Darts is a great "equalizing" game since it doesn't require any elaborate equipment, and since people can enjoy competing with one another regardless of size, age, strength or gender. What counts in darts is accuracy and the mastery of proper techniques. For that, you need practice. Diehard darts enthusiast Mary Lucas, whose whole family competes at the sport, explains some basic rules to DIY Family Sports host Belma Johnson and provides some tips for improving darts skills. Darts is played on a board that is 18 inches in diameter, mounted on a wall so that the center, or bull's-eye, is 5 feet 8 inches above the floor. The board is divided, like the slices of a pie, into 20 sectors, each with a unique point-value associated with it. The point-values range from one to 20. The highest-scoring sector is at the top of the board, at the 12-o'clock position (figure A). The numbers are not in sequential order but are instead arranged so that they generally alternate between a high number in one sector and a low one in the adjoining sector. They also alternate according to even and odd numerals -- an important factor in some games since players can win only on an even-numbered score. The somewhat strange arrangement of numbers was devised to add interest to the game and was established in the early 1900s. It has become one of the many traditions associated with the game. The sectors, which are marked off by alternating dark and light colors, are physically separated by a wire device known as the "spider." Since the spider holds the numbers (rather than the surface of the board) and because it can be easily removed, the board can be rotated periodically to prevent excessive wear in the most sought-after (i.e., highest-scoring) sectors. In addition to the radial dividers that separate the numbered sectors, concentric rings divide the board. The outer ring is known as the double-ring since a dart landing in that ring results in a doubled score. Likewise, the inner, or triple, ring (figure B) results in a score triple the numerical value associated with that sector. There is also an outer ring of the bull's-eye (figure C) worth 25 points and an "inner bull" worth 50. The player must stand at a throwing distance that is 7 feet 9-1/4 inches from the face of the dartboard, behind a line known as the "oche" (figure D). If a dart is thrown with a foot over the oche line, the score does not count. This infringement of the rules is known as "getting your feet wet." Aside from not stepping over the line, foot placement and stance are a personal preference. Players tend to use whatever stance gives them the best results. The proper grip for throwing a dart is fairly simple since the natural manner in which most people instinctively lift a dart (just as you would pick up a pencil) results in the proper throwing grip (figure E). There is nothing elaborate or difficult about the proper grip. For most people, it's simply the most comfortable way of holding the dart. With experience, you may want to make minor adjustments to experiment with the grip. The key element in developing accuracy in throwing is consistency. For that reason, wild or strenuous throws are not likely to yield good results. Dart-throwing requires a delicate touch and relies on a smooth action of the forearm and launching from the wrist. One effective practice technique, especially for beginners, involves anchoring the elbow of your throwing arm in the palm of your opposing hand as you mimic the action of throwing (figure F). This gives you the feel of how to steady your arm as you throw, helping to develop control and consistency.
Family Sports fun fact: The weight of most commonly used darts falls between 16 and 28 grams, though some players use darts weighing more than 40.
RESOURCES :
Cyber/Darts
Online resource for Darts
Web site: www.cyberdarts.com
The American Darts Organization Book of Darts
Model: 1558212477
Author: Chris Carey
1993
The Lyon's Press
New York, NY 10011
Phone: 212-620-9580
Fax: 212-929-1836
Website: www.lyonspress.com
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