Rules For Shove Ha'Penny

Shove Ha'Penny is a very simple game that may be played with any number of players.

Games go very quickly and may be finished in as little as nine darts.

The Object

The object of the game is to be the first to close all the numbers 1 through 9.

The Scoring

Each player throws one dart at bullseye, closest to the bullseye goes first.

Players’ names are written in throwing order across the top of the scoreboard. The numbers 1 through 9 are written vertically down the board. Vertical lines may be drawn to divide the board into columns for each player.

The Play

Players try to "close" each number from 1 through 9. To close a number you must hit 3 of each number in any combination. The thin outer ring counts as two and is called a double. The thin inner ring counts as three and is called a triple.

Scoring is represented in the following manner: a score of one is shown with a slash ("/"), a score of two is shown with an X and a score of three is shown with a circle ("O") to represent the number as closed.

Numbers may be closed in any order and any of the target numbers may be scored at any time. For example a player may choose to throw one dart at 1, one dart at 2 and one dart at 7 instead of trying for three at one number.

The one unique catch to this game is that if you throw more that three of a number, any extra darts that you throw must be given to your opponent. For example, with your first dart you hit a single 1, your second dart is a single 1 and your third dart is a triple 1. You have now scored a total of five 1's. You take three of them to close but the other two must be given to your opponent.

In a multi-player game (more than two) there are three variations on who to give the points to. The first is to give the points to the next player in throwing order. The second is to give the points to whichever player needs those particular points the most. The third is to allow the shooter of the extra points to choose which player will receive them. The method of distributing the extra points should be agreed upon at the beginning of the game and will be the method used throughout the entire game.

The only time extra points do not go to another player is when the extra points mean the player will win the game by getting those points. The winner of the game must throw the winning dart him/herself. A game could be won by having all the points but one given to a player and that player just hitting the one point to win the game.

Strategy

If you have a choice who to give the points to, be very careful who you choose to give the points to. If someone is really having trouble with a number, it might be better to give the points to someone else and let the player having trouble continue to have trouble.