2024 Offical South Shore Darts Rules and regulations

Please note these rules are for reference only.   Official rules are distributed with your team packet.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

ARTICLE 1: EQUIPMENT

1. All association competition, including tournaments and playoffs, shall be conducted on a standard 18″ English style bristle 20 point clock faced dartboard.
2. Dartboards shall be placed 5 feet 8 inches from the floor to the center of the bulls eye with the 20 wedge at the top center. This wedge shall be dark in color.
3. The foul line will be 7 feet 9-1/4 inches from the surface of the dartboard measured along the floor and will be not less than 36 inches long, 18 inches to each side of the center. The foul line may rise no more than 4 inches from the floor. The foul line will be considered to be the edge of the tape closest to the dart board and the edge of the raised foul line furthest from the dart board.
4. The sponsoring body will be responsible for supplying and maintaining the association play dartboard which must be deemed acceptable to both home and visiting teams. If there is more than one board, the home team will determine which board will be used for match play.
5. The dartboard wire spider must be intact and the double and triple rings must be within a tolerance of 1/32″ of the usual space of 3/8″.
6. All association play dartboards shall be firmly anchored and well illuminated.
7. The sponsoring body will be responsible for supplying and maintaining an electronic device in order to record scores using the Dart Connect app. The scoring device must be unobstructed, and located in such a position that a score may be easily read by the thrower, players and spectators without distraction to the thrower. A secondary device, monitor, or television may be used to allow for easier viewing of scores.
8. Darts used in match play shall not exceed an overall maximum length of 30.5 cm (12 in.) nor weigh more than 40 gm per dart. Each dart shall consist of a recognizable point, barrel and flight. Split tip darts are illegal.
9. Association rules and regulations as well as team schedules and up-to-date weekly reports must be posted OR readily available in each competing pub or club at all times.

ARTICLE 2 : DATE AND TIME OF MATCHES

1. All matches will be scheduled for either a Monday or Tuesday night except during playoffs. Should a recognized national or bank holiday fall on a scheduled match date, then the competing teams will, at their option, play the match on a mutually accommodating day, BEFORE the next scheduled game.
2. Any match rescheduled through the mutual consent of the concerned team captains must be played prior to the next regularly scheduled match. The association must also be notified. Playoff matches will not be rescheduled.
3. Starting time for the first game of a scheduled match is 8:00 PM. A match not underway by 8:30 PM is subject to forfeit.
4. If a team captain knows that their team will be unable to attend a match, they MUST NOTIFY the opposing team PRIOR TO 8:00 PM ON THE NIGHT OF THE MATCH with the intent to reschedule the match. The TEAM that is READY for the match WILL DECIDE WHEN AND IF the match is to be rescheduled, prior to the next regularly scheduled match, within the next 6 calendar days. If the team captain does not call by 8:00 PM then the match will be forfeited. At least one association officer must be notified of the cancellation of the match either by phone call or text message from BOTH CAPTAINS.

ARTICLE 3 : MATCH STRUCTURE

1. Each match consists of a total of 20 points.
2. Three games of 401, single player, straight start, double finish. One match point is awarded for each game won.
3. Two games of cricket with points, 2 person teams. Ttwo match points will be awarded for each game won. All cricket games shall be of the 15 through 20 plus cork format.
4. Three games of 301, single player, double in, double out. One match point will be awarded for each game won.
5. One game of 601, three person teams, double in, double out. Three points will be awarded to the winner of this game.
6. Three games of cricket with points, single player. One match point will be awarded to the winner of each game.
7. Two games of 501, two person teams, double in, double out. Two match points will be awarded to the winner of each game.
8. The visiting team throws first for the first game of 401, then the teams will alternate from that point on.

ARTICLE 4 : MATCH PLAY

1. A team MUST have three members present for a match to be played. A team with two or less members present is subject to forfeit (except as noted in rule G below).
2. The playing lineup for each set of games must be completed before each set, without the opposing team being present.
3. The first set will be 401 singles and team cricket. The second set will be 301 singles and team 501. The third set will be team cricket and team 601. The fourth set will be single cricket and team 501.
4. All nine registered members of a team can be used in any order in any spot in their team’s lineup, but only once in each set of games.
5. Match play for each set of games begins when the playing lineups for that set of games are exchanged. There are four (4) exchanges in each match. An exchange takes place when the playing lineup for a single set of games is completely written on each of the competing teams score sheets AND is READY to be VIEWED by a member of the opposing team for the purpose of writing said lineup onto their score sheet.
6. A team which has only three players at the time of the match MUST play the match, forfeiting only those points of the games that cannot be played because of the lack of players.
7. If a team has only two players at the time the lineup is prepared, but the team captain is reasonably certain that one or more players will arrive in time to play the match, then the names of those players can be placed on the score sheet. If a third player does not arrive before the end of the first exchange then the match will be forfeited. If the remaining missing players do not arrive in time for the start of their game, then those games, with the other (2) missing players, will be forfeited AND THOSE PLAYERS NAMES CROSSED OUT. Missing player(s) may NOT join a game in progress, but will be allowed to participate in the remaining exchanges of games.
8. No later than thirty minutes prior to the time competition is scheduled to begin, the playing board shall be cleared of play for player warmup. All warmup activities must be completed by 8:00 PM. After the practice session, each player is allowed three rounds of three darts each for practice prior to the game they are participating in.
9. The captains of each team are responsible for the smooth running of the match. Any dispute that arises during the course of play must be settled in private conference by the team captains.

ARTICLE 5 : MEMBERSHIP LIMITATIONS

1. Each team shall be required to submit a roster of its playing members prior to the start of each season. This roster shall consist of at least five players and not more than nine. A player may play on only one team per night.
2. The team captain’s or team secretary’s home telephone number must be listed with the association, not the bar number. If the team captain or team secretary cannot be reached, the president shall make decisions for that team.
3. The names of all players on the original application are considered to be permanent members. Any request for a roster change (additions or deletions to a team’s roster) MUST be submitted, IN WRITING, on the ROSTER CHANGE FORM provided by the association. Any additions to a team’s roster, received on the roster change form, must have the approval of the executive board BEFORE that person can participate in a match. NO CHANGES ARE AUTOMATIC. No changes will be allowed after the third week, except as covered by Article 5-E. If a team uses a player who does not have prior approval by the executive board (an unregistered player), penalty point(s) deduction will be imposed. In addition, all points won in any game(s) played by an unregistered player will be deducted from that team’s score and credited to the opposing team, except when both teams use an unregistered player in the same game, then neither teams gets the point(s)
4. Teams are organized into divisions according to relative ability of the roster players. The Conference structure for each night will be determined at the season set-up meeting.
5. In the event that the roster of a team falls to five or less members, that team shall be permitted to submit to the association the name or names of individuals who they would like to add to their roster, subject to approval.
6. Any player who, after playing at least one game, quits his team will be ineligible to re-register with another team on the same night during the current season. However, if a player is dropped from his team’s roster any time during the current season may request to join another team for the remainder of the current season. The eligibility of this player to play for another team will be determined by the Executive Board.
7. A playing member must have played in four of the season’s scheduled matches in order to be eligible to compete in the playoffs.
8. DEFINITIONS OF PLAYERS:

Unregistered Player: A person who plays without prior approval of the Executive Board

Illegal Player: A person who plays using another person’s name.

NOTE: All players must carry ID. Any player challenged and cannot produce ID the night of the match will be considered an illegal player.

Ineligible Player: A person who has played at least one game for a team then quits and wants to join another team Ineligible Player or a person with insufficient match credits to compete in the play-offs

ARTICLE 6 : RECORDING SCORES

1. Both teams are responsible for providing a score recorder who will attend to the evening’s entries on the score sheets. NO MATCH CREDIT, CREDIT FOR WINS, OR ALL-STAR POINTS will be given to players of teams whose score sheets contain first names or nicknames only. Both teams are responsible for having someone check the score sheet entries as they are made to see that information and names are correct. ALL STAR POINTS must be entered immediately after they are scored. All star points for byes and matches entirely forfeited will be averaged at the end of the season. Therefore, all star points that are shot for in byes or matches entirely forfeited will not be counted. All star points for individual game forfeits within a match must be shot in accordance with Article 10 rule E.
2. To receive match credit a player MUST play at least one game in a match. If a player’s name appears on the score sheet and does not play (forfeits) that game, then THAT PLAYER’S NAME SHALL BE CROSSED OUT and an F shall be entered for the score on the score sheet.
3. Both teams must save their evening’s score sheets until the end of the season.
4. Matches MUST be saved on the Dart Connect scoring app once the match has concluded.
5. Individual records – Wins, losses and all stars must appear on both team score sheets and be identical.

ARTICLE 7 : SCORING

1. All darts must be thrown by, and from, the hand.
2. A player must have both feet behind the foul line for each throw. Should a player have any portion of his feet or shoes over the foul line during a throw, all darts so thrown shall be counted as part of his throw, but any score made by said darts shall be invalid and not counted. One warning by the caller or scorer shall be considered sufficient before invoking this rule. A player wishing to throw a dart, or darts, from a point either side of the foul line, must keep his feet behind an imaginary straight line extending from either side of the foul line.
3. A “throw or round” shall consist of three darts, unless a match is completed in a lesser amount.
4. Any dart bouncing off, or falling out of the dartboard, shall NOT be rethrown.
5. For a dart to score, it must remain in the board for 5 seconds after the third or final dart has been thrown by that player. The tip of the dart point must be touching the bristle portion of the board in order for that dart to be counted for score.
6. No dart shall be touched or removed by the thrower, another player, scorer or spectator, prior to the decision of the scorer.
7. If the shooter or any member of his team touch any dart in the board, the round is over. Only the darts in the board shall count for score.
8. If the scorer, a member of the opposing team, or any other member of the opposing team touch any dart in the board, the shooter has the option of counting the touched dart for score or rethrowing that dart. The touched dart shall be removed.
9. A dart’s score shall be determined from the side of the wire at which the point of the dart enters the board.
10. The Home team captain will provide a “scorer”, a person responsible for recording and calculating the score on the Dart Connect app. The opposing team captain may provide a “caller”, a person responsible to call the score of the darts thrown in each round of a game. However, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLAYER TO VERIFY HIS SCORE AS WRITTEN BY THE SCORER BEFORE REMOVING HIS DARTS FROM THE BOARD. The score remains as written if one or more darts has been removed from the board. In ’01 games, an error in arithmetic must stand as written, unless corrected prior to the beginning of that player’s or team’s next round. If a winning double is hit before the error is detected, the game is over. In cricket games, NO score shall be entered by the scorer until the third or final dart of that round has been thrown and NO changes in any scoring may be made after the next player has thrown his first dart.
11. In doubles/team events, no player may throw until each teammate has completed their throw. The FIRST player throwing out of turn shall forfeit such turn.

NOTE: 601 is the only team event in which the shooting order MUST be followed exactly as written on the score sheet.

1. The scorer may inform the thrower what he has scored and/or what has left. He MAY NOT inform the thrower what he has left in terms of number combinations.
2. An “out chart” must be conspicuously posted for the player at the line to refer to while shooting. If an “out-chart” can not be provided, the Dart Connect “suggested outs” option may be turned out to provide the same information as an “out-chart”.
3. A player must step away from the foul line in order to confer with his team about score or strategy.
4. A game is concluded at such time as a player hits the “double” required to reduce the remaining score to zero. Any dart(s) thrown subsequently, shall not count for score.

ARTICLE 8 : ALL STAR SCORING

401. HIGH ON – Starting with a required double and totaling 95 or above in one round of darts. This only applies to 301, 501, and 601 games; NOT 401.

Scoring: Total of the double and darts thrown AFTER the double.

1. HIGH CLOSE – Winning the game with a required double and totaling 95 or above in that round of darts.

Scoring: Total of the double and darts thrown BEFORE the double.

1. BEST GAMES

301 – A complete 301 game in 15 darts or less.

401 – A complete 401 game in 18 darts or less.

501 – A complete 501 game in 21 darts or less.

CRICKET

SINGLE – A complete single cricket game in 18 darts or less.

DOUBLE – A complete double cricket game in 18 darts or less.

1. ALL STAR POINTS (’01 GAMES)

95 and UP – Three darts totaling 95 or more in one round of darts.

1. ALL STAR POINTS (CRICKET)

C-6, C-7, C-8, C-9 – When scoring all star points in cricket, any combination of three darts in one round of darts that would total six, seven, eight or nine singles providing that they count toward closing of a number and/or score points. NOTE: Hitting a triple 20 when you already have two and your opponent has them closed counts only as a single 20; and so on for other darts.

Scoring: C6 = 120, C7 = 140, C8 = 160, C9 = 180

CORKS 3 and UP – Three or more corks in one round of darts providing that they all count toward the completion of the game. NOTE: If you have a cork from a previous turn and need two more to win the game, then you hit a single cork, double cork to win, it only counts as two corks.

Scoring: 3 Corks=120, 4 Corks=140, 5 Corks=160, 6 Corks=180 NOTE: A C6 or C7 which includes 3 or 4 corks is scored as a C6 or C7 AND 3 or 4 corks.

1. 180 CLUB – A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Three darts in one round of darts consisting of any three triples which total 171 or above in any ’01 game; a C9 or 6 Corks in any cricket game. NOTE: This achievement award can be acquired in any seasonal match, the 401 singles and/or the playoffs.

1. 500 CLUB – A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Scoring a total of 500 or more all star points in one night’s match.

ARTICLE 9 : PROTESTS AND DISPUTES

1. The captain of any team may file a protest for any irregularity of a match. THE OPPOSING TEAM MUST BE NOTIFIED AT THE TIME OF THE PROTEST that the game/match from that point on will be played under protest. THE MATCH SHALL BE PLAYED TO CONCLUSION. The PROTEST must be filed with South Shore Darts via email or text message within 72 HOURS of the match in question. The protest must also be indicated on the paper score sheets. The score sheets must be handled the same way as a score sheet that is not under protest. This score sheet will be used in evaluating the protest.
2. If a dispute amongst teams arises, and Commissioners will discuss the dispute with the two involved Captains to resolve the issue. If a resolution cannot be reached, the Captains of each team in the Division will be consulted as a group to settle the dispute in a fair and civil manner. If a vote is necessary to settle a dispute amongst teams, the Captains NOT involved in the dispute will vote. Shall a tie-breaking vote be necessary, the Captain of the highest placed team in the Division not involved in the dispute will be the tie-breaker.

ARTICLE 10 : PERSONAL CONDUCT

1. Heckling or other harassment is strictly forbidden. Overly loud and constant cheering or yelling is also forbidden. It is BOTH teams’ responsibility to maintain the best of order during association play.
2. The repeated use of foul and/or insulting language and/or resorting to physical violence shall be considered just cause for the penalizing of the offender and/or the team. The penalty imposed will depend on the seriousness of the offense.
3. NOISE. A visiting team has the prerogative of requesting the jukebox be lowered and/or any game to be kept to a tolerable level. Game also includes pool table. The Executive Board’s definition of tolerable is when the scorer can hear the caller clearly in a normal tone of voice.

ARTICLE 11 : FORFEIT

1. A forfeit is when less than three players are present to play the match.
2. Forfeit adjustments will be calculated as follows:

All forfeits occurring in the first half of the season will be adjusted at the end of the first half. A minimum of eleven points will be credited the week that the forfeit occurs, during the first half of the season. Forfeits occurring in the second half will be adjusted in the week that the forfeit occurs.

1. A team that wins by forfeit will receive the HIGHEST of the following: Eleven points, their winning average, or the forfeiting teams losing average as their win points. These averages will only include the scores of previously PLAYED matches, and will NOT include previous byes or forfeit scores.

A TEAM THAT FORFEITS AN ENTIRE MATCH RECEIVES ZERO POINTS.

1. All players on the non-forfeiting team will receive credit for the match. Players on the forfeiting team will NOT receive credit for the forfeited match.
2. Use of illegal players will result in the delinquent team receiving no points for the match and being penalized the average of the eligible team’s win points. The eligible team will receive their score and all points won in any game(s) played by an illegal player, or the amount of points as covered in Article 11, Section C, which ever is greater.
3. Players winning any particular game within a match by forfeit may shoot for all star points as follows:
4. 401 – 12 darts
5. Cricket – 12 darts – without carrying points into the next turn. Once a number is closed during a turn, points can be scored on that number only during that turn.
6. 301 – 9 darts
7. 601 – 9 darts per shooter
8. 501 – 9 darts per shooter

ARTICLE 12 – PLAYOFFS

STRUCTURE

1. Play-off rounds will consist of two matches to be played on the assigned dates. The team with the highest win points at the end of the season will have the home advantage the first night even if scheduling will not permit them to play in their own establishment. The first team to reach 21 points will advance to the next round.
2. The Championship Round will consist of three matches. For match one, the Monday Champion will have the home advantage. For night two, the Tuesday Champion will have the home advantage. For match three, a neutral bar will be decided between the captains and must be an establishment on the Bar List for the current season. The home advantage will be given to the team with the most points going into night three. Should there be a 20-20 tie, the toss of a coin will decide it. The first team to reach 31 points is the winner.

MATCH PLAY

1. No playoff matches may be rescheduled.
2. All matches should be underway by 8:00 PM. Any match not underway by 8:30 PM is subject to forfeit.
3. A player must have played in 50% of the season’s scheduled matches in their division in order to be eligible to compete in the playoffs.
4. If a team is short players, they will be allowed to play with the number of players they have who are eligible at the time of the games (all match exchanges), without indicating to the opposing team which game(s) they will be short players prior to the exchange of the written line up.
5. A team who wins the first match by forfeit will receive 15 points. The forfeiting team will receive 5 points. The forfeiting team will play the remaining match in the opposing team’s establishment as long as playing conditions permit. A team that forfeits the second match will receive no (0) points.
6. If there is a tie at the completion of any round, a 1001 game, five (5) person team, double in, double out, will decide the winner of the round. A written exchange will be conducted prior to the start of the 1001 and followed exactly as written. The start of the game will be decided by the toss of a coin.

ALL OTHER RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLY TO ALL PLAY-OFF MATCHES.

ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY:

South Shore Darts does not act in a supervisory capacity with respect to association competition or events. No representatives will be sent to any matches to ensure that proper safety precautions are taken by members and participants. By participating in matches, members are acknowledging and agreeing that they are fully responsible for the proper supervision of dart tournaments and of any participants, spectators, patrons, bar employees and others present at the bar or location of any competition or event, and do further indemnify and hold South Shore Darts, its officers and directors free and harmless from any and all liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including attorney fees, court costs, etc.) to any person and property for injuries sustained by any participant, spectator, employee or patron of member. SOUTH SHORE DARTS ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR INJURIES TO PERSON OR PROPERTY, OR THE CONDUCT OF HOME OR VISITING TEAM MEMBERS OR OTHER PATRONS, PARTICIPANTS OR SPECTATORS AT ANY COMPETITION OR EVENT.