It’s impossible not to get creative with a dartboard once you have it. It’s just too satisfying to send a mini arrow flying through the air then hear it pierce the board with that oh-so-precise thud. At some point, you’ll wonder how many different ways you can make those throws and score points.
In the dartboard tradition, this is cause for celebration and caution. Some players have been a little too adventurous in their day (mixing wacky schemes with pointed objects and, often, a generous serving of alcohol doesn’t usually go well). However, there are plenty of entertaining dartboard games, including ones you probably never heard of, that incorporate just the right amount of skill, strategy, and frivolity, even with a brew in your other hand.
New Dartboard Games to Shake Up Your Tradition
Here, we’ve listed some dart games that probably haven’t come up in your bar or game room yet. Disclaimer: none of them involve throwing darts at pictures, so save that stuff for another time. Each of these will give you a new opportunity to hone your skills and connect with your fellow players in a fun way.
- Irish Around the Clock
- Chase the Dragon
- Tennis Darts
1. Irish Around the Clock
This game uses the same basic concept as traditional Around the Clock with a couple of added challenges. Players still aim to hit numbers 1 – 20 in order. Here’s the catch: if they hit a double or triple numbered 10 or lower, they may advance to the number that they’re on plus 1. For instance, if you hit a double or triple 1, you move on to 3. If you hit a double or triple 8, you move on to 17. The first player to hit two bullseyes in the same turn, after completing the 1 – 20 sequence, wins.
2. Chase the Dragon
This game is similar to Around the Clock games in that it requires players to hit numbers in numerical order. In this case, you aim for numbers 10 – 20. The challenge: it only counts if you hit the triple of these numbers. After completing the sequence, the first player to hit the outer bull followed by the bullseye wins.
3. Tennis Darts
As its name suggests, this game involves a lot of back and forth between 2 players or teams across a common line. You divide the dartboard in half along the Y-axis. The 20 and 3 zones are not in play (they act as the “net”). Each player starts by throwing one dart at the left side of the board. The player who hits the highest number earns the point for themselves or their team. The next turn, then, alternates to the right side. This scheme continues throughout the game with players accumulating points as in traditional tennis.
Bonus: The Ted Lasso
This one isn’t as much of a game as it is a role play that we’ve included just for fun. We call it The Ted Lasso, commemorating the hit show. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Stand with confidence next to your opponent.
Step 2: Utter some witticisms in your best Southern drawl.
Step 3: Pause, then with suave determination, say “Barbecue sauce.”
Step 4: Fire the dart for the most epic bullseye you’ve ever hit in your life.
Note: If you don’t say “Barbecue sauce,” it doesn’t count.
Where to Buy Your New Dartboard
Before you venture into the games listed above, there’s one important game you need to play first. We call it The Wisconsin Dartboard. It involves you connecting with Wisconsin’s premier source for billiards and games (including dartboards) which is Juniper. Contact us or visit our store in Appleton, WI, and we’ll get you playing your new game with friends before you can say “Barbecue sauce.”
