Darts is considered a "gentlemanly
sport". There are certain things that are expected of players, scorekeepers and
spectators. While there are some players that do not follow these guidlines, it
is usually because they are rude, ignorant or sore losers. Better players will
not like to associate with these kinds of players, and often such activity can
lead to the better players giving the offenders a "taste of their own medecine".
Stick to these simple rules, and you will have a much more enjoyable game and
make alot more friends than enemies.
Sportsmanship: Generally, all dart players are good sportsman. They will shake hands at
the begining of a match and wish each other good luck. Similarly at the end of
the game, they will shake hands and say "good game" or "nice shooting".
No Distractions: Much like professional golfers making an important putt, dart players
like no distractions while throwing. This means:
- Do not speak to the player who is shooting.
- Don't go "ooh" and "aah" with each dart that is thrown.
- Wait until all three darts have been thrown to say "good darts" or "right
there".
- Do not make sudden movements in front of the shooter. Scorekeepers should
remain statue-still while a player is throwing.
- Even better is to try to always stand behind the shooter outside their
line of sight.
- Spectators should try to keep movement and noise to a minimum while a
player is shooting.
- No one but the scorekeeper or a teammate should tell the shooter what has
been hit.
- What has been hit should only be annouced if the shooter asks.
- No one except a teammate, not even the scorekeeper, should ever tell the
player what to hit next.
Score Your Darts Before You Pull Them: This can avoid many arguments. If you write down
the score on the board before you pull the darts from the board, you can show
your opponent what you threw if there is a discrepancy.
Don't Be A Sore Loser: Appreciate what the other player has accomplished. If the
other player bested you, live with it. Remember if you had thrown something
really amazing, you'd be happy about it, so be happy for the other player too.
Not only will this show that you are a lady/gentleman, but by keeping your own
spirits up, you will remain relaxed and throw you're next darts better than if
you got angry or tense. I have witnessed MANY players (including myself and
other members of my team) lose a game purely because they got angry and their
game suffered because of it.