| The game of darts has a rich and interesting history. It is believed to have started in medieval England when soldiers threw shortened arrows at the bottoms of empty wine barrels in order to improve their aim with bows and arrows. This led to soldiers having contests with each other at local pubs, which in turn led to the invention of dartboards and several different games of darts. The game became extremely popular in England, and soon its popularity spread throughout the world.
There are several different types of darts games; though playing any of them takes some basic knowledge of the dartboard as well as scoring. A dartboard is a circular shaped board about 18 inches in diameter, with 20 equal-sized pie-wedge-shaped areas. The wedges are numbered from 1 to 20, but are not numbered in order. The dartboard also has an outer ring and an inner ring, which both dissect the wedges. The outer ring is called the “double ring” and the inner ring is called the “triple ring”. In the very center of the dartboard is a small circle called the “bullseye”, which is also surrounded by a small ring. Players take turns throwing darts one by one – usually three darts per turn – and depending on the game they are playing they try to hit different areas of the dartboard. The very center of the bullseye is the most difficult area to hit, and for most games hitting this area gets players the most points.
In one basic game, which is called by several names including “Round the Clock” and “One Through Twenty”, players start by first trying to hit the number 1 wedge, then after they hit that one they go to the number 2 wedge, all the way up to the number 20 wedge and then the bullseye. The first player to make it to the bullseye and hit it successfully wins. Players take turns and get to throw 3 darts at each turn. Hitting the bullseye while trying to hit any number wedge automatically counts as hitting that number. There is no need to count points during this simple game, since it is really just a race to the finish.
Another popular way of playing darts is to play for points. Each player gets a specific number of turns, and can throw three darts during each turn. When a player hits a certain number wedge, he or she gets that number of points. However, if a player gets a dart in the outer ring in a certain wedge, the player gets double the amount of points related to that number wedge, and getting the dart within the inner circle triples the points. The outer ring of the bullseye is worth a high amount of points, and the very center of the bullseye gets players the most points.
There are many variations of these basic games, but one underlying theme in every game is accuracy. Learning how to play any dart game well means learning how to throw darts well enough to hit your intended targets. Though to some people playing darts may seem easy enough at first, it actually takes a tremendous amount of practice to develop the skill to become a formidable player. Fortunately, darts is the type of sport that can be easily played at home, so all it takes is to buy a good dartboard and some good quality darts to be able to practice the game and hone your skills. Once you think you have developed the skill and created a style that you think is a winner, you can even start entering dart competitions. Be warned, though; playing darts can be a habit that lasts a lifetime!
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