Throwing darts to the target – It sounds like a piece of cake. But knowing how to play Cricket Darts seems to be a hard nut to crack.

If it is your case, this article can help you out Understand nothing about the game? Stay calm, you will become a fully-experienced player after following our guide Are you ready to change your situation? Let’s start now.

What Is It?

It is a form of sports in which players throw darts at a fixed circle target board on the wall.

Before becoming a professional competitive sport as today, the Crick Darts was a favorite traditional pub game. It is common in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland. Also, the popularity spread throughout countries on the Scandinavian peninsula, the United States, and other places.

People, in the past, applied many different types of boards along with rules for the Cricket Darts. However, at present, the term “darts” now is used to refer to a standard game involving a standard target board as well as a standard rule.

How To Play It?

A Cricket Darts match often includes from 2 to four players or teams. To become the winner, you have to be the first player who opens/closes all the numbers. Or, you are the one getting the highest scores.

Cricket has a bull’s eye with a range of numbers from 10 to 20. In any fashion, if you can score three times, it means that you open/close a number.

• Opening/closing an in-one-throw number if you hit the triple.
• Opening/closing a two-throw number if you hit the single or double.

Related:

• Top 10 Best Bristle Dart Boards
• What Are The Best Dart Shafts For Dart Players In 2020?

Common Terms

The Cricket Darts is a game with a long history. Its amazingly long list of common terms is inevitable.

In the list below, some terms are more widely accepted than others. As a newbie, you do not want to be confusing in the game, right? We deeply suggest you learn some of them to get ready. They are not difficult to understand at all. Let’s check!

Busted

In one turn of throwing, a player gets a higher score than the remaining value in need to become the winner. If that case occurs, we call it “busted”. Then, the turn is over and the score will not count.

There is another application for the “busted”. You supposedly need to score only one to win, but two throwing turns to remain. So, the “busted” comes.

Cork

It is the way that players call the center of the target board. Besides, they use this term as a verb, too. The “to cork” is to decide who will throw the first part of the game.

Double

Players use this term when the double outer ring is the landing point of the dart on the targeting board.

Double Bull

The area between the inner bull’s eye and the outer bull’s eye is the double bull area. If the dart hits this portion, we call it a “double bull”.

Double In/Out

There are two cases for the “double in/out”. One is when the dart lands in the double area at the beginning throwing turn (301). The other is at the ending one of a game (501).

Eights

Instead of saying “eighteen” for “18”, you can use “eights”.

Fives

This term is like the case of “eights”. Players replace “fifteen” for “fives”.

Sevens and Nines

We understand the same way as the “eights” and “nines”.

Hockey

It can come with another term “aka Oche”. The “Oche” means the toe line behind the position where a player must stand. With the “Hockey”, there is no problem to raise the board by 1,5 inches to match the throwing line.

Match

It is a series of games.

Mugs away

When a game ends, the next one begins. To get started, the loser of the previous game will do the first throw. So, we say “mugs away”.

Pie

You can see some wedges on the target board. They are pies.

Robin Hood

The case when two darts lands at one point sometimes occur. People name this case the “Robin Hood”.

Round

Each three-dart turn is around.

Tough darts

We are sure that you will hear this term so many times in the Cricket Darts. If you get a stroke of bad luck when your darts hit close to the marked area, you should prepare for the “nice try”.

Tops

Remember to say this when you hit the Double 20.

Splash

Have you ever thrown two darts simultaneously? If YES, we call this turn one “splash”. You can do the throw by two hands. It seems to be quite challenging yet exciting enough for you to feel ignited.

Straight in

For instance, doubling in is not your target. In that case, the “straight in” or “double out” will be a reasonable option.

Ton

It means a total of 100 points after throwing darts.

Ton eighty

For each three-dart turn, the “Ton eighty” is the highest result that players can get. It means a total of 180 points.

Now, we have them all. Are you ready to hit the road?

See More: Dart Scoring- A Brief Guide For Beginner

How To Score

Holding a dart

You have to make sure that the dart fits neatly in your hand. The thumb keeps the dart in a fixed position. The other fingers straighten out.

With a close target, you can let the dart tip stick out of the fingertips a lot. And vice versa, hold the dart with the low tip when you want to throw for a long distance.

Throwing technique

First of all, when throwing, you must hold your wrist upright. If you do not, the dart tip will swirl excessively on its way to the target.

Next, we love to discuss the distance from you to the dartboard. Techniques of throwing vary depending on this element. The dart tends to move in a circular motion before hitting the target. You have to calculate how many rotations there will be by knowing how the distance is near or far.

At the close range, the dart only rotates a one-half turn before reaching the dartboard. As for the far distance, its rotation can be more than one.

Postures when throwing

In terms of postures, for the close target, you should pay attention to the way you hold the dart. Moreover, the legs are slightly wide open. Your body leans forwards. Then, darts will go faster and stronger.

The case for the far target is different. You hold the dart lower, stand straight, and target carefully before throwing.

Practice

When starting to practice, you should stand a few meters near the target. If you hold the dart tip towards the tip of the finger, it will fly straight to the target without rotating.

Then you step back a few more steps. So, you can find the appropriate distance for the dart to rotate a full circle before hitting the target.

To sum up

Is there anything about how to play Cricket Darts that you still get confused with? Do not hesitate to drop us a line. We are here to support you. Finally, we would like to say that practice makes better. So, practice more to become a good player now!