DARTBOARD

Description

The game of darts is traditionally played in pubs across the world. Many variations of dart games abound, mostly differing due to region however they all share one thing in common and that is the use of a thrown dart to strike a dartboard for points. These games are generally ones of agility but luck still plays a small part. All dart games have their origins in the combative arts; however the darts used here are designed for accuracy to the exclusion of damage potential.

Dartboard A dartboard is large circular board made of cork or wood that is divided into twenty wedges like a pie. Each wedge is numbered one through twenty representing their point value. In the very center is a small black dot surrounded by a slightly larger red circle known as the double bull's eye and bull's eye, respectively. The point value of a bull's eye is twenty-five and the double bull is fifty. The board also has two thin rings known as the doubles and the triples. The triples ring bisects all the wedges and has a point value equal to three times the number upon which it overlaps. The doubles ring circles the very outside of each wedge and is valued at two times the number over which it lay.

Three games are recognized in some form or another around the world of Alyria. They are Cricket, 301, and 501. In all the games, players normally Cork to see who goes first and then alternate turns by throwing three darts per turn. Players then take as many turns as is necessary to finish the game.

Corking Corking is used to determine who shoots first regardless of what game is going to be played. The winner of the cork is the one who gets the highest amount of points by throwing a single dart. The syntax is generally, 'Let us Cork.', 'You Cork.', 'I'll Cork.', or 'Who won the Cork?'.

Cricket The game of Cricket is more time consuming than 301 or 501. In this game points do not matter. The object is to try to hit a particular number three times thus 'closing' it. The numbers we shoot for are normally 18, 19, 20 and the bull's eye. Doubles count as two strikes and triples as three. The first player to close all the target numbers and bull's eye wins.

301 301 is easier than Cricket and very similar to 501. The object of this game is to subtract the number of points you get each turn from 301. It is a simple race to zero but with one catch, to begin subtracting points you must first throw a double on any number and to finish the game you must throw another double. It is called 'double in, double out'. The first double thrown is subtracted from 301 to start the countdown. Once reaching zero points, or less, the next double thrown will finish the game.

501 Though 501 is different from Cricket, it is almost exactly the same as 301 except you do not have to double in. Each player starts with 501 points and race to zero by subtracting the number of points they get each turn. The first player to score a double on any number after reaching zero, or less, wins.

As with any game, a player should take a few practice throws first to get a feel for it.