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Saturday, April 30, 2005

A funny drawing.....

Click the link for an better view:
dartshooter2.bmp (BMP Image, 612x717 pixels): "The image “http://universaldarts.com/image_manager/dartshooter2.bmp” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors."

Now for a different dart board....

This is the link to a site that is in German, but it does display several types of dart boards



I was surfing the web and discovered an interesting site that has images of several types dart boards. I had never considered that there were that many other types of dart boards, but this site has more types boards than I have ever imagined. Granted some of these boards no longer exist, but there are some that I would have to consider long and hard before giving them a try. Example: I have only played snooker a few times long ago, and really did not know how it was played then so I can't imagine playing it on a dart board.

Another Ton80

Aaron, of Sam's Saloon: Snake Eyes, scored a 8T0 during the match against our team this week, but I forgot to bring my camera. A picture was taken with a film camera, and I will post it when it's available.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Where does the word "OCHE" originate?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Well no. I had not given it much thought until I stumbled across this....
Oche: Its derivation is obscure but my best guess is that it derives from the word 'hocken' an old English word, utilised more in the North of the country than anywhere else. The word means 'to spit.' Given that darts was originally played in the public bar or vault where the floor was covered in sand and the room liberally furnished with spittoons, my theory is that the ‘hockey’ line was determined by the length that a given player could spit from a position with his back to the dartboard.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

The Unicorn dart board debate has been rejoined

The Unicorn Eclipse dart board debate continues, and Edward Lowy Managing Director Unicorn Products Ltd contributes.
More on the Unicorn dart board debate

Monday, April 25, 2005

DART TRIVIA

I had not thought much about the subject of trivia, but here it is:

The first man to sell matched sets of brass darts was a Hungarian salesman of boiler linings named Frank Lowy. He went on to found Unicorn darts, still the largest darts manufacturers in the world.

A site with some dart trivia:
DART TRIVIA: information supplied by Bob Lanctot

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Tippy loves darts....

If you were wondering Tippy still loves darts, and thinks he's "score keeper."

"First dart wins the 'cork' and goes first" Posted by Hello

"16 scored" Posted by Hello

Darts in Movies

Darts in Movies
Roxanne is by far my favorite:
Roxanne - Steve Martin plays C.D. Bales, a beloved fire chief with a huge nose. In the comedic climax, a bar patron and champion darter makes a derogatory remark about the enormous sniffer. Steve Martin challenges him that he can come up with as many nose jokes as the score of one dart. The darter throws up a 20 and Martin proceeds to throw the entire bar into hysterics.


Here is a link to the nose jokes on the site

I wonder if there will ever be a movie about a dart player.....

The Corporate Game Score Keepers
 Posted by Hello

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Fight/argument between Kevin and Phil Taylor

This is one I missed..... They must have better TV coverage than we will ever get here...

What amazed me was how unsportsman-like Kevin was! He appeared to really get angry about Phil throwing for bull to finish with three darts still in his hand. What is wrong with that?! Phil was simply stamping his authority on the match and sending out a message to other players. Kevin was never in the match anyway. (Going down 5-1). If he wants to be angry with someone, he should look in the mirror and point fingers.

Full thread of the discussion at Dartplayer.net

Dart Event - Corporate Games

On Monday and Wednesday of this week I participated in this areas biggest DART event (approximately 200 players on 48 - four person teams over three days)! Unfortunately I was not a player, but I did serve as a score keeper.

The event was the City of Ventura - Corporate Games 2005 and it was very exciting to see so many dart players come together to compete in a spirit of fun and friendship. While this event was not sponsored by our dart association but we did take the opportunity to help out by providing score keepers for the three day event. We saw this as an opportunity for some positive gains for both the Corp Games participants and the our dart association. We helped by; allowing the teams competing to shoot without worry of who's keeping score, some of the players without darts experience got some tips on throwing techniques and strategies, free up the organizer to focus on running the event, and to our benefit we got the opportunity to promote our league with fliers and surveys. We are trying to grow darts as a competitive sport as well as a social activity.

Any feedback on how darts are promoted in your area?

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Darts as a Sport! Essay....

An essay on darts as a sport

In this essay I will consider the social, economic and political factors of darts as a sport. In depth analysis of darts as a sport can be an enriching experience. Given that its influence pervades our society, darts as a sport is featuring more and more in the ideals of the young and upwardly mobile. The juxtapositioning of darts as a sport with fundamental economic, social and political strategic conflict draws criticism from so called 'babies', many of whom blame the influence of television. Hold onto your hats as we begin a journey into darts as a sport.

Social Factors

As Reflected in classical mythology society is complicated. When Lance Bandaner said 'twelve times I've traversed the ocean of youthful ambition but society still collects my foot prints' [1] he shead new light on darts as a sport, allowing man to take it by the hand and understand its momentum. While the western world use a knife and fork, the Chinese use chopsticks. Of course darts as a sport bravely illustrates what we are most afraid of, what we all know deep down in our hearts.

When one is faced with people of today a central theme emerges - darts as a sport is either adored or despised, it leaves no one undecided. It grows stonger every day.

Economic Factors

We no longer live in a world which barters 'I'll give you three cows for that hat, it’s lovely.' Our existance is a generation which cries 'Hat - $20.' We will primarily be focusing on the Fish-Out-Of-Water model, making allowances for recent changes in interest rates.


The statistics make it clear that darts as a sport is a major market factor. My personal view is that the cost of living has always depended upon darts as a sport to a certain extent, but now more that ever. What it all comes down to is money. Capitalists love darts as a sport.

Political Factors

The media have made politics quite a spectacle. Comparing current political thought with that held just ten years ago is like comparing darts as a sport and former Wolves striker Steve Bull.

We cannot talk of darts as a sport and politics without remembering the words of jazz singer Esperanza Skank 'People in glass houses shouldn't through parties.' [2] He was first introduced to darts as a sport by his mother. If I may be as bold as to paraphrase, he was saying that 'political ideals are built on the solid cornerstone of darts as a sport.'
Why did darts as a sport cross the road? - To get to the other side! Just my little joke, but lets hope that darts as a sport doesn't inspire similar hilarity in the next elections.

Conclusion

In summary, darts as a sport deserves all of the attention it gets. It enriches, ensures financial stability and statistically it's great.

One final thought from the talented Britney Beckham: 'darts as a sport is the new rock and roll! And the new opera!'

I found this site the other day and thought it would be fun to try and the above is what I got.

EssayGenerator.com - Generate an essay on anything! :: Generator

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Unicorn Eclipse board debate

While discussing buying a new board the discussion of which would be the best board to buy turned to which brand name. Of the brands mentioned I noted the the Unicorn Eclipse was available at a good price, and I recalled playing on it at another teams venue. I liked the thin wires, and that it looked like the boards used in recently televisedWorld Series of Darts.

The debate was joined and the issue became; "Is it better to practice on a board with more space between the area of the doubles and trebles is larger than on a regular board." The issue is unresolved, and now I note that another aspect of the argument is carried forth in another venue. Unicorn Eclipse board debate

The championship match will be aired again Fox Sports

Phil Taylor - Training

Something motivational for your next practice session:
Phil Taylor's Four Principles of Training

Phil THE POWER Taylor

Phil Taylor has a forum
As part of his website he has a forum. At first glance it appears interesting, and I have signed up to see what goes on there. I'll mention it from time to time and be on the look out for updates.
Phil THE POWER Taylor

PDC Darts World Championship 2005 - review

I found this review of the match to be very good. It covers the whole televised match round by round......

THE FINAL

For the second time in three televised tournaments it was Taylor and Dudbridge in the final. In Blackpool Dudbridge admitted that it was his lack of previous experience of playing Taylor that made him fall short in the match and he was determined to do better when he got his next opportunity. Do better he did. Taylor took the first set before some crisp finishing from Dudbridge gave him a 2-1 lead. Taylor took the next two and then Dudbridge levelled the game at 3-3. Taylor stayed rock steady at around a 97.5 average and this was enough to take the next 3 sets and effectively put Dudbridge right up against the wall. All credit to "Flash" for digging in and taking the next set. In the 11th set Dudbridge had the throw but Taylor broke and took the 1st leg. Dudbridge broke straight back but Taylor broke again with a 104 checkout. That was the impetus needed and the match followed 7-4 to Taylor and with it an incredible 12th World Title. Taylor continues to set unearthly records in Darts which probably will never be broken while Dudbridge got the reward of a place in Sky Sports newest tournament - The Premier Darts League. But that's another story...

PDC Darts World Championship 2005 - Full review: "THE FINAL"

Saturday, April 16, 2005

A dart glossary

# Count/# Mark - The number of scoring darts in cricket (ie. an 8 count/mark would be 2 triples and 1 double, a 5 count/mark could be 1 triple and 2 singles/two doubles and 1 single/1 triple and 1 double)
Ace(s) - The double one in '01
Arrows - Slang for darts
Bag O' Nuts - Scoring 45 points in a throw
Barn Dart - The third dart of a throw that hits the target you were aiming at that the first two darts missed
Barrel - The metal portion of the dart (where you grip the dart)
Bed - A section of a number
Bed & Breakfast - Scoring 26 points in one throw when hitting a single 20, a single 1 and a single 5 (a British term)
Black Hat - Hitting 3 double bulls in one throw
Black Dog - The double bull
Bombs/Bombers - Very large or heavy darts
Bones - When you have a double 1 left to win the game (usually displayed on the board with an 'X')
Bull - The centre most part of the board, the area is divided into two sections (the single & double bull)
Bull Out - Winning a game with a double bull
Bull Up - Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
Bust(ed) - Scoring too many points when trying to finish an '01 game
Chalk(ing) - Keeping score
Chips - Scoring 26 points in a throw
A 'Classic' - Scoring 26 point in a throw by hitting a single 5, single 20 and a single 1
Cork (noun) - The bullseye
Cork (verb) - closest to bull within scoring surface. used for determining the 1st player in a match.
Cracked - Hitting a single when aiming at a double
Dead - Describes hitting the exact amount required
Diddle for the Middle - Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
Dirty Darts - Derogatory slang for questionable tactics (like scoring excessive points in Cricket)
Downstairs - The lower portion of the dartboard
Double Bull/Cork - The center portion of the bullseye
Double In (DI) - Hitting the double area of a number to start a game of '01
Double Out (DO) - Hitting the double of a number to win a game of '01
Double Top - The double 20
Dust - Dart lands outside the scoring area
Eights - Slang for the 18s in Cricket
Easy In/Out - Not having to hit a double to start a game of '01 (in) or having to hit one to end it (out)
Fallout - Slang for hitting a scoring dart while missing the number you were throwing at (like hitting the 16 in Cricket when you were really aiming at the 19)
Fat - The largest porting of a number (the area between the double and triple ring)
Fives - Slang for the 15s in Cricket
Flight - The 'feathers' of the dart which makes the dart more aerodynamic
Freeze Rule - In team 301 play (soft-tip), a player may go out and win only if their partners score is equal to or less than the combined scores of the opposing team. It can apply to all team '01' games.
Galed - Termed used when playing any dart game and being shutout of points.
Game On - A call for silence at the start of the game
Game Shot - The winning shot
Good Group - A compliment for tight, accurate throwing
Grand Slam - Hitting the T5, T20 & T1 in one throw (contributed by Derek Prather)
Hail Mary - The third dart that miraculously scores a high treble where the first two combined scored low
Hattrick - Scoring all three darts of a turn in the bull
High Ton - Scoring between 151-180 points in a game of '01
Hockey - The throw line
Leg - A game in a match, as "the best of five legs", in which each leg is an entire game
Little/Small - The single bed between the bull and the triple
Lizzard - In Wichita Ks. We call the double one out the lizard out, if you hit it going out your team mates all chip in for a shot of you fav. drink, and if you hit the highest lizard out which is T20 T20 D1 you get a free shot for the rest of the season. (contributor did not leave a name)
Low Ton - Scoring between 100-150 points in a game of '01
Madhouse - Double 1 or 1 double 1 to win a game of '01
Mugs Away - The losers go first in the return game
Nines - Slang for the 19s in Cricket
Oche - The throw line (pronounced 'ockey')
Patriot - hitting a needed trip or bull with your first dart
Pie - Any of the numbered segments on the dartboard
Point Mongering - Derogatory term for shooting excessive points, usually in Cricket
Premature Projection - When you get excited and throw out of turn
'Right There' - Phrase used when a thrower just misses what he/she was aiming at (around here it's said quite sarcastically)
Robin Hood - Sticking one dart into the back of another in the board
Round - Any 3 dart turn
Round of 9 - Throwing three triples in one turn
Route 66 - Scoring 66 points in a throw
Score Whore - Same as "Point Monger/Dirty Darts"
Scud - Same as "Fallout"
Sergeant - Used in the game of Rotation - scoring three successive numbers in the three darts of a throw to win a free turn
Sevens - Slang for the 17s in Cricket
Shaft - The portion of the dart that holds the flight
Shanghai - Hitting a triple, double, and single of the same number in the same throw
Shooting for the Cork/Bull - Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
Single In (SI) - Starting a game of '01 without having to hit a double first
Single Out (SO) - Ending a game of '01 without having to hit a double
Sixes - Slang for the 16s in Cricket
Spider (Web) - The dartboard wire assembly which forms the beds
Splash/Splashing - Throwing two darts at a time to determine partners before a game. Both darts must score and that score is calculated. The people throwing the highest and lowest scores are partners, the next to highest and next to lowest are partners and so on.
Splitting the 11 - Throwing a dart between the digits of the 11 on the number ring
Straight On - Starting a game of '01 without having to hit a double
Straight Off - Ending a game of '01 without having to hit a double
Sunset Strip - Scoring 77 points in a throw
Three in a Bed - Throwing all three darts in the same number
Ton - Scoring 100 points in a throw
Ton # - Scoring 100+ points in a throw (Ton 40 would be 140 points)
Tops - The double 20
Trombones - Scoring 76 points in a throw
Trophy Darts - A compliment for tight, accurate throwing
Two & 6 - Scoring 26 points in a throw
Two Fat Ladies - Scoring 88 points in a throw
Upstairs - The upper portion of the board
Wet Feet - Having 1 or both feet across the throwing line (oche)
White Horse - Scoring three triples in Cricket (in some leagues, it has to be 3 different scoring triples)
Wilson - missing all 3 darts in Cricket (a flatline)
Wiring - Bouncing a dart off a wire
Woody - Dart lands outside the scoring area

Friday, April 15, 2005

Entry form link.....

PDF of the Desert Classic IV entry form

Dart board setup......

New players often jump in to playing full of optimism about getting better quickly, but in order to do that regular practice is need. To get regular practice you will have to have a board setup at home.

Getting started playing darts at home
Choosing A Location: The proper place to hang a dart board can be a difficult choice:

* The area should be a low-traffic area to decrease the risk of injuries.
* There should be nothing breakable 2-3 feet on either side of the board and preferably nowhere near the board at all. Darts can bounce 8 feet or more off the board.
* You need an empty area roughly 5 feet wide and 11 feet long. Although you can throw over items in the area, it can be VERY distracting. It is also annoying walking an obstacle course each time you pull your darts out of the board.
This site has more information:
Board Setup

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Any Tourneys?

Let's Talk Darts
Are there any Tourneys in the Southern California Area in the weeks leading up to The 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic IV?

2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic IV:
June 27 through July 3

How to throw Darts: The mechanical basics of throwing darts

This site breaks down the throw technique.

How to throw Darts: The mechanical basics of throwing darts:

Tricky Darts Scorer software:

Tricky Darts Scorer Preview Version 2.031 now includes the game of American Cricket as played in competition in the United States. The help file is currently from Version 2.02 and does not include the changes made to include American Cricket or the rules for this game.

Tricky Darts Scorer - Download Page

Tricky Darts Scorer - Pegout Chart (out chart)

Another out chart that includes the 2 dart options and is printable:

Tricky Darts Scorer - Pegout Chart (out chart)

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Multi-Player Dart Games

Killer is a game that I really enjoy playing when there are a bunch of people who want to play. It's fun to form alliances and go after the stronger shooters.


Killer

If you want to practice your ability to hit doubles, this is one way to do it. Everyone throws one dart at the board with their non-throwing hand. The number they hit is their number, even if it is a bull. If someone else should also hit that number, they will need to throw another dart. The person with the lowest number will throw first, second lowest throw second, and so on. To become a killer, each player has to hit the double of their number. When they have done that, mark their initials showing that they are a killer (we circle their initials, some people write a K next to their initials). Now that you are a killer, you want to knock the other players out of the game by hitting their doubles. Each time you hit their double, they get a mark. Once a player has three marks, they are out of the game. If you should accidentally hit your own number, you then give yourself a mark. If you are not a killer, and hit someone elses double, nothing happens.

Strategy: This is one of those games that the best thrower will not always win. In most games, people will form little alliances to knock out the better thrower by only throwing at his number until he/she is out. If two or more of you opponents happen to have numbers next to each other, shoot at them. If you miss the one your aiming at, maybe you will hit one that is next to it.
Other Variations



Once you become a killer, you can only shoot at those people that are not killers. You can only shoot at people that are also killers when everyone left in the game is a killer.


Use triples instead of doubles. If you hit the bull, you still have to shoot at the double bull.


If you should happen to hit your number while you are a killer, you lose your killer status and must hit it again to become a killer.


Instead of throwing your dart to determine your target, write all of the 21 possible targets on pieces of paper and have each person draw the number they will throw at. This is a good method if you have someone in your group that can throw with both arms. It keeps them from being able to hit the number they want. I've never had that problem. I do good just to hit the board throwing left-handed.


Everyone starts as a killer, you do not have to hit your target to become a killer.

This can be a fun game!
From crowsdarts.com Games
D.T.

'01 Outs

The issue of shooting outs is an important issue when it come to finishing '01 games as a poor choice could put a shooter on a path that could cause missed opportunities, and perhaps the loss of a leg, game, or match. It's been said that; “your favorite double finish should be the one you are looking at.” I just want the course to that double to be smooth sailing so I have been doing some research on outs. Here are some of the sites I have investigated.

Rick's Out Charts Is a very detailed chart with arguments supporting his suggested outs. It pleasing layout with a useful graphics.
Thornton's Outchart uses an approach based on percentages, and keeps an eye towards the shooter that likes to shoot 19's instead of 20's. He as well puts forth arguments on why certain outs should be considered.

"The Dartdog" OUT CHART Another chart, but this maybe redundant by now.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Dart Equipment

Darts: Considering these are the most important aspect of the game and what you're most likely to buy first, we'll start with them.

If you're planning on buying your first set of darts there are a couple of things you should know. First and foremost is DO NOT spend alot of money on your first set of darts. There are alot of very expensive fancy darts, some with technological gizmos that are supposed to help your game. Some are worth it, BUT, none are needed. Another important point about your first set of darts is that your throw will change as your ability develops. There is no point in buying a $100 set of darts when you'll probably replace them in a year or so anyway. A $15-$30 set will be just fine, in fact most players of any level (pros included) throw with darts in this price range.

Don't buy darts mail order. The only way to choose a set of darts is to throw them first. Until you've been playing a few years and have developed a completely consistant throw, you will need to try many different styles, weights, lengths, grips, etc. before you find the dart that's right for you. While you may save a few bucks by ordering by mail, any decent dart store will allow you to throw every dart in the place until you find the one that suits you the best.

Grip: Perhaps the most important factor about a dart is what the grip is like. Most people will probably tell you it's the weight, but if the dart is slipping out of your hand while throwing, the weight is only going to affect how loud the "thunk" is when it hits the floor. Feel several different kinds of grips and find the one that slips the least in your hands. How much you sweat, how oily your skin is, how calloused your fingers are, where you like to grip the dart and how tightly you grip it will affect what kind of grip is right for you. I've found that with most people, several types of grips work fine and maybe only one or two is not right for them.

Weighting: There are two factors that make up how a dart is weighted: how much and where. First let's talk about how much. Darts come in many different weights from 12 grams (and sometimes less) to a maximum of 50 grams. Weights heavier than 30 grams are very rare but 50 is the maximum allowed by ADO rules. When you're buying your first set of darts, I recommend starting with 18-21 grams. Most people play well with this range of weights and it is also the cheapest range. As darts get heavier, they contain more tungsten to keep their size small. The more tungsten, the heavier the dart, the more expensive the price. How hard you throw the dart will determine how heavy the darts should be for you to use them accurately. The heavier the dart, the harder the throw must be to get it from the line to the board without falling too low. There are also special darts made that have screw-on weights called "add-a-gram". These darts have the ability to add or take off weight depending on how you're throwing that particular night. While these may seem to be the answer for someone who hasn't developed a consistant throw, you never will if your darts are changing every time you play.

Where the dart is weighted is another important factor. Some darts are weighted toward the front, some towards the middle and some evenly across the lenght of the shaft. Which type of weighting depends on the type of throw you have, an arc or lob, or a straight throw. Front weighted darts are more suited to someone who lobs the darts while center weighted or evenly weighted darts are for people with a straight throw.

Shafts: Shafts are the short "stick" that connects the body of the dart with the "flights" or "feathers". The come in MANY lenghts and even more styles. A longer shaft is better for a player with a weak throw or a player with a straight throw as they add more stability to the dart. What the shaft is made of may slightly affect the weight of the dart but more importantly, it determines what happens when there is a mishap: a fallout, striking one dart with another or a dart being stepped on. A metal shaft will not break, however they may bend slightly. While they will last longer, you might be playing with a set of darts with each one bent just a little differently than the others which could greatly affect your game. Metal shafts also tend to be more expensive than plastic or nylon shafts.

Plastic or nylon shafts come in an incredible array of compositions from soft and flexible to hard and brittle. In the future, I will include alot more detail about types of plasitc shafts. For now, I'll just say to try a few over the space of a few months to see which you like. Plastic shafts tend to break when there is a mishap as opposed to bending. The up side is that you can be sure your shafts are straight, the down side is that they need to be replaced fairly often.

Flights: Flights or feathers are the "wings" at the back of the dart that guide it and keep it flying straight. The amount of surface area the flights have is in direct proportion to how much stability they add. There are many different shapes that flights come in, suffice it to say: the bigger the flight the more stable the flight and the more drag. Generally beginners should start with a large standard flight and experiment with different shapes and sizes after their throw has developed. Advanced to professional players tend towards the smaller flights because their throws are very accurate and do not need the extra stability a large flight offers. Also, the large flights can get very much in the way if you're good enough to group darts right next to each other. Try placing three darts in the tripple-20 and you'll see there isn't much room for the flights!

Like shafts, flights can be made of many different things. I will expand on this topic also in the future. None of the compositions of flights greatly affect how the dart flies, they simply affect how the flight looks and how long it lasts.

The Board: Most of us, at some point in our childhood had a typical "toy" dartboard made of tightly rolled paper. These boards are about 3/4" thick and did not last very long. Holes were always visible where the darts landed, and after a few months of heavy use, the paper would pop-out in the center and start to unwind. Obiviously, if you're going to take up the game semi-seriously, these are not the right kind of board to buy.

On the extreme other end are wooden boards. These are the original roots of dart boards. They are made of several different kinds of woods, but all of them have a few common factors. First they are expensive, typically $60 and up. Second, they must be soaked in water overnight EVERY night and therefore are not very suitable for use in the home. Not too many people like the idea of having water from a wet piece of wood running down there walls! These boards are best left for old-fashioned English pubs.

What we have left is the bristle board. Bristle boards are what you'll find in just about every modern bar. They are made from tightly packed nylon bristles and can last many years if they are rotated often. Bristle boards can be purchased for around $25 and up, which also makes them very affordable.

Found on mostdartgames.com

Why play darts?

There are many reasons that darts is so popular and if you're considering taking up the game please consider the following:

DARTING IS CHEAP
Playing at a bar is FREE. Unless it's an electronic setup, in which case, it costs no more than the price of a pool game.

YOU CAN HAVE A SETUP AT HOME
Compared to other "bar sports" it's NOTHING to setup a dart board at home. A typical board costs an average of $20-$40 and a good set of darts is $15-$30 and you can score on a piece of paper and use a piece of masking tape for a throw line. Know anywhere you can get a pool table, foosball, air hockey or shuffleboard setup that cheap? It also doesn't take up any room, you can even use the space for other things when not playing darts.

ANYONE CAN PLAY
Unlike most sports, anybody, any size, any age, any weight, with almost any handicap can play darts, and be GOOD at it. I've seen people throw darts from a weelchair, on crutches and with a head brace (a huge ugly metal thing because he had a broken neck)! I've seen people from 8 to 80 play and play well at that. All it takes is practice.

ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN PLAY
There are games that may be played by any number of people, from 1 to 100. The only difference it makes is how long the games are going to take. Personally, I don't recommend more than 10 people on one dart board, but you could if you wanted to.

IT HAS SOME REAL BENEFITS
Darts develops hand/eye coordination, patience, motor-control, sportsmanship and is extremely relaxing.

Why play darts

Official Web Site of World Cup 2005, Perth, Western Australia

The Western Australian Darts Council Inc. after the successful staging of the 1997 World Cup XI, Perth has been once again awarded the distinction of hosting the 2005 World Cups. The purpose of this website is to make aware of the arrangements for the hosting of the 2005 World Cup, updates of new news, and finally all of the results. This site will change regularly with new information as it comes in leading up to the Cups so visit us regularly.
Darts Federation of Australia, World Darts Federation, Official Web Site of World Cup 2005, Perth, Western Australia

John Part - world champion

Somewhere along the line I was reading that John Part spent something like two years practicing darts at home before he would venture forth to the local pub and play the game. I must say that is some level of dedication to the game. My self I first played the game in a friends home, and I must say I put a few holes in the wall as they had a very small back board. Soon after that I went to a local bar where dart boards were very prominent, and accepted the first invite to play doubles cricket (I must say that my partner had a load to carry). While I still have a ways to go I shall keep that image of John Part toiling away at practice at home.

Here are some stats about John Part I picked up in my surfing the net:

John Part

Date of Birth: 29 June 1966
Place of Birth: Toronto, Canada
Now Lives: Oshawa, Canada
Nickname: Darth Maple
Height: 6
Type of Dart Used: John Part 25grm
Achievements: 1992,4,5,7,8 Power Point Open Champion
1993: World Cup Pairs Champion,
1994: Embassy World Champion, Windy City Open Champion
1995: Canadian Open Champion, Cleveland Extravaganza Champion
1996: Klondike Open Champion, Klondike Open Champion
1997: Cleveland Extravaganza Champion
1998: Klondike Open Champion
1999: Quebec.
2000: Quarter-finals World Grand Prix
2001: Runner-up Skol World Championships; Winner Blueberry Hill Open; Winner Canadian Men's National Singles; Winner Canadian Open; QF World Matchplay; QF World Grand Prix
2002:QF Skol World Championships; Ireland's Open Classic Champion; Stan James World Matchplay runner-up; Paddy Power World Grand Prix runner-up; Canadian Champion

2003: Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship Winner, Runner-Up Las Vegas Desert Classic, Runner-Up Paddy Power World Grand Prix

2003 Ladbrokes.com World Champion, Canada's supreme darting talent is now recognised as his countries greatest ever player eclipsing the legendary Bob Sinnaeve with his two time World Championship win.

After coming in as a runner-up to Eleven Times World Champion Phil 'The Power' Taylor at the Stan James World Matchplay and Paddy Power World Grand Prix in 2002, John finally achieved what no other player had managed since 1994 and beat Taylor at the Circus Tavern to claim the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship crown.

The pair played out perhaps the greatest Final of all time lifting the roof at Purfleet and producing phenomenal darts in a breathtaking contest that eventually went Part's way 7 sets to 6.

A hugely popular winnner John will now have twelve months to bask in the glory of being only the third man to be PDC World Champion and with his extraordinary talent will be odds on to add a few more major titles to his CV in 2003.

You can email John Part at johnpart@rogers.com

Marital Status: M

Children - One - Damian
Hobbies/Interests: Golf, movies - classics, crosswords, comic books
Sporting Hero: Sandy Hawley (Jockey), Jack Nicklaus (golf) and Reggie Jackson (Baseball )


http://www.topfp.nl/johnp.htm

Monday, April 11, 2005

The 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic IV

Darts News - Off The Wire: PDC Standings For 3 US LVDC IV Wild Cards: "The 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic IV is set for June 27 through July 3 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and the entry form is in the Bulls Eye News.

Another fun game that is good practice:

Rotation (Around the Clock)

Here's a game that if you win the cork, your opponent may never throw another dart. Here you throw at the numbers in order (1,2,3,...19,20,B). Once you hit the number you are aiming at, you go to the next number. If you hit the number you are aiming at with your third dart, you then are allowed a new turn and get to proceed aiming at your new number. The only difference is that if you are aiming at the two, and hit a triple two, you get to skip three and four and go straight to five. Likewise, if you hit the double two, you skip the three and proceed to the four. This applies to all numbers except you cannot skip the bull. If you hit the triple nineteen, you can skip the twenty but you still must hit the bull.

Strategy: Real simple, hit triples and don't miss with your third dart.

Other Variations

Doubles Rotation: This is a good game to practice your doubles with. The only difference between this and normal rotation is that only doubles are aimed at and you do not skip any numbers. You start with the double one, then go to the double two, and so on. You also have to hit the double bull to win the game, not a single bull.

Triples Rotation: Same as doubles rotation except you are aiming at triples instead. Some versions have it where you end the game on a double bull. Others have it where you need three or more bulls in one turn to win (the double bull counting as two).

25: This game was sent to me by Karlheinz Zoechling (click on his name to go to his home page). This is like doubles rotation except for the following. You start with 25 points and throw three darts on the doubles from 1 to 20, and then the last three darts at the bull. If you hit the double, you add the score (if you are on double 6 and hit it twice, you can add 24 points to your score). If you don't hit the double with your three darts you subtract the points of the unhit double (if you are throwing at the double 13, and don't hit it, you subtract 26 points). Either way, you then proceed to the next number on your next turn. If your score falls below 0, you are out of the game. The person with the most points after the bulls, or the last person left in the game is the winner.

Rotation Type Dart Games

SHANGAI

Dartplayer.net: " hi there i'm new to
this but not new to darts, shangai is a game where you start on the
number one and hit single double and treble you canplay as long as you
want until somebody hits all three ,in my local pub we used to play 1-3
if you missed a number you were out the winner with the hghest score
won if nobody hits SHANGAI if two people hit it on the same number you start at one again "

Dartplayer.net

I was looking for some new games to play and I saw this on a favorite form of mine.
Dartplayer.net: "From what i've read in a book shanghai can be used in any x01 game. To
win with a shanghai you can hit either the double or the triple only
your last dart. Not the single tho. It's not a rule, more or less, it's
something some groups of players choose to use. Either way it adds a
little twist on the game which adds a little fun."

D.T.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

BBC article

Thursday, 24 March, 2005
Darts recognised by Sport England
Sport England has decided to officially recognise darts as a sporting activity.

The move will allow darts' governing bodies to take advantage of tax incentives given to recognised sports by the government.

The decision may lead to recognition from other sports councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"Darts is a sport played by many thousands of people across the country," said Sport England chief executive Roger Draper.

"The presentation of darts as a pub game has helped popularise its cult appeal but the reality is that it is played in locations ranging from schools to village halls, social clubs and sports centres.

"By taking the lead in recognising the skills and social and community values associated with darts, we hope others will follow suit in the near future to complete its formal and official recognition as a sport."

Darts as a Sport!

Recently darts was recognized as a sport in England according to a BBC article I read recently. Before I saw this article I had thought that darts was already a sport in England right behind football (the sport we in the USA call soccer), and cricket (the game played with a bat). Be that as it may darts now is officially a sport in England. I have also seen some articles promoting the value of the move:

The Times comments: ...great athleticism is not the definition of sport and demands that applicants show ‘physical agility’. Phil Taylor’s throwing action is as "Like a frieze on a Greek drinking vessel, body still, rock-steady, a classical study of physical perfection. The arm moves only from the elbow, a perfect technique. But what gives him the edge is his mind. Taylor’s mental strength gives him both his physical steadiness and his ability to hit doubles and close out legs and sets and matches.”

...darts is a physical skill that backed by mental strength and in fact that could very well work towards a definition of sport.


‘a notion that sport has to be good for you, that sport has to make a person morally and physically better. Sporting people are still keen to see sport as something that is virtuous. Virtuous because it is tiring, at the very least. We must recognize that this pursuit of virtue is a confusion when we come to definitions’.

...if we stick we the notion of sport as a marriage of physical skill and mental strength, then Darts definitely qualifies, whereas another recent applicant Chess, fails.
(Story : The Times - England)


It would be great if someday we could see darts as an Olympic sport that might rival archery or skeet shooting.

D.T.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

No darts on TV until Tuesday....

At least that's the way it is in my neck of the woods....

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Tue Apr 12 04:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FOXW2, Tue Apr 12 05:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Wed Apr 13 02:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Thu Apr 14 11:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Fri Apr 15 01:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FOXW2, Fri Apr 15 04:00pm PDT

Check your local listings as the original air date is listed as April 10, 2005

D.T.

Sunday, April 03, 2005

Darts on TV this week.....

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Sun Apr 03 04:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FOXW2, Tue Apr 05 05:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Wed Apr 06 02:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Thu Apr 07 11:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Tue Apr 12 04:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FOXW2, Tue Apr 12 05:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Wed Apr 13 02:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Thu Apr 14 11:00am PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FSW, Fri Apr 15 01:00pm PDT

World Series of Darts - "World Championships"
FOXW2, Fri Apr 15 04:00pm PDT

Check your local listings as times maybe different.

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