| There are a fair few dart games to choose from | | | | longer available to score points with by either player, |
| apart from the standard 501 game. If you look at the | | | | and game moves on to the other numbers. The |
| specs of any decent electronic dart board where all | | | | object of this game is to score more points than |
| these games are programmed in you will see some | | | | your opponent, and hit every number and the bull 3 |
| of them have up to 40 games and a hundred or | | | | times. (The centre bull is counted as a double and the |
| more variations on these games. I have to confess | | | | outer bull a single) It can get very tricky to decide if |
| I'd never heard of some of them till I went through | | | | you go for points or close out your opponents |
| the booklet that came with the board. Cricket is one | | | | scoring numbers. |
| of the most popular games with lots of different | | | | 501 |
| playing rules for different versions of the game. In | | | | The game of 501 is one of the simplest games to |
| fact I think most electronic boards have at least 6 | | | | play and is the game played in all the big money |
| different versions of this game. But for now lets | | | | professional tournaments. Starting with a total of 501, |
| examine some of the standard versions of the | | | | your score is taken away from this total until you |
| games of cricket and 501. | | | | get down to 0. The last dart however must be a |
| Cricket | | | | double, so you can only check out with a score of |
| Lets start with the game of Cricket; The cricket | | | | 40 or less and of course the number must be even. |
| scoring board is marked as follows, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, | | | | The bust rule means that if you score more than |
| 15, B: The B on the card signifies the Bull. Before you | | | | you need or just one less than you need then you |
| can start scoring points, you must hit a number 3 | | | | are "bust" and the score is voided for that turn. You |
| times (or 1 treble or 1 double and a single); the | | | | start the next turn with the same score you had |
| number is then Open for you to score on, indicated | | | | before. The dreaded scenario is to end up on double |
| by an O next to your name and thereafter every | | | | 1 and keep missing it. The double one finish is often |
| time you hit that number you score points toward | | | | called "Annie's House" for reasons lost in the mists of |
| your total with doubles and trebles scoring as normal | | | | time. |
| as well. Your opponent however can stop you from | | | | 301 |
| scoring any more by also registering 3 hits on your | | | | This is basically a shorter version of 501, the |
| number; the number is then marked with an X and | | | | difference being, most local rules dictate that you |
| takes no further part in the game. If you hit the | | | | must start your scoring with a double as well as finish |
| number 20 5 times the number 20 is then open for | | | | on a double. |
| you to score after 3 hits and you have scored 40 | | | | There are more dart games than this of course, but |
| towards your total, indicated by an O by your name. | | | | knowing these basic games means you can get a |
| When the other player also hits the 20 3 times the | | | | game of darts virtually anywhere as most darters in |
| number 20 is closed, indicated by an X, and it is no | | | | the world will know these games at least. |