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Hi, and welcome to my darts chat blog. This is a place where you can chat about anything darts related whether youre just a fan, player or both. hopefully you will all get something good out of this page. Cheers

Monday, 15 March 2010

Why is Darts Such a Popular Sport?

If you live in the UK or the Netherlands, for example, you will know just how big a sport darts has become in recent years. However it's also becoming hugely popular in lots of other countries all around the world, and is enjoying huge growth both as a spectator sport and a sport that people can take part in. So why is darts now so popular?

Well I think one of the main reasons is because of the growth of the PDC organization. Thanks to Barry Hearn there are now lots of televised tournaments being shown in many different countries, and as a result people are realizing that darts is actually a very exciting game.

There are now huge tournaments being held throughout the year with huge prize money on offer, and as a result of this the standard of play just gets better and better. There used to be a time when it was very rare for players to hit a 100 three-dart average, but these are now commonplace amongst many of the top players.

This makes darts a great spectator sport, but it's also a great sport to play as well. It's open to everyone because all you need is a dartboard and a set of darts. There are no age restrictions. You don't need to be super fit or a certain height, for example. You just need to be able to throw a dart at a dartboard.

One of the best things about darts is that it's a very social game. Many pubs, at least in the UK, have their own dartboard so you can play darts with your friends and colleagues if you so wish. You can also join your local pub team if you start to get quite good at the game and take part in local leagues and competitions so the game becomes quite competitive and even more enjoyable.

If pubs are not your thing, then you can simply play darts from the comfort of your own home. You should find that if you practice enough, you will start to get better and better and over time you may well want to join your local pub team to play against other players because this will develop your game even further. You don't necessarily have to drink alcohol. Indeed I recommend you stay away from alcohol if you are serious about winning.

Anyway the point I want to make is that darts is a great game to play, and nowadays it's just as exciting to watch as well. Anyone can play the game and it's a very cheap and accessible sport compared to many other sports.

James Woolley runs a website which discusses where you can buy darts online and what you should look for when choosing a set of darts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Woolley

Why Choose Tungsten Darts

Tungsten is very dense and heavy metal. It is mixed with nickel or brass and you will see on the package written like 80-20 which means 80% tungsten and 20% nickel/bras. No matter it is harder to work but it lasts longer than Nickel/silver darts and brass darts.

You can choose your favorite dart from the world of tungsten darts. These darts are designed and developed for the developing player. It gives the players of dart a positivity in playing at an affordable prices. The series of tungsten darts is available in a variety of vibrant colors, different weights and black steal finish. The shafts are made of anodized aluminum material. The tip is steel made and available weights are 20 grams to 28 grams.

Brass and nickel-silver are lighter metals in comparison to tungsten which is a very heavy and dense metal. Tungsten is not used alone in making darts but is mixed with nickel in the ratio of 80:20. That means 80% tungsten and 20% nickel.

It is seen that most of the good throwers use tungsten,but if you are a starter then you would not be throwing tight groupings whatever dart you are using. On an average the size of a 20 gram tungsten dart is half the size of a brass dart which allows for tighter groupings on the board.

As tungsten is a metal heavier than lead this property becomes the reason why the tungsten,resists wear and the grip lasts longer. On the contrary side the soft metal darts may wear down quickly from skin acid and friction.

Generally we categorize Tungsten darts like this:

95% to 98% Tungsten

90% Tungsten

80% Tungsten

50% to 70% Tungsten

Howard runs the site http://www.dartstip.com wich provide great tips and guides about dart

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_Persson

What You Need to Know About Dart Boards

Do you want to spend more time with your family and friends? Do you have a special room that you want to turn into a family room or a play room? The dart board would be a great addition to your family room or play room. When you have a dart board in your family room, you will spend hours just having fun with your family. Dart boards are very diverting, regardless of whether you are playing for fun or money. They have been available for home and pub use for a long time, and people enjoy them just as much today as they did in years past.

Dart boards range from the very expensive top of the line sort that the professionals use to quite inexpensive. The choice is yours. Almost all of the dart boards that are made today are made of natural rope fiber, also known as sisal. These rope fibers are very tightly compressed by a pressure machine. Then they are held together with a sealed steel band. The steel board is then put on the front of the backboard. This backboard has been previously treated with non warping stain. This stain makes the dart board strong enough to withstand any conditions.

The base of the dart board is created first. Then the surface is sanded with fine sand paper. Then the colors and images are printed on the board. Placement and stapling of the wires into sections on the board is the final step.

You can buy a dart board at a variety of stores worldwide. For example, most department stores, hobby stores, and toy stores carry a variety of dart boards. Darts originated in England. That's why a lot of dartboards are made in England and sent all over the world. New Zealand makes a very popular dart board called Puma.

When you have a dart board in your home, you will learn how to play darts in nothing flat. You can play a couple of different ways. If you are a stickler, you can play the regulation way. If you are just killing time, you can play just for fun to see who can get the highest score. Darts are played in pubs and homes around the world. This ancient game is both relaxing and challenging for a wide variety of players.

Need to bring some fun and physical activity into life, try a dart board!

Dan Legal runs the website Bar Furniture CA where you can find information on everything from cocktail shakers to swivel bar stools. If you've got a home bar, then you should check out his website before you start planning your home bar.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Legal

Dart Games - Play Something Other than 301 or Cricket for a Change!

If you play darts regularly, or even if you have played darts only a few times, you likely already know the games of 301 (and its variations) and variations of Cricket. But perhaps it is about time that you learned how to play a new game, learn some new skills.

Here are a few dart games that you may or may not have already played, but are definitely worth playing. Why not switch up your game a bit with a few of these different dart games?

All Five

This game is most definitely for more advanced players. In every round, each player must score a total that is divisible by 5. An additional point can be added for however many times the number 5 divides into their total score. For instance, if a player got a 4, 3, and 8 for a total of 15, he will get 3 points (5 goes into 15 three times). First to 51 wins.

The player will receive no points at all if at the end of the round (three darts), his score total is not divisible by five. Also, there will be no trickery in this game - if the first 2 darts create a score that is divisible by 5 and then the third dart misses, the player cannot get any points.

Nine Dart Century

You know how on the Price Is Right, contestants want to guess the price of something as close as possible without going over? Well, nine dart century is similar - in a way. Each player gets 9 darts (three turns worth) to score 100, or to get as close to 100 without going over (hence the Price Is Right reference). If you go over 100, you are out of the game.

To make sure that there are no purposeful misses, any dart that lands outside of the scoring area not only must be thrown again, but also brings the player's score back down to zero so that he must start again. (One that bounces out is not penalized and no points are counted for it).

Shanghai

For this game, every player needs to go around the board from 1 to 20, ending with the bullseye. For each number, the player can throw three darts. The highest score wins. If this game is not already difficult enough, you can make it more difficult by playing with the double and triple.

These three dart games are only a few of the many other dart games out there. Why not switch it up? Why not add a little sugar to your coffee or play a different dart game besides 301 or Cricket?

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, recreation, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on fur boots and fashion please visit Dart Cases.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke

How to Choose a Dart Grip When Throwing Darts

Dart grip #1: Four fingers and thumb.

Typically the smallest finger rests on the top or bottom of the dart tip for maximum guidance in acceleration. This option provides maximum touch on the dart which can help with accuracy and placement. However, it does require a lot fingers on the dart barrel which can cause your throw to get away from you. Using all four of your fingers on the dart can cause your throw to "stick" to your fingers or can cause you to over-power, or push your throw.

Dart grip #2: Three fingers and thumb.

This is a basic option that gives you a lot of control over the dart during the acceleration of your throw. You can also have more control over the placement of the dart using this option. However, the third finger on the dart barrel does increase your chances of a misfire, similar to the four finger grip.

Dart grip #3: Two fingers and thumb.

This option allows for fewer fingers to get in the way of a great throw while sacrificing some control of the placement of your dart. If your dart flutters or snaps awkwardly in the middle of your throw try moving your thumb slightly behind the center weight of the dart for more control. The majority of competitive dart throwers use this style of grip in their game.

Dart grip #4: One finger and thumb.

This position is similar to how you would hold a writing pen. Many dart players who use this style also let the dart rest on tip of the second finger for support. This option minimizes your touch points on the dart barrel at the expense of control over the dart. It can be very effective for achieving consistent dart throwing. However, because it minimizes your control it can take some time to get used to before you are successful with this grip.

Article written by Joe Pecheck, an amateur dart thrower and darts enthusiast. Visit http://www.nicedarts.com for more dart articles and advanced dart techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Pecheck

Darts Equipment Explained

Darts have come a long way since the wooden darts that were used originally. They had a torpedo shaped wooden barrel with a steel tip and turkey feathers as flights. These days the darts are mostly made from tungsten with the 80% tungsten alloy being the most common. Since the advent of tungsten darts the scores of the pros have increased due to their slimmer design. You can make much slimmer darts due to the greater density of tungsten compared to brass (approximately twice as much as brass, so that you can make tungsten darts half the thickness of brass for a given weight.)

Made from the ore wolframite tungsten has the highest melting point of any element on earth at 3000 degrees C and is incredibly hard. The reason you don't get 100% tungsten darts is because pure tungsten is a very brittle metal and is commonly mixed with nickel to make the dart less brittle and easier to manufacture. 95% tungsten is the highest alloy level so far sold by Bottelsen and are a tad pricey. The 80% darts should be good enough for anyone, even the pros.

When it comes to the grip on the barrel of the dart there are many types to choose from diamond pattern knurled barrel to plain and now the new edge grip. Just get a design you are comfortable with, try out your mates darts to see what suits you.

Dart tips come in two styles, a fixed steel tip for use on Bristle dartboards or replaceable soft tips for use on electronic dart boards. It is now common for darts to be convertible, with 2BA threads on either end of the barrel, which means you have the best of both worlds, both soft and steel tip options. One point to note here is that usually the maximum weight of dart allowed on electronic dart boards is 20 gram, so if you want your darts to be used on all type of boards, do not go over 20 gms for your dart barrel.

Next comes the shaft to hold the flights, it should be light to keep the weight of the dart forward and are made from plastic, aluminium, steel wire or even titanium! The only thing to worry about with the shafts is that they are straight and undamaged so the flights are held in place properly. The latest innovation is spinning shafts, which are designed to rotate out of the way to minimise the deflection of the dart when it hits a flight. This seems a great idea to me, it helps to protect the flight as well.

That just leaves the flights, which come in loads of amazing designs and materials. The shapes include the classic "kite" design, which are relatively large to the pear drop and all stages in between. Ensure you use the same style of flight on all 3 darts and keep them spread so that there is a 90 degree angle between the four flight pieces to aid in consistency of your throw. Also use flight protectors, not only do they protect your flight; they will keep the flight at the optimum shape as a bonus.

So to sum up, get yourself some tungsten darts, the average weight is 18 - 20 grams. If you want to go heavier, remember the heaviest weight allowed on most electronic dart boards is 20 grams. (You can have up to 50-gram darts on Bristle boards) Nylon shafts are ok to use, spinner shafts are a good idea as well and use the kite style flight if a beginner and always use flight protectors. If you have steel tip darts keep the point sharp for easy entry into the dart board. A simple strip of grinding paper will do. For soft tip darts take along plenty of spares and your dart tool.

Written by a keen darter, Steve Porter, who in spite of many hours of practice in many bars, never quite made it to professional darter status. Click link to get your Darts

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Porter

Finding The Right Darts For You

For the competitive darts player finding the right darts is critical if you want to win, whatever level you play at; pub, superleague, county or beyond.

There are several elements to consider when choosing your darts; the darts themselves (or barrels as they are sometimes called), the stems (also known as shafts) and last but not least the flights. I shall consider each in turn:

Darts

For many years now Tungsten darts have been the darts of choice for the serious dart player, replacing the more traditional, bulkier brass darts. The main reason for this is that tungsten is a denser metal, meaning that for any given weight a tungsten dart will be much smaller and thinner than a comparable brass dart.

There is a simple reason for the rise in popularity of the tungsten dart. All other things being equal (skill and accuracy for example), it is easier to fit three tungsten darts in the treble 20 ,and hit the elusive maximum 180, than it is to squeeze in three brass darts of the same weight.

Over the last 20 years improvements in technology and a reduction in the cost of Tungsten have seen the percentage of tungsten in the darts increase. In the mid seventies tungsten darts contained about 80% tungsten with the balance being made up of nickel or copper. Today it is possible to get darts with a 97% tungsten content.

The size, weight and shape of the darts is the next thing to consider. This is largely a matter of personal preference but, if you are just starting out, you would be wise to consider the thinnest darts you feel comfortable holding. As I said before; this gives you the greatest chance of hitting the magical 180.

Grip is also and important factor. Many players get nervous when playing matches and there is nothing worse than having your dart slip out of your fingers when aiming for that crucial double to win the game.

Avoid completely smooth darts and go for barrels with some markings on them to improve your grip; knurled barrels are probably best for this.

Shafts

The main factors to consider when buying dart shafts, also known as dart stems, are length and weight. The important thing here is balance. You need to take care that your stems are not too long or too heavy relative to the length and weight of your dart barrels.

The material the stems are made from is also worth considering. Plastic stems are the usual choice due to their relative cheapness and light weight. But it is worth trying aluminium shafts as these are lightweight but have the added advantage of extra rigidity; so they won't flex when you throw with them. One disadvantage is that they often work themselves loose. To overcome this simply add a rubber O-ring to the threaded section of the shaft; these are available at very low cost.

Experiment with a few different weights, materials and lengths until you find the ones you are most comfortable with.

Flights

The main things to consider when looking for dart flights is shape and weight and rigidity. Flights come in many different shapes and materials and, once again, the key is to pick the flights that balance your barrel and stems. If the flights are too heavy your darts will be unbalanced. Plastic flights are a lightweight, rigid low cost option and so are firm favourites with the top players.

Having selected the right darts for you all that remains is to get out there and play darts. Have fun!

Gerald Peters

http://www.thedartsshop.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Peters

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

What You Need to Know About Dart Boards

Do you want to spend more time with your family and friends? Do you have a special room that you want to turn into a family room or a play room? The dart board would be a great addition to your family room or play room. When you have a dart board in your family room, you will spend hours just having fun with your family. Dart boards are very diverting, regardless of whether you are playing for fun or money. They have been available for home and pub use for a long time, and people enjoy them just as much today as they did in years past.

Dart boards range from the very expensive top of the line sort that the professionals use to quite inexpensive. The choice is yours. Almost all of the dart boards that are made today are made of natural rope fiber, also known as sisal. These rope fibers are very tightly compressed by a pressure machine. Then they are held together with a sealed steel band. The steel board is then put on the front of the backboard. This backboard has been previously treated with non warping stain. This stain makes the dart board strong enough to withstand any conditions.

The base of the dart board is created first. Then the surface is sanded with fine sand paper. Then the colors and images are printed on the board. Placement and stapling of the wires into sections on the board is the final step.

You can buy a dart board at a variety of stores worldwide. For example, most department stores, hobby stores, and toy stores carry a variety of dart boards. Darts originated in England. That's why a lot of dartboards are made in England and sent all over the world. New Zealand makes a very popular dart board called Puma.

When you have a dart board in your home, you will learn how to play darts in nothing flat. You can play a couple of different ways. If you are a stickler, you can play the regulation way. If you are just killing time, you can play just for fun to see who can get the highest score. Darts are played in pubs and homes around the world. This ancient game is both relaxing and challenging for a wide variety of players.

Need to bring some fun and physical activity into life, try a dart board!

Dan Legal runs the website Bar Furniture CA where you can find information on everything from cocktail shakers to swivel bar stools. If you've got a home bar, then you should check out his website before you start planning your home bar.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Legal

The Dart Board Cabinet, A Thing Of Beauty?

To stop your wall looking like its been attacked by a miniature machine gun and to keep the darts room looking presentable, you need a dart board cabinet for your dart board. They look so good these days too, the choice is extensive, and you can surely find one that suits your taste from the many on sale. You could just go for a dart backboard instead, but nothing beats a good-looking cabinet, especially if you are stuck for space and use the dining room as a part time darts room.

The advantages of a dart board cabinet is that it tidies the dart board away making the place look neat and tidy and it is also a place to store away your darts equipment. They nearly all have a chalk board or dry wipe board to keep score on. When it comes to electronic dart boards, the cabinets have to be bigger as the electronic dart boards are bigger and the cabinets usually have some extra storage for all your darts stuff. The cabinet doors will protect your wall from those errant darts as well as having the scoreboard and out charts on the inside.

Cabinets are available in all sorts of colors, sizes and styles, manufactured in wood normally with quality finishes including inlays and door shapes, they look great on the wall with the board hidden away. The cabinet is a good looking adornment for the wall with or without a dart board inside. There is a metal cabinet from Harley Davidson would you believe, with diamond plate doors and a chrome trim, looks very cool if you like that sort of thing, but use heavy duty screws when mounting that one.

A great idea I've found on the net is to put carpet or dense foam on the inside of your cabinet enhancing both protection for the darts and the look of the cabinet as well as protecting the inside of the cabinet from looking like it has a severe case of woodworm, but test you have the necessary depth to the cabinet before you do it.

The advantages of the dart board cabinet is that it will protect your walls from the darts and tidy the board away when not in use with the added bonus of being a place to store your darts and darting bits as well.

By Steve Porter a keen darts enthusiast. Click the link to see some dart board cabinets

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Porter

The Milestones of the Dart Board

Who invented the dart board? I guess we will never know, it was probably some archer in the middle ages who converted the bottom of a barrel or tree slice into the first dart board and threw his arrows at it. Dart boards were made of wood for many years mostly from elm and had to be soaked in water overnight to stop the board from splitting. However we do know who invented the first Bristle board, that was Nodor in the 1930's, they were approached by an inventor who had an idea to make a dart board from rope! It must have sounded crazy at the time, but it worked. They took some rope strands all the same length and compressed them tightly together and hey presto the first "Bristle" board was born. This was a huge advance on the traditional wooden board. For a start no more soaking and the board was self healing and long lived. It was an instant success.

Nodor got a patent for the design and so were the only manufacturer for 25 years or so for the life of the patent. After the patent expired other manufacturers entered the arena most notably Winmau . And you thought Nodor was a funny name. Apparently the name Winmau was made up from the first three letters of the two names of the wife of the company director "Winifred Maud" hence Winmau.

Nodor and Winmau then slugged it out for dominance in the dart board market with one company trying to take over the other for many years. During this time Winmau came up with their famous Blade board with ultra thin wire separators and Nodor came up with the first staple free bulls eye dart board.

The bristle boards were used in all the big tournaments that started in the 70's and are still used today in the prestigious tournaments like the Las Vegas classic and the British Lakeside tournament.

Then came Electronics, the electronic dart board came on the scene and changed the game overnight. The odd thing about electronic boards is they are covered in hundreds of small holes for the special soft tip darts to enter. At first glance you think how can the dart get into those holes so exactly? The holes are centered at the base of a dimple like the dimples of a golf ball, guiding the soft tip darts to the holes in the board. And it works very well with nowhere near the amount of bounce outs you might expect. There are sensors beneath the holes which trigger the electronics to record the score and deducts or adds the score to the previous one automatically, depending on the game. This was a great boon to darters as they no longer had to keep score and the boards could be networked to collect all the scores from the boards on a computer, great for tournaments.

The difference with the electronic dart board are that you have to use soft tip darts, and the tips are made of plastic so as not to damage the board. (Never use normal steel tip darts on an electronic board) Also the maximum weight of dart allowed on most electronic dart boards is 20 grams.

You can now have the best of both the steel tip and soft tip game now with the introduction of the new BristleTech boards which have bristle type fibres that can take the steel tips as well as the soft tipped darts and still work with the electronics. This could very well be the technology that will dominate the dart world from now on.

So there you have it, we have come a long way from the elm wooden dart boards and I'm sure there will be even more developments to come, especially with the combination Bristle type boards and electronics. Electronic darts is very popular on both sides of the Atlantic now and maybe even the professional game will embrace it before long.

Written by Steve Porter who has visited many bars researching his chosen sport of darts. Visit his website to choose your Dart Board.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Porter

Online Darts Games

There are many sites that offer free dart games that can be played online. In addition to this, a click of the button allows dart game enthusiasts to download the game into the computer, and to have the pleasure of enjoying their favorite game at their leisure. The advantage of online dart games is that they let the player experience the joy of the game without having to go outdoors or to the local recreation center. Also, there is the added excitement of the whole game being a virtual one.

The virtual game rules are the same as those of a standard game of darts. There are numerous dart games that can be downloaded from various sites. Smile Games - Darts is a very realistic dart game that does not take long to load; in this game, there is no computer to play against, so it goes without saying that there should be somebody else to play with. Other interesting online dart games are "Darts 4 Cash" and "Let's Play Darts." The Net also offers free multiplayer online dart games such as "Click Darts," where it is possible to play games like 301, 501, and Cricket. Playing in groups is also allowed, with "Cutthroat Cricket" and "Freeze." The game "Click Darts" allows the player to just point and click the mouse; where the dart lands is determined automatically by the website. FreeWorldGroup.com, mostdartgames.com and crowsdarts.com are some of the popular websites that offer online dart games.

Tournaments are also held to enable darters all over the world to compete and win. At present, there are two tournaments starting every weekend. Since all the people that want to take part are not all online at the same time, tournaments can take a couple of weeks to complete. It is possible to monitor the progress of the existing tournaments and to look for any upcoming ones on these web sites. The World Professional Darts Championship, a tournament of great prestige, is held in the month of January, at the Lakeside Leisure Complex, UK.

Darts provides detailed information on Darts, Lawn Darts, Darts Rules, Online Darts Games and more. Darts is affiliated with Chess Sets [http://www.Chess-Web.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ross_Bainbridge

Darts History

When it comes to Darts origins, this is a very grey area. It is thought that the game possibly evolved from either archery, crossbow or javelin. What is not in doubt is the fact that more and more people started playing darts in pubs following the first world war. In 1927 the first News Of The World Darts Championship was held and by the swinging sixties Darts was on television.

The seventies saw the emergence of the British Darts Organisation (1973) and The first Embassy World Darts Championships was played at Heart of The Midlands Nightclub in Nottingham with Leighton Rees defeating John Lowe 11-7. John Lowe went on to become a darting legend, winning the world crown in three different decades. The eighties belonged to the Crafty Cockney, Eric Bristow. He dominated the game and went on to win five world titles. Little did he know that a player he had discovered and backed with his own money to play darts professionally would not only topple him, but go on to be the greatest darts player of all time! Phil Taylor was a factory worker from Stoke On Trent earning £74 a week. Eric discovered him playing in a local pub and turned him into a champion and the rest as they say his history. Phil The Power Taylor currently holds fourteen world titles and has taken the game of darts to a whole new level, setting match averages that the other professional players can only dream of.

Darts enjoyed a golden era in the eighties with the likes of Eric Bristow, John Lowe and Jockey Wilson playing in tournaments televised live on the BBC and ITV, but by the nineties it was beginning to unravel. In 1993 a group of leading players (including Phil Taylor) who had become disillusioned with the governing body and the direction the game, broke away from the BDO and formed their own circuit and organisation which later became known as the Professional Darts Corporation. This is still the case today with two world championships being held each year.

The is little doubt that darts has been revitalised under the PDC which is run by sports business supremo Barry Hearn. Backed up with exclusive contracts with Sky Sports and ITV the tour will offer a record breaking six million pounds in prize money in 2009. The Premier League screened on Sky consecutively for 16 weeks has taken darts to huge arenas across Britain with record crowds in attendance. Professional players (all with nicknames) walking on to loud music with glamour models by their side is all part of the show at a televised PDC event. It's a far cry from the working class pub game that was once played with wooden darts and a board made of plasticine.

For how long two governing bodies and two world championships can co-exist in one sport remains to be seen, but for now darts is riding the crest of a wave and Phil's getting richer.

Chris Waddington is the publisher of the Dart Masters Coaching Course Ebook. This course is not just about how to play darts, it contains serious methods of learning designed to improve your game beyond your optimum level in around six weeks. For more details on the course and the opportunity to receive free snippets from the course visit playgreatdarts.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Waddington

The Darts World Championship

You may have noticed (especially if you watch Sky Sports) that around Christmas and New Year there is rather a lot of darts on television. This is due to the fact that TWO world championships are played. This is highly unusual in any sport (other than boxing) but how did we get to this?

Darts is a game which became popular among the working classes and was often played in pubs. In 1973 the British Darts Organization was formed (BDO) and this led to to the first world championships being held in 1978. Darts began to enjoy a golden age as tournaments were screened on the BBC and ITV and players such as Eric Bristow, John Lowe and Jocky Wilson became household names.

However one fateful day in 1980 a BBC comedy programme called 'Not the nine o'clock news' (starring Mel Smith and Gryth Rhys Jones) screened a sketch mocking darts players, as they famously downed pints at the oche. Although the popularity of the game did not diminish at that time, the damage this did to the image of the game was immense. A slow decline followed and by 1988 ITV had stopped showing darts altogether and the world championships was the only event left on television.

The initial boom in darts had led to an influx of players eager to ply their trade, but with the television coverage now dwindling along with the prize money as sponsors left the sport, these players become disenchanted with the BDO, who they felt could be doing more to promote the game. Even the move to ban players drinking alcohol on stage from 1989 did little to enhance the public image of darts and darts players. In 1992 a group of sixteen players formed the World Darts Council (WDC). The group included every active previous world champion such as Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow and John Lowe. Leighton Rees who had already retired was the only previous world champion not to join. The first event the WDC staged was the Lada UK Masters in the same year.

In 1993 the WDC players competed in the BDO Championships as normal while sporting their new WDC badges on their sleeves. The BDO subsequently asked them to remove the badges. The players then decided if the BDO would not recognise their organisation they would go there own way and form a separate tour. The WDC signed a deal with Sky Television to screen three tournaments a year.This in turn led to another world championships with the first being held in 1994 (although it started on Boxing Day 1993) with Dennis Priestley winning it.

The WDC has since changed its name to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Relations between the two darts bodies remain uneasy following a costly three year court battle which ended in 1997. The PDC has the larger tour with more events and greater prize money while the BDO has retained BBC coverage and larger viewing audiences due to being on terrestrial television. The PDC has been busy developing tournaments in USA, Australia, Netherlands, South Africa and Germany among other places. The televised PDC events in thee UK are televised on Sky. One major development for darts in 2007 was the return of ITV who screened the Grand Slam of Darts. The event was unusual as it was ran by the PDC but was open to players who won or were runners up in major PDC and BDO events over the previous two years. The only player who declined to play was the then BDO champion Martin Adams.

So with the two professional bodies both still happy to loathe each other to the detriment of the sport it looks like we will have two world darts champions for years to come. This year it was John Part (PDC) and Mark Webster (BDO). On one hand there is more darts to watch, but surely there should be only one true champion of the world.

Chris Waddington is the publisher of the Dart Masters Coaching Course Ebook. This course is not just about how to play darts, it contains serious methods of learning designed to improve your game beyond your optimum level in around six weeks. For more details on the course and the opportunity to receive free snippets from the course visit playgreatdarts.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Waddington

Monday, 8 March 2010

Darts Coaching

An expanding PDC tour, bigger venues and increased viewing figures all point to a sport enjoying a golden age. Then when you look further you discover an abundance of local leagues and a county circuit. Darts surely has to be one of the most played games in the world, but where is the coaching?

When sportsmen are interviewed they regularly talk about their relationships with their coaches. Sports such as snooker, tennis, golf and football all have high profile coaches. In all sports coaching is seen as the most recognised way to improve your game and is normally widely available. But anyone that plays darts is expected to improve through trial and error as they bang away hour after hour. I am not saying there has never been any coaching, but it is not something actively promoted within the game. Unlike most other professional sports bodies, the Professional Darts Organisation makes no mention of coaching on it's official site.

We are talking about a game played by millions, where the slightest movement at a pivotal time can be the difference between winning and losing. At the top level the difference in ability between the players is marginal and success and failure can be divided by the thickness of a wire. Mental training is also crucial if you want to hold yourself together when hitting a double under pressure.

As darts continues to expand I expect a greater demand for coaching with more players having a desire to improve. As darts is embraced as a thriving and true sport, darts coaching and darts coaches will become commonplace.

Chris Waddington is the publisher of the Dart Masters Coaching Course Ebook. This course is not just about how to play darts, it contains serious methods of learning designed to improve your game beyond your optimum level in around six weeks. For more details on the course and the opportunity to receive free snippets from the course visit playgreatdarts.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Waddington

Dart Your Way To An Exciting Evening

Be it at the bars, pubs, clubs or your own living room, darts are an excellent way of spending time with friends and family. Spending time at home will never be boring as long as you have a dartboard hanging in your room.

The history of the game of darts goes back a long time. Legend has it that soldiers during the Middle Ages used to throw spears at barrel bases or cut-up tree trunks to get over their boredom. This gradually gave shape to what we now know as dart games. The system of scoring, followed across the world, came into being during the early 18th century.

Dart games have become popular over the years as it is inexpensive to play, can be played indoors during bad weather, no dress codes are required, and can be played by anyone - male or female, young or old.

The basic requirements are a dartboard and darts. With the advancement of technology dartboards have also evolved through the times. The most common dartboard is the bristle board - either cork or sisal. Cork dartboards deteriorate quickly with continued used, as the darts leave holes in the boards and the cork crumbles. The fibrous nature of sisal, however, is able to overcome this drawback and has therefore gained popularity. Sisal does not crumble even after constant use. Electronic dartboards are also available, and are equipped with sensors allowing for automated scoring.

There are various types of darts. The main parts of a dart are the tip, barrel, shaft and flight. Tips are either steel or soft. Soft tips are preferred on electronic dartboards and cork dartboards and are also recommended for new players. Steel tips are for the more experienced dart players. Shafts also come in various types. Synthetic flights are the most common nowadays and can be combined with the shafts. The use of feathers as flights has decreased considerably nowadays.

Many dart accessories are available nowadays. Instead of simply hanging the dartboard on walls, dart cabinets can be used to add style and elegance to your dart game. Many players also attach add-a-grams to get the required weights on the darts. The perfect weight improves accuracy in shooting. Dart mats are useful for new players, as the bounce-off from the boards may cause considerable damage to the floor. It is also important to have a rulebook as there are many methods of keeping scores and the game can be played under different rules. Scoreboard is also a must if you are not using electronic dartboards.

For more on darts, visit Susan's sites at Darts [http://www.dart-city.info/sitemap.php] and Darts Supplies [http://www.dart-supplies.info/sitemap.html], and also at Shopping and Society [http://www.shopping-and-society-hub.info].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Jan