Many people have inquired about how to set up and run a local blind
draw (also known as Luck of the Draw) dart tournament.
First, have one person take up the names and money of the people
that are going to participate. The easiest way to do this is to have a
sign up sheet available with the numbers 1 - ? written down on it. As people
sign up, you write down their name next to the next available number.
Obviously, you will need an even number of people. If there is an odd
number, then you either need to talk someone else into throwing, or see
if anyone wants to sit out. If you can't find either, then the last person
that signed up will be out (this will encourage people to show up on time
if not early).
Now you determine who will be partnered up with who. This is how
we do it. I went and got a bag and some poker chips. I took a permanent
marker and wrote down one number on each from 1 - 30 (we never have 30 people).
I then take the chips with the numbers that represent each player and dump
them into the tin. (If you're looking for software to help
you, check out the Dart Software page.) For example, if you compare the
14 and 15 team brackets with a 16 team bracket, you can see where the byes
would go on the 16 team bracket. Draw a '/' on each line that a team will
be placed on. Now that we know where the byes go (if you're not using a
bracket that is specific to the number of teams you have), you draw one
chip at a time from the bag. Each chip represents a thrower (the number
next to the persons name on the sign up sheet) and as you draw each chip
you write down the name of the person from top to bottom to the left of the
'/'. When you get to the bottom, you then start back up at the top again and
write down the names to the right of the '/'. Once the last chip is drawn,
your bracket is now full and you're ready to start.
ALL the tournaments are "Ladies Luck Draws," this is meant to bring
in more women to play. It has pretty much succeeded. . At the completion
of registration the women are drawn first or the ladies are asked to
come up and draw their own chip, thus they can't complain about the drawing.
NO TWO WOMEN ARE TEAMED TOGETHER unless there are more women then men
The men draw or are drawn second to fill out the brackets.
All you need to do now is ensure that the tournament runs smoothly.
To do this, you want the bracket to work out as evenly as possible, keeping
all the boards full when there are matches to be played. You don't want
teams sitting around any longer than necessary.
Start with a coin flip, the person winning the flip goes first in
501 or 301 with the freeze rule. The loser of 501 or 301 starts
first in the cricket game. If one team wins both games, the match
is over. If the games are split one to one, a third game is required.
There is another coin toss. The winner of the coin toss decides
either to throw first or choose the game which is 501 unless playing 301
with the freeze rule or cricket
It starts with a coin flip, the person winning the flip can choose
to diddle first or second. The winner of the diddle will then start of a
game of 501. After that game is over, the person that loss the coin toss
will have the choice of diddling first or second. The winner of the diddle
will then start off a game of cricket. If one team wins both games, that
match is over. If the games are split, then we go to a game three. There
is another coin toss, the winner gets to choose to diddle first or second.
The winner of the diddle will then get to choose whether the third game
will be 501 or Cricket.
We charge $5.00 per person for entry fees. Some pubs match the pot
while others put in a set amount. The team that wins 1st gets 1/2
the total pot. 2nd gets the next half and so on until there's only $10-15
left. When that happens, that team will be the last team to win money.
We also have three other ways you can win money: high out, guaranteed
mystery out, carry over mystery out. All of these have to do with the
outs people hit in 501or 301 with the freeze rule. As each out is hit,
it is written next to the players name that hit it on the sign up sheet.
Once a number is hit, nobody else can take credit for that number.
High Out - The person hitting the highest out that evening.
Guaranteed Mystery Out - A chip will be dropped in the bag representing
each number that is hit. One chip will be drawn and the person that hit
that number will win the pot.
Carry Over Mystery Out - We have a bag with one chip representing
every possible out that can be hit. One chip will be drawn, if someone
hit the number drawn, they win the pot. If not, the pot continues to grow.
If someone wins the pot, they get all but $20 of it so there will be something
left in it for next week or they in some pubs the entire pot is given to
the winner.
To get into each of these events costs $2/event. Throwers do not
have to enter all or any of the events, it's up to them. If they do not
enter, they can not win. The winning team splits the money 50/50 unless
one of the team did not pay into the pot. At that point, all money
goes to the person that did put into the pot
