Bead · darts game rules
Cricket darts rules
American Cricket
Cricket, also called American Cricket, is the most popular darts game after 501. Instead of counting down, players fight over seven targets: the numbers 15 to 20 and the bull. You close a target by hitting it three times, then score points on it while your opponents still have it open. It rewards accuracy, but also smart decisions about when to close and when to score.
- Players
- 2 to 4
- Length
- ≈ 20 min
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- What you need
- A dartboard (steel tip or soft tip) and 3 darts per player.
Rules
Setup
- The active targets are 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull. Every other number is ignored.
- Each player or team has a column on the scoreboard to record marks and points.
- Players take turns, three darts each.
How to play
- Throw at any of the seven active targets, in any order.
- Each hit adds marks: a single is 1 mark, a double is 2 marks and a treble is 3 marks.
- A target is closed for you once you have 3 marks on it.
- Extra marks on a target you have closed score points, as long as at least one opponent has not closed it yet.
- Once every player has closed a target, it is dead and nobody can score on it.
Scoring
- Points scored equal the number hit: an extra single 20 scores 20, an extra treble 20 scores 60.
- The outer bull counts as 1 mark (25 points) and the inner bull as 2 marks (50 points).
- On the scoreboard, a slash (/) is 1 mark, a cross (X) is 2 marks and a circled cross means the target is closed.
Winning
The first player to close all seven targets with a score equal to or higher than every opponent wins. If you close everything but trail on points, keep scoring on open targets until you lead.
Tips
- Start with the 20s. They are the most valuable target and the easiest to score on.
- If an opponent is piling up points on a number, close it to shut the tap.
- Build a lead that is bigger than what your opponent can score in one visit before you move on.
- Do not leave the bull until the very end if it is your weak spot: it often decides tight games.
Variants
- No-score Cricket: points are not counted, the first player to close all targets wins.
- Cut-Throat Cricket: points go to your opponents and the lowest score wins.
Cricket marks
| Hit | Value |
|---|---|
| Single 15 to 20 | 1 mark |
| Double 15 to 20 | 2 marks |
| Treble 15 to 20 | 3 marks (closes the number at once) |
| Outer bull | 1 mark, 25 points once closed |
| Bullseye | 2 marks, 50 points once closed |
| 1 to 14 | Nothing |
On the chalkboard: / for 1 mark, X for 2, a circled X for a closed number.
FAQ
- How do you win at Cricket darts?
- Close all seven targets (15 to 20 and the bull) while having at least as many points as every opponent. Closing everything while behind is not enough: keep scoring until you lead.
- Can you score on a number everyone has closed?
- No. Once every player has closed a number it is dead, and darts that hit it score nothing.
- Which number should you start with in Cricket?
- Usually the 20, the most valuable target. After that, close the numbers your opponent is scoring on first.
