Help System

NAME
dartboard - instructions on how to play darts

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION
The game of darts is traditionally played in pubs across the world. Many
variations of dart games abound, mostly differing due to region however
they all share one thing in common and that is the use of a thrown dart
to strike a dartboard for points. These games are generally ones of agility
but luck still plays a small part. All dart games have their origins
in the combative arts; however the darts used here are designed for accuracy
to the exclusion of damage potential.

Dartboard
A dartboard is large circular board made of cork or wood that is divided
into twenty wedges like a pie. Each wedge is numbered one through twenty
representing their point value. In the very center is a small black dot
surrounded by a slightly larger red circle known as the double bull's eye
and bull's eye, respectively.  The point value of a bull's eye is twenty-five
and the double bull is fifty.  The board also has two thin rings known as
the doubles and the triples.  The triples ring bisects all the wedges and
has a point value equal to three times the number upon which it overlaps.
The doubles ring circles the very outside of each wedge and is valued at
two times the number over which it lay.

Three games are recognized in some form or another around the world of Alyria.
They are Cricket, 301, and 501.  In all the games, players normally Cork to
see who goes first and then alternate turns by throwing three darts per turn.
Players then take as many turns as is necessary to finish the game.

Corking
Corking is used to determine who shoots first regardless of what game is
going to be played. The winner of the cork is the one who gets the highest
amount of points by throwing a single dart.  The syntax is generally,
'Let us Cork.', 'You Cork.', 'I'll Cork.', or 'Who won the Cork?'.

Cricket
The game of Cricket is more time consuming than 301 or 501.  In this game
points do not matter. The object is to try to hit a particular number three
times thus 'closing' it. The numbers we shoot for are normally 18, 19, 20
and the bull's eye.  Doubles count as two strikes and triples as three.
The first player to close all the target numbers and bull's eye wins.

301
301 is easier than Cricket and very similar to 501.  The object of this
game is to subtract the number of points you get each turn from 301. It
is a simple race to zero but with one catch, to begin subtracting points you
must first throw a double on any number and to finish the game you must throw
another double. It is called 'double in, double out'. The first double
thrown is subtracted from 301 to start the countdown. Once reaching zero
points, or less, the next double thrown will finish the game.

501
Though 501 is different from Cricket, it is almost exactly the same as 301
except you do not have to double in. Each player starts with 501 points and
race to zero by subtracting the number of points they get each turn. The
first player to score a double on any number after reaching zero, or less, wins.

As with any game, a player should take a few practice throws first to get a feel
for it.

SEE ALSO
Darts, Chess, Ctf