For those that don’t know, a score of 100 or more is called a “ton” and abbreviated ‘T’. Thus, T80 is three triple 20′s or 180 points. That is the maximum you can throw with 3 darts, so I’m confused by the reference to 300 or 500 points in a post above.

Typically, 501 and above are played free-in (no double required) and double-out. Only 301 is played double-in and double-out. Also, to clarify, if you “bust” (throwing exactly or more than what you have left without ending on a double), you just score zero for the turn, and your turn is over. You do not go back to 301. When trying to double out, a good strategy is to try to leave yourself with 32. That way if you miss the double 16 and hit single, you can shoot double 8. Starting from 32, each single just cuts in half and leaves another double, all the way down to double 1. The next best is to leave yourself with 40.

As for cricket and points scoring, Tony Payne, a British star of the 1980′s and a writer for BullsEye News, coined the term “Thermonuclear Cricket”. His theory was to pound points at nearly every opportunity to build an insurmmountable lead and then close out numbers later. If he threw first, and hit trip 20, the second dart would be right back at it. even if he only hit a single, that would force you to close 19′s and hit 2 19′s to take the lead. It essentially gave him a free dart. See http://www.bullseyenews.com/Featured_Articles/thermonuclear-cricket-relaunched-parts-1-a-2.html for more info. Back in the 80′s I had the fortune of playing with him as a partner in a tournament in DC, and the following year, the misfortune of playing against him! That idea of points scoring makes sense, and is quite the norm.

You can also play cricket with 3 people. Instead of getting points you give points to those still open on the number, and you must have least points when all numbers closed to win.

Thanks for the article!