How to Play Shanghai Darts

Hang the dartboard, or choose a dartboard in a pub that is hung 5 feet, 8 inches above the ground.

Choose your darts. The Shanghai Darts League allows darts smaller than 30.5 cm and lighter than 50 g, but for recreational purposes any dart provided in a pub that feels good to throw is fine. Each player should choose at least three darts.

Warm up by making several practice throws before playing the game.

Throw darts to determine who goes first. There is more than one way to choose who goes first but two common systems are that the player who throws closest to the bull's-eye goes first, second closest goes second and so forth. Another methods is that the player who throws into the highest numbered section of the dartboard goes first.

Take turns throwing darts at the slice of the dartboard labeled 1. Each player throws three darts at the 1 section of the dartboard. For each dart that lands in the middle section of the 1 area, the player gets one point. For each dart that lands in the thin outer ring of the 1 area, the player gets two points. Each dart that a player lands in the thin inner ring in the 1 section will earn the player three points.

Write the scores after each player throws. Post the number of points each player earned in that round on a chalk board or piece of paper.

Repeat Step 4 and 5 for Nos. 2 through 20. Take turns throwing darts at each numbered section of the dartboard in numerical order until No. 20 is completed.

Add up the score after everyone has had a turn to throw three darts at each of 20 sections of the dartboard. Whoever has the highest score wins the game.