Dart board regulations is a way to make tournaments more organized and even more fun.
This is how it works:
-Each player must bring 2 darts with him to the tournament
-Every dart used in official games must be pre-approved by the Tournament Organizer/Dart Board Operator (we will call them T.O./B.O from now on). If the dart is not pre-approved, it does not fly.
Darts are approved by the Tournament Organizer/Dart Board Operator if they meet these specifications:
1) The dart must weigh exactly (to within 1 gram) 12 grams
2) The barrel must be made of metal
3) There cannot be any English on the dart, except for the number that corresponds with its approved flight
-Every board used in official games must be pre-approved by the Tournament Organizer/Dart Board Operator. If the board is not pre-approved, it does not fly.
Boards are approved by the Tournament Organizer/Dart Board Operator if they meet these specifications:
1) The dart board must be bristle, not electronic.
2) The number of outs must be appropriate to the tournament level (ie. in a beginner tournament, an out will equal any double or single-digit section of the board. For example 14 could equal double bull, triple 20, triple 17, etc. An out will equal double or triple 20 in an advanced tournament). The number of outs must be within the parameters of what is considered acceptable for that level (ie., if your dart board has double 19 as an out, you cannot use it in a professional tournament)
3) The number of tens and bullseyes must be appropriate to the tournament level.
4) If the dart board has features that are not considered acceptable for the level of a tournament being played, but are still within what is considered normal for a particular bristle type/brand/model, they must be disabled or covered before play starts. (ie., if the bullseye is green on your dart board, but is required to be red for your tournament, it must be covered with tape before play starts).
5) There cannot be anything attached to the dart board that can affect gameplay.
(Note: This does include inflatable dart boards. Not only are they not allowed, but if you have one of these at your tournament and don’t know it, your tournament will not be counted for the purposes of becoming a Certified Dart League.)
-Darts must stick in the dart board when they hit. If they are knocked out by another dart or fly out on their own, the darts are still “in”.
-A bullseye counts as 25 points (when the bullseye is round, not just a green circle)
-A double bullseye counts as 50 points (when the double bullseye is round and red and not just a green circle with another smaller green circle inside of it).
-A dart can count for any point total between its number and the next highest number. If the dart is on the number that it falls between, that score must be awarded.
-A dart that lands in one of its own flights counts as 0 points. For example, if a dart hits triple 20 and then bounces into either triple 19 or bullseye, it does not count for 19 or 25.
-If two darts hit the same section of a board (example: both 20s), only one dart counts for that number.
-If two darts land in the same flight, only one dart counts for that flight.
-Darts thrown by Opponent A can be caught by Opponent B. For example, if I throw my 2 darts and my opponent catches them, he scores.
-Players cannot throw darts over other players (hence the name “dart” game). If a dart is caught in flight by another player (including the catcher’s partner), that dart does not count.
-A player who is throwing must stand at least 6 feet back from the dartboard.
- Players must stand on the same side of the dart board as their throwing hand (for example, if player A is left-handed, he must stand at the left side of the dart board). If a spot opens up on the opposite side due to disqualification or by moving an opposing team’s players to that team’s bench for a throw, no points can be scored on that board (the dart did not count and the score remains what it was before the dart landed), even if another player of that team has a dart in his hand. For example: If Team A’s 4 is throwing and 5 is already at the oche (throw line), no point can be scored for Team A on that throw if a dart lands in the 20. If Team B’s 4 is throwing and 5 is already at the oche, no point can be scored for Team A on that throw if a dart lands in the 20.
- A player who has thrown all 3 of his darts must remain within 10 feet of the dart board until his opponent(s) have thrown all 3 of their darts. If a player accidentally (or purposefully-he’s still out, but you can’t prove it was on purpose without video equipment and we don’t allow that here ) moves outside the 10 foot throwing distance before his opponents throw, he is automatically disqualified and no points can be scored on that turn. If a dart thrown by his opponent(s) lands in the dart board as a result of the illegal throw, those darts no longer count and it remains as if they were never thrown.
- Players must wait for all players to be ready before throwing any darts (meaning: they cannot begin bulling their numbers or throwing their darts until all players are ready).
- Players must only throw the dart that is in their hand, unless they have been disqualified. When a player throws his 3 darts, if he does not stick them into the board, he has automatically been disqualified and no points can be scored on that turn. He may pick up his darts if he wishes. If he picks up the darts, he cannot throw them (he’s not out yet). He can drop them if he chooses to (the opponent may pick them up for him), or he can put them back into his pouch.
-If a player throws 3 darts and one falls out of his hand before hitting the board, that dart counts as 0 points. If all 3 darts fall out before hitting the board, that turn is automatically disqualified and no points can be scored for the player who threw those 3 darts.
- Players cannot move around the dart board to get a better throwing angle (this does not include walking around to go back to your seat if you have been pushed out of the “circle” by an opposing team member, or moving along the line to reach your seat if you’ve been pushed back further than your initial position after your first throw). Once a player has begun his approach (throwing), he cannot stop (he must release the dart before coming in contact with the board). If ANY part of his body touches the board, no points can be scored for him on that turn. If he breaks this rule, his darts are still good if they land in the dartboard (assuming the throw was not disqualified). If his hand crosses through the ring of fire without touching it, any darts that are stuck in the board are still counted.
- Players may stand anywhere they wish behind the oche (throw line) but must remain on the same side of the board as their throwing hand. Touching or crossing over to the other side results in an automatically disqualified throw with no score.
- If a player accidently walks onto or stands on, or accidentally crosses over from one side of the oche to the other, he has automatically disqualified his throw and no points can be scored on that turn. If a dart lands in the board as a result of an illegal throw, it is considered a dead dart and remains where it landed with a score of 0. He may pick up his darts if he wishes or drop them (the opponent may pick them up for him).
- If a dart is thrown which hits the wire of the oche or board, no points are scored. If that same dart then bounces into the board but does not stick in it, no points are scored.
- No players are allowed behind the player throwing at the time his turn starts until he has released his darts (he is allowed between the oche and the board, but not behind).
- Once a player has started throwing at the dartboard, no one may touch or move anything on his side of the board unless it is in an attempt to remove a fallen dart. If he asks for help in removing a fallen dart, the opponent is only allowed to touch the dart while removing it.
- Players must stand on their own side of the board at all times while playing unless asked for help in removing a fallen dart or asked to approach the board by their opponent, or asked by an official for whatever reason. Approaching means standing behind the oche but still on the side of your throwing hand. If approached by an opponent while you are throwing, you may either wait for him to stop approaching (he cannot touch the board or dartboard at all), or continue on if he is still far back enough not to interfere with your throw (you CANNOT ask him to get further away, even though it may look like you are).
- When throwing darts, players may NOT hold their dart over the oche (throw line) before releasing it. It must be released first or not at all. If a dart is held long enough that it hits the wire of the oche or board before being released, no points are scored. If a player accidentally throws a dart over the oche without letting go of it while throwing, it is considered to have fallen down in the ring of fire and is not counted even if it sticks in the board unless he was disqualified for touching or crossing over onto the other side of the oche.
- Throwers must use their own darts and they must fit comfortably in their hand without falling out. If a dart is found to be faulty (missing flights, broken tip, no rubber at all) and cannot be thrown properly, it may be replaced with another full set of three darts of that same type. If that same dart breaks or falls out of the board during play, his turn is over and he must throw again.
- If a player throws all three darts into the board in less than ten seconds (or any other time determined beforehand), he has automatically disqualified himself on that turn and no points can be scored by him (those darts remain where they landed, dead). If the player is already in a pass line and then decides to do that, his turn ends immediately after throwing all three darts.
- If a dart bounces out of the board and does not land in the ring of fire at least once, it is considered a dead dart and no points can be scored. If a dart bounces out of the board and lands in the ring of fire, it is considered alive and scoring may continue. If that same dart then falls onto or across the oche, no points are scored. -If any part of your body touches the wire of the oche or board before throwing your darts, you have automatically disqualified yourself on that turn and no points can be scored by you (those darts remain where they landed, dead). If you pull your hand back and hold it there with the dart against the wire before releasing it, this is considered touching the wire. Any part of your body touching or crossing over to your opponent’s side of the oche while throwing is disqualifying.
- If any part of your front foot crosses over the oche before you throw, it is considered crossing over and you automatically disqualified yourself on that turn and no points can be scored by you (those darts remain where they landed, dead). If your other foot also crosses over, this automatic disqualification does not happen even though you are both feet across. If your foot does not cross back over to your throwing side, this is NOT automatically disqualifying.
- You must throw all three darts within twenty seconds (or any other time determined beforehand) or you are disqualified on that turn and no points can be scored by you (those darts remain where they landed, dead). If you are in a pass line and your opponent is still throwing, the twenty seconds begins after he has put his darts down. If you or your opponent is not present after twenty seconds (or any other time determined beforehand), it is considered an automatic disqualification and no points can be scored by either player (those darts remain where they landed, dead).
- If a player or his darts interfere with your turn, make sure he knows it and let the first dart count before throwing again. If a player intentionally interferes with another’s turn by distracting them without being asked to stop, this is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and the other player automatically wins.
- In order for a dart to count, it must land in the board and remain there until your turn is over. If a dart bounces back onto the playing surface without sticking in the board, this is considered a dead dart and no points can be scored for either player. Any darts that fall out of the board or bounce back onto the playing surface during your turn are dead and can no longer score for either player.
- Each dart thrown in the board counts as one point, regardless of how many darts are on the board at any given time. -If a dart is thrown in time but doesn’t stick into the board when it lands, no points are scored (this includes if there are already three darts in the board when it lands). There are no warm-ups.
- When leaving the oche, make sure you place your darts properly in the dart holder before your opponent(s) can throw. If you leave the oche and your darts fall out of their holding area, this is considered automatic disqualification for that turn and no points can be scored (those darts remain where they landed, dead).
- If a dart hits the wire and bounces off into the playing surface, no points can be scored for that dart. If all three darts hit the wire on their way to or from hitting a triple ring score, no points can be scored for those darts.
- On dart boards where inner bull/outer bull is not needed, no point can be scored for hitting the corresponding section.
- No points are awarded for hitting outside numbers, even if they are double or triple rings. -All dart rules must agree with dart regulations posted in the official general rules of play. If there is a conflict, the official general rules of play always takes precedence over these dart regulations. -Any rule questions or discrepancies should be discussed on the official league message board or emailed to the administrator for clarification (see top). If no administrator is available, one opinion will hold more weight than another.
- Playing darts on someone else’s turn is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and is an automatic loss. -There are no warm-ups; each player must wait for the other to finish throwing before throwing again (although not more than twenty seconds or any other time determined beforehand).
- If a dart is thrown in time but doesn’t stick into the board when it lands, no points can be scored for that dart. If all three darts hit the wire on their way to or from hitting a triple ring score, no points can be scored for those darts.
- On dartboards where inner bull/outer bull is not needed, no point can be scored for hitting those sections. -If a dart hits the wire and bounces off into the playing surface, no points can be scored for that dart. If all three darts hit the wire on their way to or from hitting a triple ring score, no points can be scored for those darts.
- Any rule questions or discrepancies should be discussed on the official league message board or emailed to the administrator for clarification (see top). If no administrator is available, one opinion will hold more weight than another.
- Playing darts on someone else’s turn is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and is an automatic loss.
In conclusion
Dart board regulations can get pretty complicated, especially on different types of dart boards, but this is a general idea. Just make sure to follow these rules and you should be fine.
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