at the same time. A tight grip will always mean that one or more fingers will push the dart aside during the release.

The dart should be held in the lightest possible grip, just enough to keep it from falling out of the hand during the stroke, it should not have so rough a grip that it sticks to your fingers.  On a hot day, or during a hot game, fingers might become moist.  If a dart barrel has too much grip, it will feel sticky, and not release evenly.

 Test this by squeezing the barrel, then let go.  If the dart feels “tacky”, there is too much grip for your skin texture. Try to find a dart that is easy to hold, but will not stick to your fingers no matter how humid the day, or if your hands become sweaty at the end of a hot game.