Learn cricket darts rules, including how to play, scoring, and strategy.
As the most popular dart game in the US, cricket is an essential game for any darter or bargoer to learn. With the right instruction, learning how to play cricket darts is easy. Let's get you started on the path to becoming a cricket expert without further ado.
One or more people can play this game. It can also easily be played in teams of two.
In a standard game of cricket, players take turns throwing three darts at the dartboard in an attempt to hit the specified targets. The object of the game is to have more points than the opponent once the targets have been closed out.
Each player's targets are "open" when the game starts and need to be "closed" by earning three marks. If needed, this can be completed in numerous combinations across multiple turns. A single, two, and three marks, respectively, are awarded. The bull's outside ring counts as one mark, while its inner ring counts as two.
1 Mark: Single
2 Marks: Double
3 Marks: Triple: Target is closed
The first player to close a target “owns” it and can score points on it until their opponent closes it, too. Keep in mind that once both players have closed the same target, it no longer awards any points. Because of this rule, it is advantageous for players to try to close out the highest targets first before their opponent so they can start scoring a high amount of points. It is possible to score points by earning more hits on a throw than a player needs to close the target. For example, if a player has two hits on 20 and then hits a triple 20, they would close the 20 and earn 40 points.
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To win a game of cricket, a player needs to close all target numbers and have more points than their opponent. A player must continue scoring until they are ahead, or their opponent closes all target numbers if they shut all of their numbers but have fewer points than their opponent. Whoever achieves both first wins.
A good strategy for cricket is to aim for the highest available numbered targets first and save the bull for last. For example, if a player aims to close the 20 first, they can start scoring points off of it, which will accrue a higher score faster than if they had closed out the 15 first. As for the bull, many experienced players opt to go for that target last because it is the most difficult area to hit, which means scoring on it once it is closed is more difficult than the other targets.
It's important to note that there are benefits to going first in cricket; thus, it's preferable to employ a bull-off or coin flip to decide who goes first. A bull-off is when each player throws a dart at the bull, and whoever hits closest goes first.
If you want to change things up, you can try a lot of different cricket variations. The most well-liked iterations are given here, but you can create your own guidelines and play with your friends.
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No-Score Cricket
This is the same as regular cricket, but there are no points. Each player just has to close all of the numbers. It’s recommended that beginners play this way while they become familiar with the game.
Wild Mouse/Minnesota Cricket
In Wild Mouse or Minnesota Cricket, in addition to the standard cricket numbers, each player also has to close doubles, trebles, and three-in-a-bed (three darts in the same segment).
As in tactics, the throw can only count for one requirement. A player can only count as one of the three trebles or near the 20 if they hit a treble 20 on their first turn. They cannot do both.
Spanish Cricket
Spanish cricket is another variation of cricket that expands on scoring options. Each player must close 11, 12, 13, and 14 in this version in addition to the traditional cricket numbers of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and the bull.
Cutthroat Cricket
In this variation, the lowest score wins. Once a player owns a number, the points they score go to their opponent instead. The guidelines remain unchanged otherwise.
Killer Cricket
In this variation, players win by closing each cricket number. Once a player closes a number, additional hits will remove their opponent’s hits instead of giving points.
Scram Cricket
In this game, each player takes a turn scoring on open numbers while the opponent tries to close them as quickly as possible. After each player's turn to score, the winner is the one with the highest score.
twilight cricket
The numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the bull; otherwise, this is cricket as it is played normally.
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Single, Double, or Triple Only Cricket
These variations change how much each throw is worth and can be used with any set of numbers. In singles only, each dart counts as one mark, regardless of whether it is a double or treble.
In double only, single and treble segments are not used. Players can only score marks on double segments, and those hits will register one mark.
Trebles are the same as doubles but with treble segments. Additionally, only the inner bull may score marks. Again, each hit only counts as one mark.
Tactics
This is a UK variant of cricket that follows the same rules as regular cricket but also adds doubles and trebles as scoring options. There are two ways to play “slop” or “strict”. Slop rules state all of the doubles and trebles count as scoring options, while strict rules state only the doubles and trebles on the numbers 15 through 20 count.
The throw can only count for one requirement, so if a player hits a treble 20 on their first turn, they can either count it as one of the three trebles or close the 20, but not both.