Darts

last updated 24 October 2024

The competition shall be held in accordance with the General Rules of the Games and the rules of the World Darts Federation.

Each team shall consist of a minimum of six (6) players, and a maximum of eight (8). Teams may be mixed in terms of gender. Teams with less than 6 players at the captains meeting are not regularly qualified. If there are no unassigned players, captains may decide at the captains meeting, if no other solution, to let the team play with respect of rules 6 and 25.
Definitions:
1. Tournament: The tournament is an IAG sanctioned darts competition held during one of its official events under the General Rules.
2. Match: A match is an encounter between two teams and shall consist of individual games determined by the IAG competition rules.
3. Game: A game is an individual instance of play within a match. These can be single (1v1), double (2v2), or other combinations of play as determined by the IAG competition or agreed tournament rules.
4. Leg: A leg is a single, scored encounter in the sport of darts. Most darts games are played over a number of legs. However, the Inter-Agency Games format normally foresees only one leg to be played per Game.
5. Marker: The person appointed to mark the scores made and the scores remaining on the scoreboard.
6. Caller: The person appointed to announce the scores as they are made during match play.
A match shall consist of 7 games, 5 singles and 2 doubles.
The playing format shall be 501 straight-in, double-out.
1. All scores made shall be subtracted from the total of 501 or the score remaining from the previous throw. The first player to reach zero shall be declared winner.
2. Each leg shall be played with a straight start, i.e. to begin scoring the player need only land a dart in the dartboard inside the outer Doubles wire of the dartboard. A dart thrown out of the board counts a zero point and validate the start of the game.
3. Each leg shall be played with a double finish, i.e. to finish, and win, the player must land a dart in the double (Double Ring or Bull) of the number equal to one half of the remaining score.
4. One point shall be awarded to the team of the player who wins each game making a total of maximum 7 points per match.
Depending on the number of teams, two possible tournament formats shall be chosen:
1. If there are ten teams or less participating in the tournament, each team shall play against all other teams (round-robin)
2. If eleven or more teams are participating, the teams shall be divided into two groups, A and B (box system).
3. If the tournament is conducted in a box system, the discipline coordinator, in collaboration with the captains meeting shall form the groups according to the following priorities:
  1. The winning team from the previous tournament, if present, will head group A, and the second place team from the previous Games, if present, will head group B.
  2. In the event that there are two teams from the same organization, they will be automatically placed in two different groups, regardless of their classification in the previous tournament.
  3. Should an organization have more than two teams then they will be delegated alternate groups by their ranking position in the previous tournament. However, if these are new teams they will be delegated alternate groups by means of a random draw.
  4. The remaining teams shall be allocated according to their ranking from the previous tournament, if present. Teams which have no previous ranking and which do not fall into any other categories shall be placed by random draw.
  5. Within each group each team shall play against every other team. There will then be play-offs between the first classified in group A and the second classified in group B according to points, and between the second classified in group A and the first classified in group B.
  6. The final will then be played between the two winners, and the two losers of the play-offs will play each other for third and fourth place and so match on.
In conformity with the provisions stipulated in rule 5 of the General Rules, the de facto lowest number of players would be six (6).
1. Teams with less than the official minimum will automatically forfeit those games in which they cannot field a legitimate player. These games shall be recorded as “bye” and the point awarded to the opposing team (details in rule 25).
2. In case both teams cannot field a player, the game would be recorded as void and no team would receive a point.
The two team captains shall, prior to the start of each match, independently list, in the order of play, the names of their players on the scoresheet. No conferring between teams is permitted as to the order of play.
All registered players of a team shall compete in at least one (1) game and in a maximum of two (2) games. A team that omits fielding one or more players in at least one game shall be disqualified and the opposing team shall be awarded a 7-0 victory. Therefore, players may compete in either:
1. One Single;
2. One Double;
3. One single and one double;
A player competing in two single games is not permissible. Captains are responsible to correctly provide a valid order of play. Exceptions can be made in cases of illness or injury incurred after the start of the tournament. Such exceptions shall be granted by the discipline coordinator with the agreement of both Captains. No exceptions shall be made for players missing the start of the tournament. Such cases shall be scored in accordance with paragraph 6.
The ranking of teams shall be calculated based on the number of games won.
In case of a numeric draw on games in the final classification, the team winning their direct encounter (i.e. the match between those two teams) shall be ranked higher. The same principle shall be applied in determining box rankings.
Each game shall be played on a standard bristle type board as per the material requirements defined under paragraphs 26-29.
When throwing, players must not cross the toe line (oche). Should overstepping occur, the throw shall be deemed invalid and counted as zero points towards the remaining score of the game.
To determine the order of play for each game, each player shall throw one darts inside the treble circle, closest to the centre will start. If dart is outside treble circle, it should be thrown again. If after 3 throws, no dart was inside the treble circle, the closest to the centre counts.
To finish a game, the exact number left must be obtained. If a player obtains more than the requisite number with any one of his/her three darts, the entire score of that throw shall not count. On the next throw, the player or the next player of the same team shall throw for the previous number required.
A draw at darts is not recognized and the player, who first obtains the number required in accordance with the competition rules (501) wins the game.
The 50 or Bull counts as 2 x 25 and is recognized as a double 25, which allows the match to end.
For each match and game played each team shall nominate a Marker and a Caller, these are effectively the referees. Marker and Caller can be appointed from the same team if agreed upon by both captains. Any disputes shall be settled by the discipline coordinator.
The result of each throw must be clearly shown on a scoreboard, giving the number obtained and the number required. All scores must be recorded by the marker and checked by the caller.
No darts shall count towards the score unless the point is touching the board when the score is called. Darts are to be withdrawn by the player only after the caller has announced the total score of the three darts, and the total score has been checked by the Scorer.
The caller shall call “game shot” when a player has hit the required double to immediately finish the game. But the game shot is only valid if the darts remain in the board until retrieved by the thrower. Any darts mistakenly thrown by a player after the winning double shall not count.
The caller is the only person permitted to call the score. The caller may inform the player of the number he/she requires to finish the match, if asked but not how to achieve that number.
The captain of the winning team of a match shall be responsible for returning the signed score sheet to the discipline coordinator.
Disputes during any game shall be settled by the two team captains of that match and, in the event of disagreement, the dispute shall be settled by the discipline coordinator.
If a team has five or less players (with a minimum of 4 players) at the board 15 minutes after the appointed time of starting, that team may still play but will automatically forfeit 1 singles game per missing player, and 1 double. However, a team with 4 or less players at the board at the appointed time, will automatically forfeit the whole match 0:7. In this case, all seven points shall be awarded to the complete team present. In short: – Team starting with 5 players will forfeit 1 single and 1 double – Team starting with 4 players will forfeit 2 singles and 1 double – Team starting with less than 4 players will forfeit the full match, giving 7-0 to the opposing team.
If the two teams are not present at the board 15 minutes after of the appointed starting time, the game shall be declared void, and no points shall be awarded to either team. The only exception being if one or both teams are still playing their previous match. In this case the discipline coordinator will then set a new starting time.
Conduct
By registering to participate as a player in the “Darts” discipline, the person concerned confirms that, they have a general understanding of the rules of darts and that they possess their own set of steel-tip darts. They acknowledge that they must conduct themselves in accordance with the standards set by the UN code of conduct, and shall duly respect all tournament participants as well as the hosting venue.
During a game, players are expected to stand close to the playing area and not leave for any reasonable circumstances. However, a non-throwing player shall stand at least 60 cm apart of the player at the Oche and behind their field of view, whilst their opponent’s throw is in progress.
During any match, players shall conduct themselves in a manner of respect for the other player(s) and shall refrain from annoying the other player(s) or using offensive language or making offensive gestures and shall refrain from any unsportsmanlike conduct, e.g. such as deliberately losing a game or match, deliberately delaying play, or interfering with the throw of another player.
Any player found by the discipline coordinator to be in breach of paragraphs 27-29 shall be deemed to have brought the Sport of Darts into disrepute and shall be disqualified from the tournament and the matter referred to the Control Commission. The discipline coordinator shall ensure to have heard all
arguments from the disqualified player and their team captain before
confirming their decision.
Material Requirements
All dartboards shall be of the “Bristle” type and include doubles, trebles, 25 and 50 (Bull) rings. It shall be hung 173cm from the centre of the Bull to the floor, and the throw line at least 237 cm measured along the floor and marked with a toe line (oche).
All dartboards shall be adequately lit by suitably positioned light fittings (i.e. Minimum of 100 watt intensity or LED equivalent).
All light fittings must be so positioned that they do not reflect into the thrower’s eyes or onto any other player´s eyes.
A raised oche of a minimum of 38 mm high and 610 mm long shall be placed in position at the minimum throwing distance on each dartboard.
Scoring format
A score sheet, provided by the discipline coordinator should be filled out by each Captain, listing the team’s singles players and the players that will participate in the Doubles (Maximum 8 players) and no player playing more than twice (paragraph 9 refers).
In addition, a summary sheet indicating the results of each match, should be made available for all to see, the scores should be entered by the discipline coordinator after verifying that the respective Captains are in agreement with the result. The summary results should be handed over to the respective Control Commission representative upon completion of the tournament, by the discipline coordinator.

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