I have started playing Cricket and I believe I understand the rules properly. My question regards strategy.
Once you close a number, you can score points on it. Say I hit two double twenties, so I have 20 points. Should I then move immediately on to 19’s ? Or should I try to get a few more points off of the 20’s ?
In general, how many points should I try to get ahead, before I move on to other numbers ?
Whoo boy there are a lot of variables.
The biggest question is how good is the other guy? If you think he’s better than you go for the extra points. If you are the better player it’s rude to pound points if you don’t need them. (Rude depends if you are playing a friendly game, for a beer, or in a league. In leagues and tournaments I’ve seen cricket games go to 1000 points.)
If you are evenly matched the rule of thumb is to try to be two to three darts ahead. Right now in your example you have 20’s closed and a 20 point lead. He needs to close 19’s and still throw 2 darts to get to 38 points for the lead. (yeah he could get a triple or double, but count each dart as a single to keep it easy.) After he gets points he still needs to go back to close the 20’s. During your turn you hit a 20 for the lead and then move to 19’s with the two darts in your hand.
Easy strategy for beginners in cricket is never get behind in points. If I were playing somebody that hit 4 20’s in the first round I would go to the 19’s to get ahead in points then worry about closing the 20’s when I have a dart in my hand to spare.
I agree with Mr. Goob. I used to play league darts and it was considered really rude to run up points if you were playing a team that wasn’t as good as yours. Don’t get behind (or not far behind) in points, but don’t run them out of sight unless you need to.
Ok thanks for the help - I was looking for a rule of thumb, and getting “two or three darts ahead” makes sense to me.
Also - do you play real (metal tipped) darts or that abomination of a plastic type thing?
I think pounding points is more acceptable in plastic electronic darts, because it is much easier to hit trebles, and in particular multiple trebles.
Pounding points in cricket with real darts is very very poor form.
As we all know, the true purpose of darts is pounding pints anyway.
When my buddies and I played a lot, we tended to prefer playing “straight out” with no points, just closing the points with the first out winning. When playing points, I always figured if I got one point ahead, I’d move on and close out the next point. But that was kinda a matter of pride for me, and a dislike for folks who run up scores.
Do you play slop? Say you are aiming at 20 and it drops in the triple 19 - do you score it? We generally figured you should only get credit for what you are aiming at, but folk differ.
In leagues, we generally played 301 instead of Cricket. Cricket was mainly for fun - like Around the World.
These are “real” darts. We play slop I guess, whatever sticks scores.
In a discussion with a friend this morning, he said you should keep “a bull ahead” in points. I think I like the “2 or 3 darts ahead” better. My question was mainly how far ahead to you want to stay. I agree with the disapproval of pounding points.
My problem with 301 was that, unless I don’t understand it correctly, you just hammer on 20’s until you get into double out range. With Cricket you have to go all over the board.
My buddies and I all owned bristle boards before we ever saw one of those electronic abortions.
With 301 you are in (admittedly unlikely) double out range when you get to 140. Throwing perfectly, you could get there on your first throw with 3 trip-20s.
Plus, you have the whole double-in/out thing. You could play Cricket without even aiming at the double/triple rings.
As far as pounding points, you have to decide what is best for you. But I’d tend to think anyone who got more than a couple of scores ahead was a jerk.
Are you playing for money? If so, is the bet a set amount for the game, or are you betting per point?
Most league 301 I played was double-in, double-out.
And my best check out? A Nelson - 111. (20, T17, Tops).