Why
Practice?
Warming up
High Scoring
Doubling out
Bulls
Counting/Set up shots
Cricket
It is only in exceptional circumstances that the above is true. For the rest of us mere mortals we shall have to accept "practice makes better!". As with everything else the more we practice, the more we can develop our skills and maintain a higher more consistent performance. Darts is no exception. Whilst, most of us prefer playing a game or two, with friends or family, at home or down the local pub there will be times by yourselves which can be used to practice.
We often will warm up, prior to starting a game. Depending on
the time available their are several quick drills which you can
use to warm up. There are several elements to a game of darts
which can be practiced in only a few minutes. The key is to focus
on every throw to prepare for the game to follow.
You will need to experiment to find what works for you, but this
is what I do.
Dart players of average ability spend most of their time
aiming at triple 20 or triple 19 (depending on whether they
prefer the top or bottom of the board). Beginners can score lower
though more consistently on the bottom-left of the board.
I practice by throwing 5 or 10 sets of darts at the T20. Count
the number of 20's scored (doubles count 2, triples 3), the
number of tons, or total points scored (including misses). Set a
standard to beat or try to improve on a personal best.
If you can't hit a double you can't win!. Whilst consistent
high scores are signs of a good dart player, the double is more
critical. Many a good leg have been thrown away by missing shots
at a double.
There are several practice drills which can be used:
Often neglected as "too hard" we often start games
by "diddling" to determine who shoots first but once
started ignore the bull for the rest of the game. However as your
darts improve the bull can become a valuable asset as it is the
highest double. Consider 90 - most people will try T18-D18,
however if a single 18 is scored that leaves 72 with two darts.
By using the bull we can go 20-20-DB giving a shot at or double
without hitting a triple. Alternatively we can try DB-x20, since
an outer bull still leaves single 15 for DB finish.
Consider the following practice drills
Players of all abilities can easily improve their game, without throwing any better, simply by counting. For example, when approaching a finish (i.e. below 100) is your score odd or even. All doubles are even! So do you need an odd number (consider the 7-19-3-17 sector) or do you need to stay even (16-8 or 10-6). Before selecting a set-up shot think through what you will do if you miss. Maximize your chances by giving yourself a second chance. For example, on 46 most people would go 14 to leave double 16. However the 14 is surrounded by odd numbers. Alternatively if you aim for 6-10 you have twice the area to aim for to leave a double (D20 or D18).
Cricket is a game with several variations, but usually involves scoring on the numbers 15 to 20 plus the bull, the idea being to hit three of a number to enable you to score points before your opponent hits three to close the number. Highest score wins. A variation often called "Tactics" has the Doubles and Triples added as separate scoring categories.
This is an excellent game for practicing darts as it focuses your darts on several areas of the board. It is also very popular with beginners as you do not need to hit a double to finish.
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