After you pull your darts from the board and turn around, your first 1 or 2 steps should take you out of the oche lane as you're walking back. In short, get out of the lane before you walk back. Do not turn around and walk back through the oche lane when your turn is over.

Most of the time, when you're at the board retrieving your darts, your opponent has stepped up to the oche and is readying themselves to shoot. Walking straight back down the oche lane while they're standing on the line, ready to shoot, is not courteous. Once a turn is over, you have the obligation to remove your darts and get out of the way.

If a relatively new player walks back down the oche repeatedly, it is usually out of ignorance. If a seasoned player does this repeatedly, it is usually borderline gamesmanship.

Obviously, different locations have different amounts of space to maneuver in. Know that walking straight back down the oche lane is not proper decorum. If walking space is an issue, adapt accordingly and do the best that you can.

I agree. I setup as they are retrieving their darts and most noobs will walk straight back causing myself to have to move back off the line.

I try to be gone from the oche as fast as I can.

But as you say, some places the boards are set up in a ridiculous space, It is almost that you bump into the player that are throwing at the board beside you. When the space are so stupid, then its better to talk with the opponent before the game how to walk back in the best way.

True that some players do it. I dont know the rules about it in the BDO and PDC, but I know that in some counties in Sweden the player that have thrown prior have the right to walk straight back and the second player should wait until the first player is off the playing area before toeing the oche.

I myself care very little about what the other player does, I wait to go to the oche until my opponent have left the playing area. I do that to keep my tempo down

USMC80 wrote:

I agree. I setup as they are retrieving their darts and most noobs will walk straight back causing myself to have to move back off the line.

I'll politely remind a noob about this. They often do not know about this.

For a seasoned player who appears to be doing this on purpose, or doing it repeatedly because they're arrogant and probably don't care, mentioning this will only give them an opportunity to do it more in an attempt to put you off your game. For those types, I have a solution for this.

Stand at the line, in your throwing stance and holding your dart pointing at the board and ready to throw. As soon as they turn around and begin their walk back, they see a dart point staring them in the face from only 2 feet away. They usually realize that they've put themselves at risk and it usually changes their behavior.

Your turn is over after you pull your darts.....not after you cross back over the oche. Your opponent has the right to get ready to throw after your 3rd dart is thrown and you've left the oche line to retrieve your darts. Walking straight back down the oche when your opponent is on the oche and ready to throw and causing them to move and reset themselves, is not proper darts etiquette.


Obviously, space is a factor, but in most major tournament events, there is plenty of room to walk back without walking back down the oche lane. I won't challenge a person if there are space issues. But if there is plenty of room for walking, either it is ignorance and I'll mention something or it is gamesmanship and I'll deal with that in my own way.

Funny you say that as i do that exact thing. I start doing it during the warmup too so they know right away. Even during practice with my friends (ask Lefty544 or Homer).

When i first looked at that i thought it said "curtsey after your throw"!! I didn't know the Queen played darts....sure she loves it though!

[quote="habanerojooz"]

USMC80 wrote:

Stand at the line, in your throwing stance and holding your dart pointing at the board and ready to throw. As soon as they turn around and begin their walk back, they see a dart point staring them in the face from only 2 feet away. They usually realize that they've put themselves at risk and it usually changes their behavior.

I don't partake in any sort of gamesmanship but if I turned around and someone was doing this to me I would feel a bit rushed to HAVE to get out of the way. I would than slow things down a bit in retrieving my darts. Maybe even have the flight fall off by "accident".

If you ever watch Stacey B play, she's notorious for being a bully on the line. One step out of the way and her darts are already flying at the board.

Personally if someone was walking back right at me I would politely explain to that person after that game is over. But each scenario is different. From most tourney's on the east coast we have steel dart stands that have a support piece that comes down from the uprights to the tubing on the floor. It's sometimes hard to sidestep that and get out of the way. I've also seen quite a few fall down after catching their foot on that piece. Scary stuff.

I totally agree JD the tournaments here on the east coast (cant speak for out west never been) it is very cramped with the portable boards and I myself have almost nosedived trying to get out of the way after my turn. i still do my best to get out of the way but not at the expense of tripping and getting myself hurt. Oh and by the way JD you really should take that pic of Uncle Fester off your avatar...oh wait it's MvG isn't it...lol

Hat

^^^pmsl, green telletubby

well of course if space is limited its going to happen, theres no avoiding it

I disagree and have dealt with people pulling similar things by aiming darts at me. Really even most tournaments should be friendly games unless your name is Phil, or Mr. Manley.

It is one thing to get ready at the ockey but it is a much different thing to try to rush a player by making it clear that your aim is at them and not the board.

I'm sorry but if you're aiming or throwing while I'm still in the lane and you by chance hit me and claim its my fault, then you will be hearing from my lawyer :O

Both sides of this are equally bad gamemanship. If ya can't enjoy darts probably shouldn't be playing, and if it's clear you're getting angry or annoyed because of issues like this, I don't blame players for trying to force it in a tourney setting by being intentionally slow. I know I probably would because I won't have my pace dictated to me.

If ya like the darts stand up, stand up ....and if you don't sit down? Not trying to troll just my honest two cents

lol, Habanero's post clearly says with your dart pointing at the board

And I think your lawyer would tell you to stop playing darts lol

probably!

As soon as my opponent has thrown his last dart and is on the move to retrieve his darts, then I’m stepping up to the oche straight away. By the time he’s retrieved his last dart I’m ready to throw my first one. If my opponent is a novice and he knows no different, then as soon as he turns to walk down the oche I will lower my arm, (but I won’t step back) and then I bring it back up when he’s out of the way. However, if it’s gamesmanship, then I will keep my throwing arm right where it is forcing him to stop in his tracks. I don’t suffer fools gladly!!!

What was King Harold’s famous last words at the Battle of Hastings? Um? Oh yeah I remember now, he said: “Watch out for him lads, he’ll have some buggers eye out“.

Of course, if there’s not a lot of room, well, that’s different.

would never point or try and make someone think i was throwing at them. I just like to get up to the line and get settled and ready to go, like i said i even do it when practicing with friends.

If someone was using any stupid antics i would ask them to quit it, sometimes not so nicely

Hatrick wrote:

Oh and by the way JD you really should take that pic of Uncle Fester off your avatar...oh wait it's MvG isn't it...lol
Hat

He cleans up quite nicely. Being rich makes him look better too.

Leave my man crush alone.

Taffy wrote:

As soon as my opponent has thrown his last dart and is on the move to retrieve his darts, then I’m stepping up to the oche straight away. By the time he’s retrieved his last dart I’m ready to throw my first one. If my opponent is a novice and he knows no different, then as soon as he turns to walk down the oche I will lower my arm, (but I won’t step back) and then I bring it back up when he’s out of the way. However, if it’s gamesmanship, then I will keep my throwing arm right where it is forcing him to stop in his tracks. I don’t suffer fools gladly!!!

What was King Harold’s famous last words at the Battle of Hastings? Um? Oh yeah I remember now, he said: “Watch out for him lads, he’ll have some buggers eye out“.

Of course, if there’s not a lot of room, well, that’s different.

Took the words right our of my mouth

My opening thread was about dart etiquette. It was especially aimed at the newer players as many of them are not aware of this etiquette.

When etiquette is not followed, talking like mature adults is the way to handle it.

Regarding gamesmanship.....Standing on the line with dart pointed at the board....IMO, my opponent has the right to be in this position as soon as I've pulled my darts. For this reason, I would not consider their act to be gamesmanship. Now if they're throwing darts past my head as soon as I pull my darts, or they're aiming darts at my head when I'm outside of the oche lane...that is a different conversation.

I think there is a rule here that we arent supposed to start throwing until the other person is behind the oche.

Not many abide by this rule, but I try to. Im never in a rush to throw my darts.

Etiquette in darts is similar to etiquette in golf - players who have been playing long enough and should know better sometimes don't!! Sometimes people are boneheads