To become a good dart player you need accuracy and strategy. Accuracy is your ability to hit a particular target. Strategy is deciding what target to shoot at. In any dart game accuracy is about 90% of winning, and 10% strategy.
Having good strategy can improve your accuracy by improving rhythm. Players shoot best when they have established a rhythm in their darts. The most common thing that will disrupt a players rhythm is a lack of strategy, it is very hard to maintain a rhythm when you have to stop and add your score in the middle of your throw.
There are many opportunities on the board to help you get to an out in fewer darts. Learn to use the whole board, forget about your favorite double. The doubles are the same size and one is just as easy to hit as another (except for the double bull). Many players like double 16 because it breaks down 4 times all the way to double one. But when playing advanced players you are likely to only get one or two sets of darts at an out before its over. If there are certain areas of the board you don’t like you’re giving yourself a handicap.
Take a good look at the board and see where the numbers are positioned. This will help you pick the right target when you need to. Below is one example of how knowing the board can help you win.
You have two darts to throw and 42 left. What do you throw for?
This one’s a no brainer. You always aim for the wire between the fat 6 and the fat 10. They are next to each other and it doesn’t matter which or what you hit with your first dart.
- 6 leaves you double 18
- 10 leaves you double 16
If you accidentally hit a double or triple no worries.
- triple 6 leaves you double 12
- triple 10 leaves you double 6
- double 6 leaves you double 15 (next to 10 clockwise)
- double 10 leaves you double 11
This sort of makes your first dart a free shot.
There are more like that and it is worth checking the board and finding out where they are for which finishes. Maybe you will find one you like that isn’t in regular out tables.
One for the road (Route 46) a 10 or six alternative
To finish 46 with 2 or 3 darts in your hand, you can obviously shoot for 14 – D16 which is fairly standard and fine if you hit the 14. If you shoot for the 14 and miss, the numbers on either side are 9 and 11 leaving you 37 or 35 and at best two darts to finish.
An alternative is to throw for the six and ten wire as above. You will end up on either D20 or D18 unless you miss completely and drop into 15. If you do hit a 15 then hit another one and finish on D8.
- 6 leaves you double 20
- 10 leaves you double 18
If you accidentally hit a double or triple or a 15.
- triple 6 leaves you double 14
- triple 10 leaves you double 8
- double 6 leaves you double 17 or (2 – D16)
- double 10 leaves you double 13 or (6 – D10) or (10 – D8)
- a weak shot falling into 15 gives you an easy follow (15 – D8)
You can argue about which way is best till the cows come home.
The important thing is to be aware of the choices that exist and don’t be afraid to reassess your situation and USE YOUR OUT CHARTS EARLY!