Okay, so today I decided to mess around with 501 darts. I’ve played a few times before, but never really kept track of things seriously. So, I figured, why not make it a bit more… structured?
Getting Started
First, I grabbed my dartboard and darts. Nothing fancy, just a standard board I picked up a while back. I made sure the board was hung up properly – don’t want any accidents, you know? Then, I found a piece of paper and a pen to keep score.
The Game
The basic idea of 501 is simple: each player starts with 501 points, and you take turns throwing three darts. You subtract the score of each throw from your total, and the first person to reach exactly zero wins. The catch? You have to finish on a double. That means your last dart has to hit the double ring around the outside of the board, or the double bullseye in the center.
- I started my first game. My first three darts… weren’t great. I think I scored something like 26.
- Kept throwing, slowly chipping away at the 501. It’s harder than it looks! Sometimes I’d get a decent score, like a 60 or even an 80, other times… let’s just say I was happy to hit the board at all.
- The pressure starts mounting, and the double is not easy to hit.
- I missed the double a few times, which was super frustrating. That means you “bust” and have to go back to the score you had before that turn.
Finally
Finally, after, I landed a double! Game over. Honestly, it took longer than I expected.
It was a fun little experiment. I definitely need more practice, especially with those doubles. Maybe I’ll try again tomorrow and see if I can improve my score.
