How to set up a Dart Board and The Rules of darts
Procedural ............� top
Decisions regarding the prize structure and event schedule, the method of player registration, and the choice of the match pairing system, shall be left at the discretion of the local Tournament Organizers.
Nine darts warm-up is the maximum allowance per player.
Tournament boards are reserved for assigned match pairings only. Boards are not to be used for practice, unless so designated by the Tournament Organizers.
Match pairings will be called 3 times only (minimum of 5 minutes between calls). Should a player/team fail to report to the assigned board within the 15 minute allotted time, a Forfeit will be called. NOTE: Should a player/team be called to matches in two concurrent events (e,g, a female playing in both a Ladies Only and an Open event), that player/team must choose in which event he/they wish to continue play. A Forfeit will be called, unless that player/team can reach their assigned board within the regulation (15 minute) time period described above.
Should a player's playing equipment become damaged, or be lost during the course of a throw, that player shall be allowed up to a maximum of 5 minutes in which to repair/replace the playing equipment.
A maximum time limit of 5 minutes, under exceptional circumstances subject to the permission of a Tournament Official, shall be allowed in the instance of a player requiring to leave the playing area, during the course of match play.
Players and Scorers ONLY are allowed inside the playing area.
Opposing players must stand at least 2 feet behind the player at the Hockey.
Throw ............� top
All darts must be thrown by, and from, the hand.
A Throw shall consist of three darts, unless a Leg/Match is completed in a lesser amount.
Should a player touch any dart, which is in the dart board, during a throw, that throw shall be deemed to have been completed.
Any dart bouncing off, or falling out of the dart board, shall not be re thrown.
Starting and Finishing (All Events) ............� top
All Matches will be begun by THROWING THE CORK. The player throwing the Cork 1st will be decided by a coin flip, with the winner having the option of throwing 1st or 2nd. The player throwing closest to the Cork shall throw first in the 1st Leg. The Loser of the 1st Leg has the option of throwing the Cork first in the 2nd Leg. If a 3rd Leg is necessary, the Cork will again be thrown, with the loser of the original coin flip having the option of throwing first for the Cork.
The second thrower may acknowledge the first dart as an inner or outer Bull (Cork) and ask for that dart to be removed prior to his throw. Should the first dart be removed without the request of the 2nd thrower, a re throw will occur; with the 2nd thrower now having the option of throwing first. The dart must remain in the board in order to count. Additional throws may be made when throwing the Cork, until such time as the player's dart remains in the board. Should the 2nd thrower dislodge the dart of the 1st, a re throw will be made with the 2nd thrower now throwing first. re throws shall be called if the scorer cannot decide which dart is closest to the Cork, or if both darts are anywhere in the inner bull, or both darts are anywhere in the outer bull. Decision of the scorer is final. Should a re throw be necessary, the darts will be removed and the person who threw 2nd will now throw 1st.
In all events, each Leg shall be played with a Straight Start (no double required), and a double will be required to finish, unless otherwise stated by the local Tournament Organizers.
For the purpose of starting and finishing a Leg/Match, the INNER BULL is considered a double 25.
The 'BUST RULE' shall apply, (if the player scores one less, equal, or more points than needed to reach zero, he has "busted". His score reverts back to the score required prior to the beginning of his throw.)
Fast finishes such as 3 in a bed, 222, 111, shanghai, etc., do not apply.
A Leg/Match is concluded at such time as a player/team hits the 'double' required to reduce their remaining score to zero. Any and all darts thrown subsequently, shall not count for score.
Doubles/Team Events ............� top
It is permissible for the Doubles/Team player finishing a Leg, to throw the Cork and start the subsequent Leg. It is also permissible for one member of a Doubles or Team to throw the Cork 1st, and have his partner or teammate shoot first.
It is permissible for a Doubles or Team to participate with fewer than the required number of players, provided that team forfeits a turn(s) in each rotation, equal to the number of missing players. The missing player(s) may NOT join a Leg in progress, but is allowed to participate in a subsequent Leg(s) of that Match.
No player may participate on more than one Doubles or Team, in any respective darts event. There shall be NO recycling of players (either male or female) under any circumstances.
No substitutes shall be allowed after the first round of Doubles/Team play.
Scoring ............� top
For a dart to score, it must remain in the board 5 seconds after the 3rd or final dart has been thrown by that player. The tip of the dart point must be touching the bristle portion of the board, in order for that dart to be counted as score.
No dart may be touched by the thrower, another player, scorer, or spectator, prior to the decision of the scorer. Should this occur, that throw shall be deemed to have been completed, per provisions set forth in Rule 19.
A dart's score shall be determined from the side of the wire at which the point of the dart enters the board. Should a dart lodge directly between the connecting wires on the dart board, making it impossible to determine on which side of the wire the dart resides, the score shall always be the higher value of the two segments in question. This includes the outside double ring for the game shot. Determination as to whether the dart is directly between the wires shall be made in accordance with Rule 33.
It is 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. Errors in arithmetic must stand as written, unless corrected prior to the beginning of that player's next throw. In case of Doubles/Team matches, such errors must be rectified prior to the next turn of any partner/player on that team.
In Doubles/Team events, no player may throw (during a Leg) until each of his teammates has completed his throw. The FIRST player throwing out of turn shall receive a score of ZERO points for that round and his Team shall FORFEIT such turn.
The Scorer shall mark the board so that scores made are listed in the outer columns of the scoreboard, and the totals remaining are listed in the two middle columns.
The scoreboard/sheet must be clearly visible in front of the player at the Hockey.
The Scorer may inform the thrower what he has scored and/or what he has left. He MAY NOT inform the thrower what he has left in terms of number combinations. It IS permissible for a partner, teammate, or a spectator to advise the thrower during the course of a Match.
Equipment ............� top
Darts
Darts used in tournament play shall not exceed an overall maximum length of 30.5cm (12in.), nor weigh more than 50gm per dart. Each dart shall consist of a recognizable point, barrel, and flight.
dart board
The dart board shall be a standard 18" bristle board, of the type approved by the ADO (Sportcraft/Nodor), and shall be of the standard 1 - 20 clock pattern.
International dart board
Double Score (Twice the number)
Single Score (Face Value)
Triple Score (Triple the number)
Inner Bull
Double 25 or (50 points)
Outer Bull (25 points)
Out of Play Area (No score)
Standard Dimensions
Double and Triple rings inside width measurement. = 8mm. (5/16 ins)
Inner Bull Inside diameter = 12.7mm.(O.5ins)
Outer Bull Inside diameter = 31mm.(1.25ins)
Outside edge of Double wire to Center Bull = 170mm.(6.75ins)
Outside edge of Triple wire to Center Bull = 117mm.(4.25ins)
Outside edge of Double wire to Outside edge of Double wire = 342mm.(13.5ins)
Overall dart board diameter = 457mm.(18.Oins)
Spider wire gauge (Maximum Standard Wire Gauge) = 16SWG
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The scoring wedge indicated by 20 shall be the darker of the two wedge colors and must be the top center wedge.
No alterations/accessories may be added to the board setups.
The inner narrow band shall score 'Triple' the segment number and the outer narrow band shall score 'Double' the segment number.
The outer center ring shall score '25' and inner center ring shall score '50' and shall be called the 'Bull'.
The minimum throwing distance shall be 7' 9 1/4". The board height shall be 5' 8" (floor to center bull; 9' 7 1/2" measured diagonally from the center bull to the back of the raised hockey at floor level).
Lighting ............� top
Lights must be affixed in such a way as to brightly illuminate the board, reduce to a minimum the shadows cast by the darts, and not physically impede the flight of dart.
Hockey ............� top
Whenever possible, a raised hockey, at least 1 1/2" high and 2' long, shall be placed in position at the minimum throwing distance, and shall measure from the back of the raised hockey 7' 9 1/4" along the floor to a plumb line at the face of the dart board.
In the event the hockey is a tape or similar 'flush' marking, the minimum throwing distance shall be measured from the edge (front) of the tape closest to the dart board.
Should a player have any portion of his feet or shoes over the hockey line during a throw, all darts so thrown shall be counted as part of his throw, but any score made by said darts shall be invalid and not counted. One warning by the official shall be considered sufficient before invoking this rule.
A player wishing to throw a dart, or darts, from a point either side of the hockey line, must keep his feet behind an imaginary straight line extending from either side of the hockey line.
Center Bull Height = 1.73 metres (5ft - 8ins)
Minimum Throwing Distance = 2.37 metres (7ft - 9 1/4ins)
Diagonal - Center Bull to back of Hockey = 2.93 metres (9ft - 7 1/2ins)
Height of raised Hockey = 38mm (1 1/2ins)
Length of raised Hockey = 610mm (2ft - 0ins)
Conversion factor = 1cm. (0.3937ins)