Checking Out Darts: The Only Reason To Go to the Pub

The Beijing International Darts League has over 15 teams, which congregate at various venues (all of them bars) every Thursday. In between drinks, they throw some arrows at a cork board marked with numbers.

Where are your players from?
They come from all over the world but more precisely they come straight from work.

How good at darts does someone need to be to get involved?
Any level is good enough; we’ve seen plenty of closes by rookies! Sometimes it really is anyone’s game to win.

What about those snazzy shirts?
A few teams have polo shirts and “those snazzy darts shirts.” We plan to offer a link for shirt service on the website in order to see more of them around on a Thursday night.

Are there any women or is it all fat men with moustaches?
Plenty of both. Depends what you’re looking for.

Should dartboards be hung lower in China?
Definitely! Although it starts to matter less the more you drink ...

How many nine-dart finishes do you get in the league?
In Division 1, with the more “serious” dartists, they get a few occasionally. Down in the second division it’s a big cheer for anything over 100 or a close above a double 1!

Any darts-related accidents? Something similar to football terraces in the 1970s?
A long time ago, I do recall when I played in the Bell Pub (British Embassy), one of our guys put his finger over the double that a local lass needed to close on – and sure enough, the dart went straight through the tip of his finger. Spilled my beer all over their nice carpet, laughing! But that’s it.

Does drinking make it more difficult to play darts?
Au contraire! We play our best darts in what we call the “four-pint zone.” However, it’s a very difficult thing to maintain …

Is there any truth in the rumor that the winners of the league get a speedboat?
It’s better to wind up the losers with a shout of “Let’s have a look at what you could have won.”

Who is the best darts player in the world?
No question! Phil “The Power” Taylor.

Finally, who’ll win the 2011 WDC World Cup? The Netherlands again?
Most probably. It’s all those smokes and pancakes. We’d have preferred the IOC to recognize it as an official Olympic sport for London 2012, though!

New teams can register for the new season in mid-July. Free-for-all competitions begin this month. See www.beijingdarts.com for more.