HT Games
General Rules
Yard darts is ideal for two to four players. The object of the game is to throw your dart and hit the center of a plastic ring. You score three points by landing your dart anywhere inside the ring. If darts thrown by you and your opponent both land in the ring your three points cancel out and no one scores on that throw. You can also score one point by throwing the dart that lands closest to the ring.
Ring Distance
The ring distance should be determined prior to the start of the game. There are no hard and fast rules for ring distance so it's up to the teams to decide how far apart to set the rings. Professional yard darts players who play Jarts, another name for yard darts, set-up the rings at a distance apart of 35 feet. You can choose to use this distance or choose your own based on the ability level of the individuals playing the game.
Playing the Game
Once the rings are set-up, players should stand behind the ring on their side and throw the darts underhand towards the opposite ring. Each player throws two darts at the ring. The first team to earn 21 points without going over wins the game. When your score gets closer to 21, you may have to strategize to make sure your score is exactly 21. If you go over 21, your points will be deducted rather than added.
Considerations
Metal tipped and weighted plastic lawn darts were outlawed in the U.S. in December, 1988 due to several deaths that occurred while playing yard darts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission encouraged yard darts owners to discard their sets. Retailers now sell darts with an advertised safer tip that can be played without risk of injury. As with all outdoor games, yard darts should be played with caution especially if children are participating in the game.