Tournament Rules

Organising Darts tournaments in your local pub or club is not always that easy. Players need to know the format of play when they arrive and your rules for your tournament. Most Pub & Club league games use rules governed by the BDO ruling and for a comprehensive copy of their rules visit the BDO Website. However, to help you along, most fun tournaments can be organised without too much trauma by using the details a draw list below.

I have produced a couple of basic tournament sheets for you use in your local event. You can download save and reproduce these sheets free for your tournament.

 

General Rules of a standard Game of 701, 501, 301 Game

• The Standard Dartboard should hang securely from a wall so that the height of the centre bull is to the ground is 5ft 8ins / 173cm. (See Dartboard Set-up)
• The throwing distances can vary from anything from 7ft to 8ft 6 ins but the standard setup is played from 7ft 9 ¼ ins 2.37 meters from the face of the dartboard measured horizontally.
• The toe-line or Oche shall be clearly marked and should be at a minimum 18ins long. The toe line can be just a painted line on the ground or a securely raised line indicator such as a piece of wood or metal. The latter is preferable as the thrower as a firm edge to rest his/her foot against.
• The order of play is either determined by a toss of a coin or by each player throwing for the centre bull the nearest being the player that throws first (BDO ruling) PDC Bulling up is slightly different. The rules here can vary depending on the league you may be playing in; the local rules should be observed at all times.
• When throwing for the bull, if the first thrower hits the centre bull or outer bull the dart is usually removed before the second player throws. If the second player hits the same as the first player then the bulling-up procedure starts again. If the first player's dart does not hit either the centre bull or outer bull then the dart remains in the board until the second player throws. If the first player's dart is obstructing the bull the second player may request the marker/ref to straighten the dart. (See local rules)
• Once the order of play has been determined the winner will start leg one and odd legs after that. The loser will start leg two and even legs thereafter.
• Any standard darts may be used.
• A throw consists of three darts except were the game is finished in less.
• Darts cannot be re-thrown this includes darts that miss the board and darts that bounce of the board wiring system. Only darts that have their points touching the scoring area of board score
• A player may be told, if he asks, what number they scored, or what number he requires for the game, by the score announcer, but not how to achieve it.
• If the number required for the game is exceeded in the course of a throw, throw ceases, and no account is taken of the score obtained during that throw.
• The inner bull (50) counts as double of (25) the outer bull.
• The game is to score 301, 501 or 701, as previously agreed.
• Generally, each player’s score must start and finish a game with a double (The out narrow ring of the board). Competition games, however, are usually played with a straight start (no compulsory double) but with a compulsory double to finish.

Scoring this tournament

• The first throw is deducted from the player start number e.g. 501 and then from the subsequence reducing the total. The scorer should show both the score obtained for the throw and the deducing total remaining.
• This tournament requires double/single start
• The tournament is the first to reach to _____ legs / _____sets. Each set is the best of (___) legs.
• Disputes to be settled by _____________________

You may have other rules that you may wish to apply such match marking i.e. looser of the previous match marks the next. You may wish to impose fines if this isn’t done. You may have a team event and usually, home teams mark.

It is your event so you can make the rules however the more straightforward they are the easy it is for all.

Tournament Sheets

Tournament draw and leg scores can be printed in A4/A3 sizes. By default, the downloads are designed for the typical printer paper size of A4. However, if you own or know someone with a printer capable of printing using A3 paper, you can adjust the print size on your printer.

Set your printer to A3 and scale up the PDF to 200% resolution. Usually, you can see a preview on your PC before you print before you print.