General Rules of the Standard Dart Games

701,501, 301

The order of play is either determined by a toss of a coin or by each player throwing for the centre bull the nearest being the player that throws first. The rules here can vary depending on the league you may be playing in; the local rules should be observed at all times.

Once the order of play has been determined the winner will start leg one and odd legs after that. The looser will start leg two and even legs thereafter.

A throw consists of three darts except were the game is finished in less.

Darts can not be re-thrown this includes darts that miss the board and darts that bounce of the board wiring system. Only darts that have their points touching the scoring area of the board score.

A player may be told, if he asks, what number they scored, or what number he requires for the game, by the score announcer, but not how to get it.

If the number required for the game is exceeded in the course of a throw, throw ceases, and no account is taken of the score obtained during that throw.

The inner bull (50) counts as double of (25) the outer bull.

The game is to score 701, 501 or 301 as previously agreed.

Scoring

Generally each player’s score must start and finish a game with a double (The outer narrow ring of the board). Competition games, however, are usually played with a straight start (no compulsory double) but with a compulsory double to finish.

The first throw is deducted from the player’s start number e.g. 501 and then from the subsequent reduced total. The scorer should show both the score obtain for the throw and the reducing total remaining.

For fast practise games play 301. For league and competition 501 and for pairs 701. In fact any agreed starting number can be used but usually the number should end 01 the reason for this is so a player must hit another part of the board other than the 20’s segment in order to win a game.

Cricket (American Style)

This game is played on a traditional standard dart board.

The objective shall be to ‘own’ or ‘close’ certain numbers on the board, and to achieve the highest point score. The player or team to do so first, shall be the winner.

Cricket shall be played using the numbers 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and both the inner and outer bull.

Each player or team shall take turns in throwing. (Three darts in succession shall constitute a ‘turn’.)

To close an inning, the player or team must score three of a number. This can be accomplished with three singles, a single and a double, or a triple.

Once a player or team scores three of a number, it is ‘owned’ by that player or team and they can score on this number ‘runs’ until the opposing player or team have ‘closed’ it and no further scoring can be accomplished on that number by either player or team.

To close the bullseye, the outer bull counts as a single, and the inner bull counts as a double.

Numbers can be ‘owned’ or ‘closed’ in any order desired by the individual player/team. Calling your shot is not required.

For the purpose of ‘owning’ a number, the double and triple ring shall count as 2 or 3, respectively. Three marks will close an inning.

After a number is ‘owned’ by a team, the double and triple ring shall count as 2 or 3 times the numerical values, respectively.

Winning the game:

  1. The player or team that closes all innings first and has the most points, shall be declared the winner.
  2. If both sides are tied on points, or have no points, the first player or team to close all innings shall be the winner.
  3. If a player or team closes all innings first, and is behind in points, he or they must continue to score on any innings not closed until either the point deficit is made up, or the opponent has closed all innings.

It shall be the responsibility of the player to verify his score before removing his darts from the board. The score remains as written if one or more darts has been removed from the board. In accordance with the inherent “strategy” involved in the Cricket game, no alterations in score shall be allowed, after the fact.

Grand National

The players begin at 20 and move in an anti-clockwise direction. There are nineteen hurdles to jump. Each player has to throw at least one dart out of three in the numbers (in the order of the board e.g. 20, 5, 12, 9 and so on), to clear that hurdle. When a player fails to do this his horse “falls” and is no longer in the race. The winner is the last horse standing.

Some players like to see the last horse complete the course correctly before becoming the winner. If this game proves to be too easy for the players, it can be played by having to get two out of three darts in the number to clear that hurdle or play the game on doubles or trebles!

Bully

Number of players: The more the better
Number of darts: 3 each

Shanghai

Players toss a coin to see who begins play with the winning player going first. Players start by throwing at the number 1 on the board. The object is to hit a single, treble and double (in any order). This first player to hit a single, treble and double wins. If no player achieves this on number 1, the play moves to number 2 and so on until someone wins.

Sometimes this game is varied by nominating different numbers to eliminate players that do not score any points on them. Most frequently, these numbers are 5, 7, and 9 due to their difficulty

Bully

Number of players: 2 or more
Number of darts: 3 each

Hare & Hounds

Players toss a coin to begin the game. The player that wins the toss is the “hare,” and his opponent is the hound in pursuit. The hare must travel clockwise around the board starting at 20.

The hare wins by returning to 20 before the hound catches up with him. The hound usually starts from either 12 or 5, depending on the preference of the players. The hound wins by overtaking the hare.

Bully

Number of players: The more the better
Number of darts: 3 each

Around The Clock

The object of this popular game is to be the first player to hit every number on the board from 1-20. The numbers must be hit in order, and players alternate after three throws. If a player cannot pass a certain number, he must hit it in order to advance to the next number on the board.

Bully

Number of players: The more the better
Number of darts: 3 each

Darts Links

Bullseye Roadshow plinth and backdrop

Bullseye Roadshow

Hosting an event, corporate training day or theatre tour? Then let Bully and his team entertain all your attendees with his fun filled roadshow.

Bully Costume for hire

Bully Costume Hire

Would you like Bully to make a special guest appearance at your party or event? Then we can make this happen.

Bullseye themed merchandise

Bullseye Merchandise

View the full range of official Bullseye Merchandise, but hurry before it sells out, or it will be a case of ‘look at what you could have won’!

Bullseye downloads

Bullseye Downloads

Make your PC, Mac or iPhone look super, smashing, great with the official Bullseye wallpaper!