Those of you beginning to get used to the idea of the new isolation guidelines, whether self or precautionary, will hopefully be able to fit in some more darts practice. Perhaps we will see remarkable improvements in averages later in the year!
A.I.M: thinks that practise is better with a structure an an aim. So he has outlined a warm up method and a drill or two to get you going. He is his ‘Drill of the Day’.
Sprint (or Pro) Half-It!
Ok this is a variation we use to get tour players extra sharp on the segments they use most, with a little pressure added, it can be used by all as a short and sharp drill.
Game Overview:
This is version of the popular social game Half-It, but stripped down to focus on the important areas for competitive darters.
Take one turn (3 darts) at each of the following numbers/segments:
20, 19, 18, 17, Doubles, Trebles, Bull.
Note the total scored from that number only. Add the cumulative score as you go. If you miss the segment with all three darts your score is halved!
N.B. – On the doubles & trebles turns you get the score from any double or treble hit during the turn. If the score to be halved is odd round up to the nearest whole number.
Example:
- 20s: s20, s5, t20 – Score = 80
- 19s: s19, T19, s19 – (Score 95) Running Total = 175
- 18s: s1, T4, 13 – (Score 0) Half It! Running Total = 88
- 17s: s17, t17, t17 – (Score 119) Running Total = 263
- Doubles: s20, out, d5 – (Score 10) Running Total = 273
- Trebles: s20, t20, t5 – (Score 75) Running Total = 348
- Bullseye: 0, Bull, Outer Bull – (Score 75)= Total Score = 423
Variations:
Half-It is a game which can be varied many different ways. The two which best suit those trying to improve, at a higher level, are:
- Adding your favourite treble that you use often. Many add t10 as they use it often to get to a double. This also gives you a personal game to improve at.
- Making the last turn inner bullseye only. This can help to refine your ability to hit the bull under pressure, especially last dart! Imagine having a huge score dependent on hitting a, partially obscured, bull with the last dart in hand!
Levels:
A guide to some benchmark to aim for would be:
- Level One – To complete the game without being halved – Min total = 104
- Level Two – To complete the game and hit the eqivalent of three of each scoring segment and one of each general segment. 60,57,54,51 + 1 x double 1 x Treble and 1 x 25/Bull.
- Level Three – The equivalent of 5 of each scoring segment and one of each of the rest.
- Perfection – 180+171+162+153+120(3xTops)+180+150 (3 x Bull) = 1316
Extras:
If your playing with others, perhaps your children etc, then you can introduce handicaps to level the playing field a little. The better player has to hit a treble on one, or more, segments, or has to hit two doubles to prevent being halved.
Half it is one of the games in which everyone can win. I have witnessed a seventeen your old baby-sitter win ££££s by hitting at least a single every time, then getting lucky on the trebles, then the better players buckled, and her last dart 25 ensured she collected the pot!
Records:
Sprint, or Pro, Half It brings out a very competitive urge if you have two similar level players! But the pressure also increases.
In a marked and witnessed game the best scores we have recorded are:
- Solo: 900+
- Competitive: 770 (Other player scored 550+)
- This was set by Colin Osborne in 2019 – 120+133+90+102+80+120+125
(The Wizard would have scored higher but for a bounce-out on his third shot at t17)
Half-It Pro (or Sprint) is a great drill and should be done regularly in between other drill to re focus on the important board areas and to maintain consistency.
Enjoy and let us know how you get on !
Feature Pic: PDC
Article originally featured in a slightly different form at dartsworld.com
