Baseball Darts Rules - Explained

Baseball Darts is arguably one of the most accessible games for beginners in the dart game world. The rules of the game are similar to Baseball, and take only a few minutes to grasp fully. However, don't let the ease of learning fool you as Baseball Darts is still a rather delicate game that will require some serious skills to win.

Another reason for the immense popularity, aside from the easy learning curve, is the fact that Baseball Darts can be played with an infinite number of players. This means that you can get the whole gang involved, and no one has to feel left out by watching the game unfold from the sidelines!

Let's take a quick look at the rules, and a basic overview of the game of Baseball Darts so you can start playing!

The primary object of the game is to score as many runs as possible, just like baseball.

There are only a few key things that you must remember when playing Baseball Darts; that is to keep track of your points, or 'runs', and to keep track of what 'inning' it is.

The game is played with 1 to 9 numbers on the board. Based on what number 'inning' the game is in, determines the target scoring number. For example, if the game is on the 3rd inning, only hits on the number 3 will count as a 'run'. Anything else is a miss.

During the game, each player will take turns, throwing three darts in succession at the scoring number of the particular innings. The outer circle is worth three runs, the inner circle is two runs, and the remaining section is worth one run. The score of the inning is the sum of all the valid hits.

An inning ends when each player has had a chance to throw their three darts at the target number. Once 9 innings have been played, the player with the most 'runs' wins.

>> Inning

An Inning refers to what round of turns the game is on. The 1st inning is the 1st turn each player gets, the 2nd inning is the 2nd round of turns, etc.

>> Rings

The rings on the dart board are used to determine the scoring. The outermost ring is called a 'double', the black and white spaces are known as a 'single', the middle ring is a 'triple'. These terms denote the value of points when stuck in these areas on their corresponding number.

>> Runs

A run is the term used for points. A player can only score runs by hitting the target number for that inning. Hitting the single space on the target number is worth 1 run, the double is worth 2, the triple is worth 3.

Now that we have the basic terminology established, let’s talk about how to play baseball darts.

Before beginning play, you should set up a scoreboard. Ideally, the scoreboard will be set up horizontally with the player names on the left and the inning columns ascending in order to the right much like a baseball scoreboard.

You can download the printable baseball darts score sheet template here.

The game begins in the 1st inning, in which each player will attempt to score runs on the number 1. Only hitting on the number 1 will result in a score. Each player gets three chances to score as many runs as possible with their three darts in that inning. Hitting the single space on the board in the target number is worth 1 run, the double is worth 2, and the triple is worth 3.

Remember, you can only score runs by hitting on the target number for that inning.

When all of the players have made their shots, the inning is over, and the runs score is tallied for that inning. The game will continue until 9 innings have been played. The player with the most runs at the end of 9 innings is declared the winner.

If there is a tie, or no runs have been scored by the end of the 9th inning, the game will continue higher up the scale until a winner is declared. In this case, each inning becomes 'sudden death'.

The fouls in Baseball Darts are the same as in any other traditional dart game. If a player steps over the line, they will forfeit their turn and any runs scored on that turn are not counted. If a player hits any other column but the target number for that inning, it is counted as a miss.

Another way to play, that is rather common, is called '7th inning stretch'. This is an additional rule that can be added to make the game more exciting for advanced players. Essentially, this means that if a player does not score a run on the 7th inning, their score is cut in half.

Aside from raw skill, there really is not much to the game of Baseball Darts in the way of strategy. In general, it is always best to aim for the triple space of the target number on each throw. This is because the triple is worth 3 runs, and can potentially generate the maximum inning score of 9 per inning. Skilled players will aim for a triple every time.

Consider a triple like a 'home run' in traditional Baseball.