Cricket Rules
Cricket
Even though league & tournament play has equally as many ’01 games (301 & 501) in their format, cricket is the most popular game played in America both at home and in the pubs. Cricket is one game that has an element of strategy thus, if a shrewd approach is employed, a lesser skilled player, on occasion, may come out on the winning side.
The object of the game is to score three of each target number 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and three bulls-eyes. Scoring inside the triple ring counts as three and inside the double ring counts as two. A number is considered “closed” when three marks of that particular number have been scored. The first person to close all the numbers including bulls-eye and is either tied or ahead on points is the winner.
Numbers can be played at any time, but are usually played in descending order, starting with twenty.
Scoring Cricket
Steel tip
The typical scoreboard will list all of the Cricket numbers that will be in play. Each dart that scores in an open number (any number that has not been marked for a score) is represented by a backward slash “ \ ” placed next to that number. A second mark is a forward slash “/” making an X. The third score is represented by a circle surrounding the X making this number closed or protected. If one scores in the double or triple ring that scores as 2 marks or 3 marks respectively.
Soft tip
Depending on the machine that is being used, the cricket marks can be three LED lights, a single light with three different colors and with some of the more sophisticated machines the full representation, with a series of lights, of the slashes, X’s and circle.
Scoring Points
Once a player has closed a number (three marks) then points can be scored on that number if their opponent has not closed the number. Closing a number can be both offensive, to score points, or defensive, to prevent the scoring of your opponents points.
Ending the Game
If Player A has closed all of their numbers but has fewer points than their opponent, the game will continue until Player A has matched or bettered their opponents score or Player B closes the remainder of their numbers and maintains the higher or the same total points.
Simple Cricket
The object of the game is the first player to score three marks in each target number first, including bulls-eye wins. No points are involved. Although it is a much simpler game and may be viewed as a good game for beginners, it is basically a game of chase where the better player almost always wins.