W O R L D D A R T S F E D E R A T I O N
Dave Alderman
Co-ordinator
1
st
December 2003 4
WDF PLAYING & TOURNAMENT RULES
PLAYING RULES
1.00 THROW
1.01 Players shall provide their own darts, which shall not exceed an overall length of 30.5 cm., nor weigh
more than 50 grams. Each dart shall consist of a needle shaped point which shall be fixed to a barrel.
At the rear of the barrel there shall be attached a flighted stem, which may consist of separate parts.
1.02 All darts shall be thrown deliberately, one at a time, by and from the hand.
1.03 A throw shall consist of a maximum of 'three' darts.
1.04 If a player, during a throw, touches any dart that is in the dartboard, then that throw shall be deemed
to have been completed.
1.05 Any dart bouncing off or falling out of the dartboard shall not be rethrown.
1.06 Any dart falling out of the dartboard before the throw has been completed and the darts retrieved shall
not count.
2.00 STARTING AND FINISHING
2.01 Each match or Leg shall be played with a straight start. IE: to begin scoring the player need only land
a dart in the dartboard inside the outer Doubles wire of the dartboard.
2.02 Each match or Leg shall be played with a double finish. IE: to finish, and win, the player must land a
dart in the double (Double Ring or Bull) of the number equal to one half of the remaining score.
2.03 The Bull shall count as '50' and if the score of '50' is required to complete a Leg or match, the Bull shall
count as double '25'.
2.04 The Bust Rule shall apply. IE: if a player in a throw scores more points than remain in the Leg or match,
or the same points as remain without finishing on a double, or leaves a score of one, then that throw
shall not count and the score shall remain as it was prior to that throw.
2.05 A 'Game Shot' called by a Caller is valid only if the darts thrown achieve the required finish and remain
in the dartboard until retrieved after the 'Game Shot’ has been called.
2.06 If a 'Game Shot' called by a Caller is invalid, then the player shall have the right to continue that throw.
IE: If all three darts have not already been thrown.
2.07 If as a result of an error in Clause 2.05 the player has retrieved any of the darts and not all three darts
have been thrown, then the Referee shall replace the retrieved dart or darts in as near as is practicable
the same position and permit the player to complete the throw.
2.08 The first player who finishes by obtaining the required double out shall be declared the winner of that
Leg or match, whichever is applicable.
A dart thrown by a player after finishing shall not count .
2.09 In a match, or Set divided into Legs, the match or Set shall be played 'best of three' (five, seven, etc.,)
Legs. IE: the first player that wins a majority of the given number of Legs shall be the winner of the
match or Set and the remaining Legs, if any, shall not be played.
2.10 In a match divided into Sets, the match shall be played 'best of three' (five, seven, etc.,) Sets;
IE: the first player who wins a majority of the given number of Sets shall be the winner of the match
and the remaining Sets, if any, shall not be played.
