Overachieving at Darts Gets You Busted

It's been pointed out to me that when I wrote an otherwise brilliant post explaining how to play the dart game of 501, I failed to mention what happens if you score TOO many points in a throw. If you recall, the goal is to reach exactly zero points and the dart that puts you at zero MUST be a double. So what happens if you hit too big a number and it takes your score below zero?

In that case you've "busted" and receive no points for that turn. Ie, your score reverts to whatever it was before you threw the first of your three darts. The same thing happens if you reduce your score to exactly 1 point, since there is no way to double out on a one.

For example, you have 14 points remaining and (against my advice) you throw at the double 7. Ya hit a 19 and guess what? Yerrr busted! Go pull your dart and wait for your next turn. Going for double 1 and ya hit a single instead? That puts you at 1 point, so you busted, too. Got 16 remaining and trying to hit that double 8 but ya pop a single 16, bringing ya to zero, right? BONNNNNNKKKK! Wrong answer, thank you for playing our game. The dart that brings you to exactly zero MUST be a double, therefore you busted.

Sometime soon I'll tell the heartbreaking story of the biggest bust I ever saw up close.

How to Hang a Dartboard

Your basic dartboard bracket. Note the line at 5' 8''

So you need to know how to hang a dartboard? It's not that difficult if you simply take the time to measure carefully and secure your hardware adequately. First thing is make sure you have the correct measurements. (See pic at right for what happens if ya rush. Note the extra holes from incorrectly measuring the first time.)

From the floor to the center of the bull should be exactly 5 feet and 8 inches, or 68 inches. That's 173 cm if you're in a metric mood. The other critical measurement is your throwing distance which  should be 7 feet 9 and a quarter inches, or 93.25 inches. That's 2.37 meters.

So measure 68 inches up the wall, make your mark and screw the bracket to the wall with two good wood screws. If you don't hit a stud, you'll probably wanna use toggle bolts instead of screws to be sure the bracket is good and secure. Remember, that's all that's holding up the board. Next you'll want to be sure to run a short, wide head screw into the exact center of the back of the dartboard. Leave the screw approximately a quarter inch out. This will slide into the bracket on the wall. Both the bracket and the screw should come with the board if bought new. Before you attach the board to the wall, there will probably be 3 or more rubber feet or metal strips which you attach to the back of the board in order to keep the board surface on an even plane.

Once the board is hung, plumb a line from the face of the board to the floor and make a mark. Then measure your 7 feet 9 and a quarter inches so you know where to place the oche (toe line, throwing line, etc.) Mark or tape a line there and you're pretty much done. If you care to triple check your work, then according to ol Pythagoras (who knew he threw darts?) a line from center bull to your toe line should be 9 feet 7 and 3/8 inches.

Good Darts!

"Good Darts!"

If you've played darts much at all, surely you've heard that phrase. Though it's often overused on mediocre or even lousy throws, (whatever happened to "nice try" or such?) when it's said with just that right tinge of awe, one knows a great throw has just been made. Especially a clutch throw, one that turns the momentum of the game in your favor. Used sparingly, there's no better compliment in the game of darts than to hear those two simple words. Good darts.

This blog is not for the advanced player. There are plenty of blogs and dart websites out there already for you. This is more for the beginner to average dart player. And the opinions expressed and strategies discussed are purely my own except where noted. I don't claim to be a pro, but that's why I'm not writing for them. If you're a beginner trying to figure out which end of the dart goes first, or a sophmore experiencing his first bout of dartitis, this blog is dedicated to you.

That's it for now, so get out there, throw a couple hundred darts at the bull today and first time you nail a 3iB, you can bet whoever you're practicing with is likely to say that special phrase.

Good darts!