Dart players –or dartists –follow their own routines at each game depending on the skills and techniques that work for them. Like all competitive games, dart-throwing does not rely on strict black-and-white rules; it is more about getting the fundamentals rights. Practice makes perfect, and it is the best way to work with different throwing skills until you perfect every move and increase your chances of winning. Darts practice games are designed to help players improve their average on the scoreboard. By working on your precision, hand-eye coordination, and posture, you can become more agile and get better at hitting the target.
Darts practices are not about throwing darts at random numbers. They focus on game structure and add an element of challenge to help you achieve pinpoint accuracy. You can play with soft darts on electronic dartboards or with steel darts on traditional bristle boards. Practice routines involve single-player games as well as competitions with other players, depending on personal preferences. By addressing your weak areas in the game, you can throw darts more consistently and watch them land on doubles and trebles.
This article discusses some useful darts practice games that highlight the basics of scoring better through accuracy and consistency.
Important reminders
Aim for solo sessions
Dart practice games are organized to bring out the best of your potential. For this reason, it is a smart choice to practice solo rather than as a team. Solo games allow you to concentrate on just yourself minus the pressure of competition, and they also make a great hobby to kill time when you have nothing to do. With more chances at the dartboard, you can actually work on your skills without anyone getting in your way.
Track your progress
Think of some self-inspired dart goals and note down the outcome of every routine. By documenting your progress and milestones, you can look back to compare your strengths and weaknesses. Drawing simple charts and line graphs will help you analyze progress at each game, difficulty level, score combinations, etc.
Regular practice
As with all forms of sports, frequent practice sessions aid muscle memory. Not only does this enhance your hand-eye coordination, but darts practice games also teach you to direct consistent aims at the target. Dart-throwing provides a healthy mental workout with quick math skills as you keep up with the scoreboard. With added concentration and focus, regular practice brings your cognitive potential into action.
Darts practice games
There is a whole range of darts practice games that are standard, famous, specifically-designed, and also invented by darts players around the world. Based on personal preferences and creative challenges, the possibilities keep piling up. The goal is to be a versatile darts player with strategic skills and throwing tricks up your sleeve. We took a roundabout trip on the virtual dartboard, and here are some of the best darts practice games that caught our attention.
High 12
The High 12 is a very beginner-friendly game designed to achieve the highest score at 12 consecutive throws. You are required to throw 12 darts and score as much or as high as you can each time. This makes it quite instinctive to target the 20-number wedge, with the triple-20 segment forming the highest possible score of 60 (3×20) with one dart. By practicing the High 12, you can work on other high score combinations as well, particularly if you struggle with aiming at the 20-number wedge. When you target nearby numbers that are neither high nor low –like the number 14 –you get to land a good average and increase your chances of scoring high.
Around the World
Around the World is also one of darts practice gamea for beginners, as it is very region-specific. As the name suggests, it takes you around the dartboard sequentially. You have to land your darts in the correct number wedge following an ascending order, starting from 1, 2, 3,4,and so on until you hit the bullseye. This is a great way to get the feel of all the numbers on the dartboard. You must hit the numbers in consecutive order, and once you land the dart correctly, you can proceed to the next number.
The game can be adapted into different styles and rules, and you can add your own ideas to it. For example, the darts and score rules could be upgraded to make the game more challenging. Instead of landing one dart, you need to hit three darts in the same number wedge before proceeding to the next number. This creates a dynamic twist to the original practice game, and it is fun to explore the challenges to see how long it takes you to move around the dartboard.
Middle for Diddle
With Middle for Diddle, the darts practice uses the inner and outer bullseyes. Beginning at a score of 501, the goal is to end the game at an exact zero by subtracting points. What makes this an exciting session is that only two targets contribute towards your subtractive score: the inner and outer bullseyes at 50 and 25 points, respectively. If you hit any other number, it will be ignored. This game is also based on a clever double-in and double-out rule. You must begin by hitting a double number, and in this case, it could be any double on the dartboard, including the inner-50 bullseye as well. With the double-in entry into the game, you are also required to end it by landing a final double. To create a challenge, some darts rules specify the double-out number you must hit in order to finish the game. It is fun to practice with the fewest possible darts that bring down the score to zero.
Straight in 101
During Straight in 101, you begin with a score of 101 and end the game at zero by taking away points with every throw. The game has different creative adaptations. For example, you can use two darts to bring the score to zero in two throws –the triple 17 and the bullseye (3×17=51) + 50 = 101. This practice game really stimulates your mental mathematics as you work on your form and throwing precision. The technique lies in aiming for suitable combinations of double and triple scores to bring the initial 101 to an exact zero.
John Lowe’s Ten Ups
This practice game aims at the treble-20 segment. You score points by hitting within the 20-numberwedge, and the game ends once you have earned at least ten points. In a single round, you need to hit the treble 20 at least once, and your total score should be at least 100. Each treble 20 hit (3×20=60) earns you one point. So, by making three hits (3×60=180), you score three points, and so on until you have a total of ten points.
With every practice, keep a track of how many darts you use to achieve the target of ten points. If you do not hit the treble 20 but manage to score above 100, it does not count. If you hit the treble 20 once but fail to score more than 100 in the round, that too does not qualify. By landing at least one treble 20 and focusing on the 20-number wedge, the game offers a very specific route to refine your skills.
51 by 5s
In 51 by 5s, you have better coverage of the dartboard, as you get to practice your chosen numbers around the board. The game relies on a base number, for example 5, and if you hit numbers that are multiples of 5, you score points. By self-assigning a target score(like 51), you can check how many darts you need at every practice to reach that target. Each multiple of 5 earns you a point, so you score one point at 5, two points at 10, three points at 15, and so on. You can create your own set of rules with doubles and trebles to include the multiples of 5. In this way, your practice sessions become open to different possibilities with multiples of other number sand combinations with the bullseye.
Twenty Eight
The game of 28 helps you practice the darts game of Cricket as well. In standard darts Cricket, players have three darts to hit the bullseye and the numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. The same scoring system of these seven numbers is used in 28. The only difference is that this time you are supposed to hit four darts in each number: (7×4=28). The strategy here focuses on how quickly you can close the seven numbers, using how many darts. To get the best out of your practice sessions, try eliminating accidental dart hits. For example, if you are aiming at 15 but the dart lands on 16, 17, 18,etc., rule those hits out of your score so that you can determine the probability of achieving targeted hits rather than accidental scores.
Solo Cricket
Instead of the standard 2-player game, playing solo Cricket makes a good improvisation. Using three darts as usual, you must complete the rounds at the given seven numbers. It is a more individual-level game in which you try and beat your previous score in the next round. By playing against yourself and marking the scoreboard for every round, you can track your efficiency with Cricket skills. Since you need to aim for the numbers 15-20 and the bullseye, this form of a solo darts practice game, like Twenty Eight, inspires self-competition.
Count your Darts
Count your Darts is a very basic practice game that helps you address your weak areas on the dartboard. By choosing your target and aiming only at that specific area, you can develop better accuracy for successful throws in the future. Take a number of darts you want to use per session, and see if you can land most of them on your chosen target. The game creates wonderful scope in improving your average, as you get to work only on your weak numbers by practicing consecutive, targeted hits. You can gradually increase the number of darts per round to test yourself for consistent throws with most of the darts making successful hits.
Bullseye 500
Similar to Count Your Darts, Bullseye 500 focuses on individual targets. Instead of aiming only at the bullseye, you can choose your target segment anywhere on the dartboard and practice throwing darts only in that area. You must hit your target ten times consecutively, for example, the bullseye will give a total of (50 x 10 = 500 points). You can first observe your darts performance by counting how many times you actually hit the target, and then work on your score distribution. Just like Count your Darts, this practice game is a great way to keep track of how often you miss the mark and how far you have come from the first round.
High Score
High Score is played to score a higher number than before using minimum darts per round. By throwing three darts in each round, your scores add up to the total –which should be equal to or higher than the previous game score. This makes the practice game rely on your high-scoring throws and creates an opportunity to aim for doubles and trebles. It helps you set achievable milestones that encourage progress on the dartboard, as you get to practice different numbers that will accumulate into a higher score. You do not want to set the bar too high right from the start, since your next score needs to be higher than your first target. So, you can begin with low scores to leave room for improvement.
Another arrow in your quiver
Following beginner dart drills in your practice routines is an essential part of improving your throwing techniques. Practicing a variety of forms using the right gear helps you understand the aerodynamics of a dart mid-flight. Solo dart practice games like those discussed above are ideal for increasing your strategies and skillset. By practicing these games, you get to scatter your expertise around the dartboard and be familiar with different target areas for a better competitive streak during team games.
