There are several different dart games to try out, but for beginners, one of the easiest options is baseball darts. The rules on how to play baseball darts can be learned quickly, so even those who have never picked up a dart before can get the hang of it right away. This game is also great for advanced players since it requires you to hone your accuracy skills for specific numbers and those small triple spaces.
You don’t need any special equipment for baseball darts, plus you can play with an unlimited amount of people for single or team play. This gets everyone in on the game without altering the rules. The games are relatively short, with only 9 rounds, or innings, per game. If you are interested in baseball darts, keep reading for all the rules and requirements for this entertaining game.
Objective
The objective of baseball darts, as with most dart games, is to earn the most amount of points. You accomplish this by hitting the right numbers, depending on which inning your on. Aiming for the double and triples can help you achieve this task as well since they count for more points. At the end of nine innings, the person or team with the highest score wins the game.
What you’ll need
You don’t need any special equipment to play a baseball dart game. A dartboard is a must, though you can use any dartboard you like. This could be a classic model for a more authentic feel. You can also choose an electronic bristle dartboard like the Dartslive 200S, which is one of the best options due to its durability, low price, and fantastic features. The board you use is best chosen by preference since the basic design will remain the same.
You’ll also need at least three darts to play baseball darts. If you and the other players prefer to have your own sets, there are a ton to choose from with different weights, materials, and flights. Which dart set you choose doesn’t matter, as long as each player only uses three darts for each turn.
A scoreboard is another handy addition to your game of baseball darts. There are several options to choose from when it comes to dart scoreboards, including dry-erase, chalkboard, or electronic models, so you can pick the one you like best. If you don’t already have a dart scoreboard, you can also use a simple pen and a piece of paper to keep track of the players, scores, and innings.
Terms
When learning the baseball darts rules, you’ll also need to learn the common terms used during a game. The first term is “inning”. This refers to the rounds you’re playing. Like in a real game of baseball, there are nine innings for each game, each with a corresponding number to throw at. For instance, in the first inning, everyone aims at the 1 slot, including the double and triple 1s. Players aim for the 2 on the second inning, and so forth.
Another term you need to learn is “rings”, which includes the outside double ring and the middle triple ring. The spaces in between the rings are “singles”, so your points are determined by which single space or ring the dart lands on.
The last baseball darts term is “runs”, which is what you call your points during the game. The number of points you get in a turn of 3 darts are the runs you get to score. No matter which space you’re throwing at, each landed dart is worth 1 run for signal spaces, 2 runs for double spaces, and 3 runs for triple spaces. All three darts landing in the triple space results in a total of 9 runs for that round.
Rules
So, how do you play baseball darts? Well, the rules are quite simple. First, you determine the batting order for the players involved. The best way to do this is to have every player throw a single dart. The closest to the bullseye goes first, with the next closest second, and so on.
What if it’s a tie?
In the event of a tie, there is a very simple addition to the rules to determine a winner. All you need to is add extra innings to the game using the higher numbers. For instance, there are nine innings to a normal game of baseball darts, so if there is a tie after the ninth inning, you add a tenth inning. All players would then aim for the 10 spaces. If at the end of the tenth inning there is still a tie, you add an eleventh inning. This continues until you have a clear winner to the game.
Variations
There are a few ways you can vary the gameplay for baseball darts to make it a bit more interesting for all players. One is the dummy rule, which is put into play when playing with teams that have an uneven number of players. The team with fewer people adds a “dummy player” that comes with a predetermined score that is based on the skill level of the other players on the team. This score is then divided equally among the nine innings of the game.
Another variation is the seventh-inning stretch, which adds a bit of difficulty to the game. For this rule, in the seventh inning, every player must gain at least one run. Anyone who fails to achieve even a single run cuts the runs earned by the player for the preceding innings in half.
So, if your score before the seventh inning is 110 runs and you fail to score a run during this inning, your new score at the beginning of the eighth inning is 55. This makes the game a bit more difficult for all players who miss all three shots during this inning.
How to play on a Baseball Dartboard
Though you can play a version of baseball darts on any traditional or electronic dartboard, there are also specific baseball dartboards Trusted Source Dartball - Wikipedia Dartball is a game in which darts are thrown at a large wooden or homasote board that resembles a baseball field with colored areas which denote bases. Dartball uses baseball-like rules and scoring. en.wikipedia.org available. This includes different rules for how to play baseball darts on a baseball dartboard due to the specialized sections on the play area.
You can play this type of baseball darts with two players or four players on two teams of two. The dartboard used for this game is designed to look like a baseball diamond, including several different sections. These include Strike, Hit, Ball, Out, Foul, Stolen Base, Sacrifice, Single, Double, and Triple areas on the board.
Players each throw five darts, hitting the different sections. The rules are similar to a regular baseball game as well. The red dot in the center of the board counts as an automatic three outs and the area around it is an automatic hit.
Four darts landing on the ball spaces is a walk and three darts hitting strike spaces is an out. If you only have 3 balls or less or 2 strikes or less and land on a Hit, Double, or Home Run space, the previous darts are no longer in play, the same as they would be in a normal baseball game.
Any dart that misses the dartboard completely is counted as a foul, which is also considered a strike, though they can’t be used to strike a player out. A player’s turn is over when they get three outs or throw all five of their darts, whichever comes first.
Common strategies
One common strategy is to aim at the triple spaces. Triple spaces are worth 3 runs each, so the more of them you hit, the more runs you score in each inning, and the higher your score will be at the end of the game. This also makes it easier to score runs in each turn since the triple space is in the middle of each section. Throwing too high or too low could allow you to score a run since you’re still hitting the right number in most cases.
Final thoughts
Learning how to play baseball darts takes very little time, making it a great option for those of any age who are just learning to play darts of any kind. More advanced players can use this game to hone their skills and improve their accuracy for the more difficult dart games. This game also accommodates an unlimited number of players, so no one is left out.
Baseball darts can be played on any dartboard, plus there is a baseball dartboard available that changes the rules a bit without reducing the enjoyment of this game, so you can choose the version you like best. No matter which one you choose, baseball darts is a fun game for family and friends to enjoy.
