The game of darts has become increasingly popular indoor game across the world. The recent technological advancements have also not left dart players behind. Currently, there are dart games that are played online; something that was never imagined of some years back.
A good number of dart players have shifted from the traditional dart gaming techniques where gaming is done over tavern settings to the online ones. That having been said, it is time to look at another popular aspect of dart playing which is the Gotcha.
Do you know something about gotcha darts? Well, worry not as this piece has got everything you need to know about gotcha dart gaming. Take a look.
What is gotcha darts?
Contents
Gotcha darts is usually played on a dartboard with three darts and a bull’s eye. Every player has to hit various targets with precision in just one session and this includes 3 darts. With the gotcha darts, there are no limits on the game’s length as well as the number of participants.
The time taken for every game is usually dependent on the number of targets chosen. If you happen to drop half of your scores throughout the game, the game ends. The aim of the game is to score the number that was agreed upon before the game began.
How to play gotcha darts?
For the gotcha darts, it is a good thing to choose a slightly lower score as higher scores do prolong the game. For the gotcha, the most enjoyable aspect is killing which involves resetting of an opponent’s score to zero. This happens if you score the exact points as your opponent.
Killing helps give you advantage over your opponent. With the gotcha, there is also a likelihood of busting to happen. Scoring higher points than the winning total is what causes busting. Bursting leads to the resetting of your scores to the previous throw.
The gotcha game is played till a winner is found. Players will make their throws till one gets to the agreed points, which can either be 301 or 501. This can make the game go for many rounds and even hours. Actually, there is no specified time that gotcha darts should end. The time taken depends on how long a winner is found.
The player that manages to get to the agreed points ahead of others is declared the winner. If it happens that it is not you, you have another chance to prove your skill but this time round in another game. And this is how gotcha darts is played, so simple and straight forward.
How to play darts?
Darts are played on dartboards with the most ideal boards being bristle. The board has patterns delineated by hue and wire. Additionally, the board is a circle with 20 segments numbered randomly from 1 up to 20.
The bull’s eye is at the center of the board and is usually colored black. Surrounding it is the red ring, also known as the 25 ring. It is from this ring that the segments spread out and broken by treble ring half way to the double ring at the edges which acts as the circles rim.
If the dart lands in a segment marked by a given number and is within the treble ring, then a score has been achieved. Every player has to aim at dartboard with 3 darts that are either soft tip or steel tip darts and scores recorded based on where the darts have landed.
The dartboard has to be placed in a way that the bull’s-eye is about 5 feet from the ground surface. Players stand at least 7 feet from the board on a horizontal block which is 1.5 inches high. For casual gaming, some of these can be ignored.
301 darts rules
The 301 starting points are less compared to the 501/801 points which makes the game quite shorter. With these few points, the likelihood of errors occurring has been minimized. If you happen to fall behind, the chances of the other player winning the game are very high being that the game takes a shorter duration to be won.
Some of the most important rules of the 301 darts are:
- Objective-The aim of 301 is to score exactly 301 points.
- Bust- In case there is a bust, a player scoring more than 301 points in the previous contest; the previous turn’s score is restored.
- Killing- If a player performs a throw and gets the same points as those of the opponent, the opponent’s scores are reset back to zero.
- Winning- The game is only won if one of the players scores precisely 301 points. The player that reaches this milestone is crowned the overall winner. Unless this fete is achieved, the game continues.
Before you begin the game, you have to decide on who goes first by, for example, by tossing a coin. For every turn, a player throws 3 darts. A double must be hit for collection of points to officially begin. Besides, a double must be hit for the game to won.
To a win a double, you have to hit the outside ring or double hit the bull’s eye. After the double has been hit the first time, the points begin counting downwards from 301. If you want to win the game faster, then aim for triple 20s.
Going under 0 without scoring a double or by getting too many points makes you go bust. This means you have to forfeit your remaining turns and begin the next game with the same points you began the previous game with.
In case the player’s toes happen to pass the toe line, an inning isn’t counted. Leaning forward is allowed as long as the toes don’t touch the toe line. Also note that the dart has to stick on the dartboard for at least 5 seconds to be counted as a score.
The first and last throws have to be doubles. You, therefore, have to get your calculations right. The game involves a lot of mathematical calculations to get everything right.
501 darts rules
Just like the 301, the 501 is also a game of counting down. The difference between these 2 games is that this begins with a score of 501 points. Being that the score is a larger value, this game takes a little longer.
If you want to play for an extended period of time before getting an eventual winner, then it is advisable that you go for the 501. Professional dart players also prefer the 501 for most of their championships. The game is played in 5 rounds and whoever gets to level 3 becomes the winner.
Just like the 301, you have to finish the game with a double score. A throw that comes close to the bull’s eye starts the game. Each player has an opportunity to throw 3 darts.
Here are some of the rules of the 501:
- Scoring- the innermost circle gives a score of 50, the thin green section is 25 points, the thinnest outer-most area is a double while the inner thin ring is a triple score. The numbering of the board is standard and remains unchanged.
- Busting- getting a score that is larger than the remaining value to get a 0 earns you a bust. All points are deducted and the player goes back to the previous score. Remaining with 1 point is also a bust. A bust can also be achieved by getting a 0 point when the winning score is not from a double.
- Winning- one wins if a 0 round score is achieved with the double-out rule at the back of the mind. If after several rounds there is still no winner, the round scores for all the players are averaged and the player with the lowest points becomes the winner.
The Out Chart
To help you strategize on how to win the game, especially when your score is already 100 or less points, you need to consult the Out Chart. The chart tells you what you need to aim at to get the remaining points. If for example, you are left with 75 points to wrap the game up, the chart will advise that you go for T17 (triple 17) and D12 (double 12).
This gives a total of 75 points and at the same time your final throw will be a double earning you the winner’s prize. The chart recommends all the final throws to be doubles for you to get out with a win. There are dartboards that do come with the Out Chart but if yours didn’t come with, you can buy it separately.
Conclusion
Gotcha is an extremely enjoyable game when played using the best darts. It can be played in a bar or even at home. However, you need to abide by all the rules and sometimes commit to extended hours of play to make the game a lot more fun. It is now time to put all these into practice and enjoy! Hope you enjoyed the read. Do you have any questions or comments to make?
Thank you! Lasesana
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