Rules for Setting Up a Dart Board

Before playing Cricket or 501, you'll need to get your dart board set up. While you may not be that concerned with having regulation placement, it's best to follow the official rules. This will add to your game and also allow you to perform better should you decide to play more competitively.

  1. Distance

    • Measure the distance. The toe line, also called an oche or hockey, should be 7 feet, 9 1/4 inches from the center of the dart board. Note that the actual measurement when you mark the toe line off will be taken from the center of the board itself, not from the wall. Hang a plumb down from the center and measure back from the plumb or factor the thickness of the board into your measurement from the wall. Mark it off with a bar or piece of tape about 3-feet-long.

    Soft Tips

    • Create your toe line an even 8 feet from the center of the board for soft tip play. This is the one variation in setting up an electronic soft tip board.

    Height

    • The center of the dart board (middle of the double bull) should be 5 feet, 8 inches from the ground. For best mounting, use a screw in the center back of the dart board (many boards come with this type of mounting hardware). With this type of mount, you can simply mark off the 5 foot, 8 inch measurement and install your hardware. If you are hanging the dart board using a hook on the top, you'll need to take the distance from the top of the hook to the center board into account when mounting.

    Position

    • The board should be flush against the wall. Rotate the board so that the "20" is at the very top.

    Considerations

    • Although there's no official rules about the room, it pays to carefully consider the area around your board. You should have at least 5-feet by 11-feet of clear space around the board. There shouldn't be any valuables or breakables within close proximity, as darts can bounce off the board and cause damage. Consider using a cabinet or mounting board to prevent damage to the wall.