League Round 5 - 3rd September 2013

For various reasons including Glen's new commitments on Monday and Tuesday nights I have decided to reduce this season to just one match between each pair of players: the 17th September (Round 7) will be the last round of this league. Glen has already played all his matches so the results to date will all stand. There will be further details provided on the next league night, the 10th September.

Match Report
Tom v Ben
Ben threw first to get the night under way. There was nothing exceptional from either player in the first leg which Ben finished with a double-1 to take the lead. Better darts in the second saw Ben take a lead of over 100 when with 228 remaining he hit his first ever 180, following it up on his next throw with an impressive 16, double-16 to go 2-0 up. A return to the usual averages in the third leg saw Tom run him close but with both going for their doubles it was Ben with another double-1 who took the match.

Glen v Darren
Not a sparkling performance from Glen who struggled on his doubles, but Darren was his own worst enemy with some of the poorest darts we've seen from him in the league and gifted Glen a 3-0 victory.

Nick v Tom
A decent performance from Tom who had one or two chances but Nick proved too strong and kept his nose in front in all three legs, racking up his third 3-0 win.

Claire v Glen
In a slow-paced match with some decent scores around the 80 mark both players had double trouble but it was Glen who finally found the target for a second 3-0 of the night.

Darren v Anne
A great start from Anne with some decent scoring against a below-par Darren saw her take the first leg but she couldn't keep the pressure on and he came back to take the next three legs for a 3-1 win.

James v Ram
Steady darts from James with accurate doubles saw him maintain an edge in this close match against Ram, who has suffered from too many arrows straying into the 5 recently. Both had chances at high 3-dart checkouts only to slip on the third dart but these were the still the most consistent performances of the night. Ram was unlucky to come away with little for his efforts as James won 3-1.

Tom v Glen
It was Glen's last chance to equal the high score and he seemed to be trying too hard as there was an obvious tension in his throw affecting his accuracy. Although leaving his glasses at home obviously didn't help either. Some better checking out than earlier matches gave Glen a third clean sheet of the night.

So Ben joins Ram in this season's 180 club as well as winning £10 for both the highest score and highest checkout 48. Bonus points for 3-0 went to Glen (3), Nick and Ben.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week

• Anne v Claire
• Anne v Ram
• Ben v Nick
• Darren v Tom
• James v Claire

League Round 4 - 20th August 2013

The gang's all here - a full house for Round 4 as Tom & Claire were back from holidays and also the welcome return of Anne!

Match Report
Claire v Nick
A lack of recent practice for Claire meant she wasn't confident going into this match, but a few good scores including a 105 did put a little pressure on Nick, who struggled to find his trebles. He had no such trouble on the doubles though and took all three legs for a 3-0 win.

Tom v James
After my suggestion last week that his form might not have been as good as previous seasons, James looked determined to prove me wrong. With both players scoring well it was close but James was more consistent in his aim and sharper on the finishes, including a great 78, and came away with a well-earned 3-0 victory.

Anne v Ben
It was Anne's first match since May, but the way she started you wouldn't have thought she'd not had a dart in her hand for nearly four months. In the end it was only her doubles that let her down, as Ben, after winning a lengthy first leg where both players had numerous throws to finish, picked up the pace in the second. Left with 101 he got the treble-17 and, going for broke, aimed at the bull for a 2 dart out only to hit the 25 instead. A big 9 with his third set up a double-8 for the next turn at the oche which he landed to go 2-0 up. A close third leg saw good scores again from both players (scorer Darren said "Anne scored phenomenally") but it was Ben again who finished with a 48 checkout to win 3-0.

Ram v Tom
Ram made a strong start and took the first leg but Tom was scoring as well as in his first match and came back strongly to take the second on a 38 checkout. The third leg was another close affair until Ram hit his targets in fine fashion to check out with 98. His form continued into the final leg where he scored the night's maximum 132 on his way to a 3-1 win.

Glen v Anne
Glen threw some steady darts against a tiring Anne, but didn't manage his usual quota of treble-20s. After winning the first leg in reasonable comfort he didn't manage to build a lead in the second and Anne reduced her total to 46, a very useful 2 dart out shot, before he put it away with the double on his next throw to go 2-0 up. Anne couldn't manage to keep her momentum up into the third leg and fell behind as Glen took the match 3-0.

Darren v Nick
Rounding off the night as well as starting it, Nick was keen to beat Ram's high score & checkout. Darren had other ideas and put up a strong fight in the closest match of the night. After winning the first leg Darren had a bit of a nightmare in the second, missing the board with all 3 darts to score a zero on one throw: a first for our league if I'm not mistaken. (I'm sure one of you will correct me if I'm wrong!) Not surprisingly Nick took that leg and also the next with a very strong checkout, but Darren wasn't done yet. A nail-biting final leg saw both players neck and neck at the close. Nick needed 170 to seal victory, which naturally would also have meant putting in the highest score & checkout, but didn't find even one treble-20 so it was left to Darren to level the match and secure a draw 2-2.

Bonus points for clean sheets went to Nick, James, Ben and Glen, while the £5 prizes for highest score and checkout both went to Ram for 132 and 98 respectively. A great all-round effort!

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
We take a break from the league next Tuesday (27th) for a knockout. The league will return on the 3rd September for Round 5.

League Round 3 - 13th August 2013

Match Report
Ben v Glen
Glen opened the scoring with a string of good totals including a 140, Shanghai 120 and a couple at 80+ to build a commanding lead and reach his checkout while Ben still faced over 250. But double trouble not only left the door ajar; it opened it wide to let Ben work his way down to a closing double which he hit to take a most unlikely lead. A timely 132 from Ben gave him a shot at double-top to take the second leg before Glen regained his concentration and found his target to get a leg back on his own throw. The final leg was close score-wise but both players missed countless attempts at their doubles before ending up in the madhouse: double-1. In the end it was Glen who found the target first to draw the match 2-2.

Ram v Ben
Ram came out with guns blazing to build a good lead in the opening leg, hitting a 140 and a ton and carried on to his 65 checkout with a comfortable margin. Ben came back in the second leg with a big opening throw of 134 followed by an 80+ while Ram strayed into the 5 too many times. Ben maintained his lead in the leg and checked out quickly to level the match. Another good leg from Ben broke Ram's throw, but the wheels fell off in the final leg and some loose arrows gave Ram plenty of opportunity to come back and take the leg for a 2-2 draw.

Nick v Ram
Nick wasted no time from the off, hammering darts in with 20 after 20, several of them trebles. Ram was still straying into the 5 too often and Nick went two legs up in next to no time with great accuracy on his doubles. Ram picked up in the third leg and even though Nick put in three 100s he was in with a chance when, with 70 remaining, his shot at treble-10 hit a 15 but his next dart for a big 15 to leave double-top went wide of the mark, out of the board to dash his hopes. Nick cleaned up with his next throw to win 3-0.

Darren v James
With a reputation as James' bogey player, Darren had the psychological edge going into the last match of the night. James was having none of it though, and threw some steady darts while Darren, usually deadly on the 19s, hit too many 7s and 3s to keep up with the scoring, and leg after leg went James' way. Final score 3-0: a decent performance from James and hopefully a sign that he is returning to the form he showed last season.

Bonus points were awarded to Nick and James for their clean sheets. Ram won the £5 for the highest checkout with his 65, while he and Glen shared the £5 for the highest score with 140.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Tom and Claire return from their holidays for Round 4 and Anne is hopeful that she will finally be fit. The fixtures (barring unplanned absences) will be:

• Anne v Ben
• Claire v Nick
• Darren v Nick
• Glen v Anne
• Ram v Tom
• Tom v James

League Round 2 - 6th August 2013

Although our numbers were down with people being away on holidays, we saw some good matches in Round 2.

Match Report
James v Glen
Glen started well and took an early lead with some good darts. James wasn't playing at his best but came back with a 140 and a very steady 71 checkout to avoid a whitewash. With both players throwing consistently it was close and they deserved to share the spoils with a 2-2 draw.

Ben v James
Ben had never beaten James in the league and didn't hold out much hope going into this match, but a run of good scores in the 80's and 90's together with accurate checkouts saw him take a 2-0 lead. While James kept the pressure on in the 3rd leg, Ben started to show his usual inconsistency with some low scores allowing James back into the match. The final leg was pretty one-sided with Ben looking tired as James kept his unbeaten record with a 2-2 draw.

Nick v Glen
This was the first time the two had met in the league; they had played each other socially with Nick reportedly having the best of it, and it was Nick who went ahead before Glen came back in the second with a good 66 checkout. Several 100's from Glen were matched by Nick's 80+ totals with Nick having fewer wild arrows straying into the 5 and 1 overall, but in the end it all came down to the checkouts, where both players had chances in equal measure. A very close encounter finished with the third 2-2 draw of the night.

Darren v Ram
Darren didn't play badly but Ram was on fire, banging in ton-plus scores including a 180 (I enjoyed calling that one in traditional Lakeside fashion), 140 and 135. Darren kept plugging away with steady scores around the 60 mark but Ram was building too much of a lead with the big totals and had little pressure on him to check out. 3-0 to Ram.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Next week will be Round 3. Tom and Claire are still on holiday but I'm hoping Anne will be fit to make her first appearance.

• Anne v Ben
• Ben v Glen
• Darren v James
• Nick v Anne
• Ram v Ben

League Round 1 - 30th July 2013

Last night saw the return of the Premier League. We have nine players this time and everybody will play everyone else twice.

Match Report
Darren v Ben
Darren opened the night's action in a close first leg. With decent middling scores from both players it came down to the wire but the advantage of throwing first proved decisive as Darren checked out double-9. The second leg also went with the darts, levelling the match and guaranteeing a fourth leg. Some poor throws from Ben gave Darren the edge in the third leg to break the throw but the favour was returned in the last leg and both players were happy with a well-deserved draw 2-2.

Claire v Tom
In a lengthy first leg both players threw some wayward arrows but it was Claire who found the target to checkout and take the lead. Tom came back with some better scoring including the night's best 138 and also a 135 (narrowly missing out on a 180 when his third dart landed the wrong side of the wire in the treble-5). But Claire came back in the fourth leg. With both players aiming for their finishing double she found the target first to gain the draw 2-2 to a round of applause.

Nick v James
Finding his form after a lean few weeks of knockouts, James hit consistently good scores and even though Nick didn't play badly he didn't get a look in. James checked out three legs in succession, including the night's highest out of 66 to win 3-0, earning a bonus point for the clean sheet.

Ram v Glen
An unusually scrappy display from Simmonds senior saw Glen race to a two leg lead but Ram fought back in the third, opening with consecutive 100s as Glen's form dipped briefly and winning a leg back. However the respite was short-lived as Glen came back strongly in the final leg of the night to win 3-1.

Congratulations to James who gained a bonus point for his 3-0 win along with £5 for the highest checkout, and to Tom who won £5 for the highest score.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Round 2 will be played next Tuesday.

• Ben v Glen 
• Ben v James 
• Darren v Ram 
• James v Glen 
• Nick v Anne

League Finals - 11th June 2013

And so we come to the end of another season. Although a couple of players dropped out over the course of the league it was a good one on the whole and everybody enjoyed themselves. There has been a bit of interest from new people for the next league, so it's looking good for the future.

Cuddles for the birthday girl!

Match Report
As I said last week, the playoff draw was determined by the final standings in the league table. The bottom four players competed in a qualifying round to join the top two in the semi finals.

Qualifying Round
Ben (3) v Sam (6)
Sam threw first and steadily built up a lead in the first leg before getting stuck on her checkout, allowing Ben to catch up. With both players struggling on madhouse double-1 this leg looked like lasting all night! before Ben finally got an arrow on target to put everyone out of their misery. Ben threw some better darts in the second leg, drawing ahead of Sam despite her scoring a 136 (although it has to be said her 2 didn't help much). A quick 25 checkout sealed the second leg for Ben and he went through 2-0.

"Crouch" on the oche

Darren (4) v Tom (5)
Tom was quick off the mark against Darren and put in some good scores but Darren didn't get caught napping and kept pace in a close match. An excellent 58 checkout from Darren brought the match level at 1-1, setting up a deciding third leg. With that semi-final spot in sight on the finishing line, both players put in the effort and it was Darren who checked out when Tom had a spot of bother on his finishing. 2-1 to Darren.

Ben posing next to the match board

Semi-Finals
James v Ben
Ben threw first but gradually fell behind James who hit tops with regularity to reach a finish with at least 6 darts in hand. A bit of double-trouble let Ben back in and he reduced his total to single figures before James hit the target to take the first leg. Ben started better in the second leg, scoring 80+ back-to-back before the wheels fell off and he put in a couple of 3's! Meanwhile James, propelled by a 140, had established a commanding lead and booked his place in the final with a clinical checkout to seal his 2-0 victory.

Ram taking aim in the Final

Ram v Darren
Completing the semi-final line-up, Ram played the second qualifier Darren. It was a decent performance from Ram who averaged 68 in the first leg, and although Darren came close it was Ram who went ahead to take the leg. Some loose throws from Darren in the second leg left him adrift on the scoreboard and, despite needing a couple of attempts at his double, Ram took the second leg to go through 2-0 and face James in the final.

Final
James v Ram
With all the earlier matches going to the player higher-placed in the league, top-of-the-table Ram would have to have been a slim favourite going into this match, but James also went undefeated through the season: their league match against each other resulted in a draw.

Ram landed nearest the bull to wit the throw but only hit a middling score, allowing James to take control of the leg. It was close at the finish but James checked out 40 to go ahead. A little frustration was evident from Ram in the second leg following a few off-target darts, and James kept things steady, working his way down to a finish which he quickly checked out to win the match and the title.

Darren shows off his winnings

Presentation
Tom agreed to present the prizes to the winners (sorry Sam, there was no prize for the lowest score!). For the highest checkout of the night, 58, Darren won £5.

Congratulations to runner-up Ram

Runner-up Ram received the second prize of £20.

And finally, our League Champion James was awarded £30, plus an additional £5 for the night's highest score of 140.

All that remains is for me to thank everybody who took part. I look forward to seeing you all in the next league, starting in July.

 

League Champion James

Next Week
The next couple of weeks will be knockouts before the new league starts up on Tuesday 2nd July. Please let me know before the end of this month if you want to take part.

Round 6 - 4th June 2013

There was more reworking of the fixture list as Anne was not recovered enough to play her remaining fixtures, so that meant just three matches to round off this league. I'm sure we all wish her the best and hope she feels up to returning soon.

Match Report
Ben played Tom in the opener and some strong scoring from Tom saw him take the first leg comfortably. Ben picked up in the second leg and hit three 80+ scores, following this up with a good checkout to level the match. While Tom continued to throw well, Ben's throw was inconsistent (unless scoring five 5's - 1, 1, treble-1 - in an evening can be called consistency) and Tom won the final two legs comfortably for a 3-1 victory.

Ben was in action again against Darren in the second match of the night and seemed to have recovered some of his form, finding the treble-20 less elusive than in the previous games. Darren started well, going ahead with the first leg, but his form dipped towards the end of the match and Ben came back to secure the draw 2-2.

The final match of the night, and the league, saw Ram play Sam. Sam scored well throughout, including the night's second highest total of 118, but couldn't match Ram's consistency as he went ahead in leg after leg. Despite a little shakiness on one checkout after leaving himself double-5, Ram won decisively 3-0.

Bonus points went to Tom for the highest score 119 as well as the highest checkout 54, and a clean sheet bonus to Ram.

• All match results - 4th June 2013
• Final league standings - 4th June 2013

Next Week
Next week is the Finals, a playoff knockout to decide the overall winner of this league. The final fixtures are:

Qualifying Round
Q1: Ben v Sam
Q2: Darren v Tom

Semi Finals
James v Q1 Winner
Ram v Q2 Winner

Round 5 - 21st May 2013

It was another short round last night as Anne was again not fit enough to play, and John was also absent. I've not heard anything from John directly but it appears he may be unable to complete the season, in which case I will either find a substitute player or take the "Pools Panel" option of estimating what the results are likely to have been. For now his outstanding fixtures remain in the list.

Match Report
Ben played Sam in the first match of the night and both players started slowly with low average scores. Ben came from behind to take the first leg and he held a narrow lead to hit his double first in the second leg as well. Sam threw more steadily in the third leg but despite hitting a Shanghai 120 Ben's scoring was stronger overall and, with both players trying for their final doubles, he hit double-top to win 3-0.

Next up were Tom and Darren. Tom got off to a good start, taking the first leg but Darren came back strongly in the second as he started to find the trebles more frequently to level the match. A spot of double-trouble for both players saw numerous attempts at the madhouse, double-1, before Darren went ahead and he continued scoring well into the final leg to win the match 3-1, scoring a good 127 along the way.

Rounding off the night were James and Ram. Ram threw first and both players scored steadily but it was James who took the first leg against the throw and carried on to take the second leg. Ram held his throw in the third leg as both players' scoring improved with regular 80+ totals, including a 140 from Ram. The fourth leg was wide open as James had the throw but failed to open with a good score, allowing Ram to challenge for the lead. Even though Ram had a few wild darts, James suffered more trouble with his aim and Ram had a comfortable lead by the time he reached a checkout, and even though James managed to reach a finish, Ram checked out 40 to draw 2-2.

Bonus points to Ram for the highest score 140, to Ram and Ben for the highest checkout 40 and a clean-sheet bonus to Ben.

• Results & Fixtures - 21 May 2013
• League Table - 21 May 2013

Next Week
Next Monday is another Bank Holiday so instead of the regular league on the Tuesday there will be a Knockout on Monday night. All are welcome: we will start at 8pm and as usual it will cost £2.50 each to enter.

Round 4 - 14th May 2013

Match Report
Only three matches last night as two of our players, Anne and John, were unable to make it, so there has been a little reshuffling of fixtures.

Getting the ball rolling were Sam and Tom in one of the most even matches I've ever seen. There was nothing between them on the scoreboard with both players hitting occasional ton-pluses - including a 125 by Sam - interspersed with low numbers. Tom even managed to bust 127 by scoring a 140 - the highest of the night - that unfortunately didn't count as the highest score because it bust. The final score was a 2-2 draw: an accurate reflection of the match.

Second up on the oche were Ben and James. James started strongly, hitting a treble-20 in each of his first three throws to gain a decisive lead in the opening leg. Ben struggled to hit his targets in the second leg too and was lucky to even reach a finishable total. Just when it all looked to be over, the third leg became a turning point as Ben found his form and started to finally hit the trebles, building a good lead by the time he got below 200. But that was when this brief patch of form deserted him and James narrowed the gap until both players were looking at double-top with Ben to throw first. All three darts landed outside the board and James sealed it on the next turn with the night's best checkout of 40. Result: 3-0 to James.

The last match of the night saw Ram play Darren in a rearranged fixture since both players' original opponents were absent. The scoring was good in the quickest match of the night with both finding trebles regularly. Ram thought he'd scored a 140 but narrowly missed out as one dart lay just below the treble wire, but there were several ton and ton-plus scores logged. Things were looking even in the first half as the score went to 1-1 but while Ram kept up the pressure, Darren started to slip and his scoring declined. Ram pressed home the advantage and came out the winner 3-1.

A special mention to James who achieved the maximum 3 bonus points for highest score (135), highest checkout (40) and for keeping a clean sheet in his match.

• Results & Fixtures - 14 May 2013
• League Table - 14 May 2013

Next Week
Round 5 will be played next Tuesday 21st. The fixtures for that night will be:
Anne v John
Ben v Sam
James v Ram
Tom v Darren

Summer League 2013 Round 3

Second Class Citizens?
There was some disruption to our matches because of a pool match going on right next to the oche. It turns out that an itinerant pool team has made its home in the Standard because they couldn't find another venue, and their matches in the Blackwater League are played on Monday nights. So we darts players, who have been playing on Monday nights for a number of years now, have to either suffer the disruption or move. There's no ideal solution to this problem but the decision has been taken to move our remaining fixtures to Tuesday nights.

Match Report
And so on to the matches. First to play were Darren and Sam in a close match that finished 2-2. Anne and Ben played next with Ben throwing some wayward darts along the way but proving better on the doubles to win 3-0. And then it was the turn of Tom and James. Tom's scoring kept him within reach of the steady James, but James proved too good on the doubles and won 3-0.

The final match of the night saw the two league leaders face each other: John against Ram. Both players threw well hitting some good scores, including Ram scoring our first 180 since Craig three seasons ago. Despite that it was John who hit the doubles to win 3-0.

Bonus points for highest checkout went to James for 40, highest score to Ram (obviously), and clean sheet bonuses to Ben, James and John.

• Results & Fixtures - 29th April
• League Table - 29th April

Next Week
It's Early May Bank Holiday next Monday so there will be a knockout. All welcome as usual. The league returns the following week on the new night, Tuesday 14th.

Summer League 2013 Round 2

Match Report
James and Darren started the night off, and it was evenly matched as Darren played steadily while James was up and down, even scoring a 5 and a 3 in one leg (which he won against the odds). It finished in a draw, 2-2, with James having the consolation of the night's highest checkout, 48.

Second up on the oche were Ben and Ram. Ram was in great scoring form and hit two 140's, narrowly missing out on 180 both times. Ben kept plugging away but rarely managed a score over 45, and it was only Ram's double troubles that gave him any chance of reaching a finish. The first leg descended into a race for double-1 as both players missed throw after throw but it was Ram who found the target in the end and again in the following legs. The result: a comfortable 3-0 win for Ram and the night's highest score 140.

John played Sam next and there was plenty of horseplay on the oche as Sam resorted to distraction tactics to try to put John off. It turned out to be counter-productive as Sam's throw appeared to be less consistent than usual while John hit successive 60's to gain a lead in each leg. John's finishing was good enough to shut Sam out for a 3-0 win.

The last match of the night saw Tom take on Anne. Tom threw steadily but it was Anne who had her eye in on the doubles to take the lead and then go 2-0 up. Tom got one back with some decent throwing in the third leg but it was Anne, cheered on by the spectators, who came through in the last leg for her first win, 3-1.

Bonus points for high score/checkout to James and Ram, and to Ram and John for winning 3-0. This puts Ram on top of the table with 8 points, closely followed by John on 7.

• Results & Fixtures - 22nd April
• League Table - 22nd April

Next Week
Round 3 is next Monday and the fixtures are:
Anne v Ben
Darren v Sam
Ram v John
Tom v James

Summer League 2013 Round 1

After just a two week break it was back to league action last night with the start of the Summer League. Although it was "Adios!" to Andy and Natasha who decided not to play this time, we welcomed John who made his first appearance in last week's knockout, bringing the league up to 8 players for this season.

Match Report
Darren and Anne kicked off the new season. Although Darren outscored Anne, his sometimes-shaky finishing allowed her to close the gap and threaten a couple of times but he found his doubles in the end to win 3-0.

Sam played James in the next match and put in a creditable performance, winning one leg, but James dominated the rest of the match, scoring a Shanghai along the way as well as the night's best checkout of 60. Result 3-1 to James.

Ben took on John in the third match, and from the start struggled to keep up with John's consistently solid scoring. A couple of out-of-the-blue 121's kept Ben in the game but John's finishing was too good to allow more than the slimmest of chances in any of the legs and it finished a comfortable 3-0 win for John.

Rounding off the night's matches were Ram and Tom. Tom hit some decent totals but finishing was his problem, as a steady performance from Ram in which he hit the night's best score of 134 brought him a 3-0 win.

Bonus points for 3-0 to Ram, John and Darren, plus high score & checkout bonuses to Ram and James.

• Results & Fixtures - 15 April 2013
• League Table - 15 April 2013

Next Week
It's Round 2 next week, Monday 22nd April, and here are the fixtures.
Ben v Ram
James v Darren
John v Sam
Tom v Anne

Knockouts
There are two Bank Holiday Mondays in May and both will have knockout competitions. Anybody can come along and join in, the more the merrier!

Pre-Season Knockout - 8th April 2013

Match Report
It was a good night of darts to get everybody in the mood for the new league starting next Monday. We had eight players altogether which is ideal for a knockout, including newcomer John. First round and semi-final matches were played as best-of-3 legs from 501, while the final was best-of-5.

First Round
Getting the competition underway were James and Ben. James threw steadily while Ben was slow off the mark, barely reaching a possible 3-dart checkout total before James took the first leg. A good start in the second leg saw Ben take an early lead on the scoreboard but his inconsistent throwing allowed James to catch up and check out to go through 2-0.

Joining us for the first time was John who played Darren, returning after a couple of weeks off. Darren threw some decent darts but was eclipsed by power scoring from John who hit at least one treble-20 with almost every turn at the oche. An impressive performance and a well-deserved 2-0 win for John.

Ram had been drawn against Anne in the third match, and he got off to a pedestrian start which allowed Anne a chance to seal the first leg with a quick checkout on her last double. The second leg was also close with both players having chances to take it before Ram checked out to level the match. The deciding leg was less close as Anne started to lose her focus and Ram got into his rhythm to win 2-1.

Concluding the first round were Tom and Andy. Scores were close in the first leg and both players suffered from double trouble as they ended up stalled in the madhouse, double-1. It was Tom who broke the stalemate in the first leg, but there was a repeat of the double-1 shootout in the second leg as well which Andy won to equalise. It was a better performance from Andy in the deciding leg as he reached his last double first and checked out with little delay to go through 2-1.

Semi-Finals
James faced John in the first semi and didn't sound confident going into this match after seeing John beat Darren earlier. However James continued to throw steady darts and John, although hitting decent scores again, didn't match the heights of his first match. Both legs were close but it was James who held his nerve on the checkouts to go through to the final 2-0.

Ram played Andy in the other semi. Andy didn't look like the same player who topped the table in the last league as Ram banged in 80+ and ton-plus scores and built up a lead of nearly 400 in one leg while Andy struggled to find even single-20 at times. A comfortable 2-0 victory for Ram.

Final
Two well matched players in the shape of James and Ram, it was James who won the throw in the first leg, but Ram who delivered the goods and took the second leg as well to go 2-0 ahead. James was looking at a whitewash and this spurred him to pick up his game and he took the third leg with the throw, breathing a sigh of relief at not having a zero on the scoreboard. His momentum continued and he won the next leg as well to set up a tense deciding leg at 2-2. Tiredness was evident in both players and their aim wasn't as tight as earlier legs, but both showed a real determination and kept the scores close right to the finish. In the end it was Ram who brought home the bacon, winning the fifth leg for a 3-2 victory and £12.50 prize money. An impressive effort from James as well, who took home the second prize of £7.50.


Summer League
Next Monday sees the return of our Premier League darts for the summer season. Most of last season's players have already signed up - Anne, Ben, Darren, James, Ram, Sam and Tom - and I was pleased that John accepted my invitation to join us. There are still a couple of places available if anybody wants to join in - send me a message or speak to me in the pub before Monday if you're interested.

There will be a small change to the points system next season. Bonus points will remain for the highest score and highest checkout in each round, A draw (2-2) will be 1 point, a win will count for 2 points but there will be an extra bonus point for winning 3-0. I am keeping the entry fee at £2.50 a week: no price rises for darts night at least!

League Finals Match Report - 25th March 2013

It wouldn't be the Royal Standard if everything went without a hitch and the Finals Night was no exception as Darren withdrew due to illness. This left eight players which is ideal for a knockout draw so the preliminary qualifying match between Natasha and Anne was ditched in favour of both players being included in a revised first round. The draw was still determined by the final league positions with top playing bottom and so on.

First Round
Andy (1) v Natasha (8)
Sam (4) v Ben (5)
Ram (3) v Tom (6)
James (2) v Anne (7)

The first match of this season's finals saw Sam take on Ben in what the league results suggested should be a close match. Sam threw first and built up a comfortable lead while Ben was slow off the mark, even scoring 2 with one throw. Ben caught up after Sam struggled to find her finishing double to check out 36 for the first leg. Neither player managed to break 100 but there were some solid scores and Sam scored the night's highest checkout 67 to take the second leg. It was close in the third leg and came down to both players needing a double to win. Ben hit the target first to go through, winning 2-1.

Top-of-the-table Andy played Natasha in the second match. Natasha made a good effort but Andy proved too strong and she didn't get to a finish in the first leg. Although she closed the gap in the second leg it wasn't enough and Andy won 2-0.

The third match of the first round was Ram against Tom. A dangerous opponent when on his game, Tom couldn't match Ram's scoring and although he had chances it wasn't to be and Ram won a comfortable 2-0.

Rounding off the first-round should have been James and Anne, but Anne withdrew at the last minute for personal reasons. With the consent of James and the other players, Sam took Anne's place and so got a second chance in the competition. This was a fast-paced, high-scoring match with James throwing several ton-plus scores including a couple of 140's, and Sam also scoring a 120 with two darts when her first bounced out off the wire around the treble-20. This close match came right down to the wire with another shoot-out on doubles to decide it 2-1 to James.

Semi Final Round
Andy v Ben
Ram v James

After a decent first round performance Ben felt that he had a chance and despite being over 100 down seized that chance when Andy missed several attempts at a checkout in the first leg to take an early lead. Andy came back strongly to win the second leg against some poor throwing by Ben including another 2 and a 3 that left him floundering way back. A switch from 20's to 19's by Ben proved to be an inspired decision as his darts found treble-19 throw after throw and this kept him in contention in the third leg. Finally, Andy was left on double-16 while Ben was looking at 117 with the darts in hand. Another treble-19 was followed by a big 20 to leave one dart at double-top for a place in the final... which bounced out off the wire! Andy finished up with his next throw and won 2-1 for the first slot in the final.

I expected a lot from the semi between Ram and James and wasn't disappointed. Ram was an utter powerhouse in the scoring department while James wasn't far behind and this match saw both players hit 140's. The first two legs went with the darts meaning we had another deciding leg. Ram threw first, opening with a 125 while James couldn't find the treble-20. A couple of scores in the 80's and a 140 put Ram in a commanding position on 75 after 12 darts with James left needing well over 200, but at that point Ram lost his focus and allowed James back into a match that should have been all over. That was enough for James who took the leg against the odds to win 2-1 and face Andy in the final.


Final Round
3rd Place Playoff: Ram v Ben
Final (best of 5): Andy v James

Ram recovered quickly from his frustration to take on Ben in the playoff for 3rd place. With the pressure off, both players took things a little easier and it was a reasonably close match with decent scores, ending up 2-1 to Ram.

With the midnight bell ringing for time the final got under way between the league's top two players. James had a point to prove after losing 3-0 to Andy in a previous knockout and came out keen to have his revenge. The quiet man, Andy, maintained his cool and threw steady darts, as did James. The scores were back and forward with neither player gaining any clear advantage as we went into the fifth and deciding leg, Andy with the advantage of the throw. It all came down to the final checkout again with James showing steadier nerves to clinch the title 3-2.

Presentation
With a 3-way split for Highest Score (140), £2 each went to James, Andy and Ram while the £5 for Highest Checkout (67) went to Sam.

3rd place and £10 to Ram

Third place Ram received £10.

Second place Andy received £25.

First place James received the trophy and £40.

2nd place and £25 to Andy

A really big thank you to everyone who played in both the Winter League as well as our knockouts through the season: it couldn't have happened without you, and I hope you'll all be back for the next season.

1st and £40 to James

Next Week
Next Monday is Easter Monday and there will be an open knockout from 8:00pm. £2.50 to enter with cash prizes for 1st and 2nd. All welcome.

Summer League
Sign up for the new summer league over the next two weeks. Talk to me in the pub if you are interested in joining in, and come along on Monday 8th April to put your name down. This league will start on Monday 15th April.

Pairs Knockout - 18th March 2013

A good turnout last night for our last knockout before next week's finals: ten players drawn at random into five pairs. Nice to see a couple of people take part who aren't among our regular league players: Matt and Sid.

Match Report
The evening kicked off with a preliminary round match: Darren & Matt played Andy & James. Yes, you did read that right: our top two league players were drawn together. If this caused any nerves they weren't in evidence as Matt in particular kept his pair's scores up there with the favourites, but as is so often the case it was the doubles that made the difference and Andy & James ran out 2-0 winners.

Next up was the first semi-final featuring Tom & Ram against Ben & Sid. Ben suffered from the inconsistency that has dogged his game all season and struggled to find his trebles but Sid scored well to keep things fairly well-matched against the steady performances from Ram & Tom. Ram proved too accurate on the doubles though and he & Tom won 2-0 to get the first spot in the final.

The second semi-final saw qualifiers Andy & James take on girl power in the form of Sam & Anne, who put up a spirited fight and kept pace with some strong scoring, forcing the match to go to a deciding third leg. This leg was also a close one but it was Andy & James who were first past the post to win 2-1 and complete the line-up for the night's final.

Unlike the earlier rounds, the final was best of 5 legs. The first two were close as all the players suffered spells of loose throwing but Andy & James hit their checkouts to go 2-0 up. The third leg saw Ram up his game and find the treble-20 with more regularity, and he & Tom took one back to keep their hopes alive, but it was James who hit a rich vein of form at the key point with a succession of 80+ scores and a sharp checkout to win the fourth leg, the match and the competition.

Next Week
Monday 25th is Finals Night - the League Final Knockout followed by presentations to the winners. The draw is based on final standings in the league and will be as follows:

Preliminary Round (Match A)
Anne v Natasha (best of 3 legs of 301)

Quarter Finals (best of 3 legs of 501)
Match Q1: Match A Winner v Andy
Match Q2: Tom v James
Match Q3: Darren v Ram
Match Q4: Ben v Sam

Semi Finals (best of 3 legs of 501)
Q1 Winner v Q4 Winner
Q2 Winner v Q3 Winner

Final (best of 5 legs of 501)

3rd Place Playoff (best of 3 legs of 501 between losing semi-finalists)

Easter Monday Knockout
The week after the finals it is Easter and there will be an open singles knockout on Monday 1st April. This is not a joke!

Match Report - 11th March 2013

Last night was the seventh and final round of our Winter League so all that now remains is the playoffs to crown the champion. But before I get onto that there's the small matter of the matches to report on.

Match Report
Unfortunately Natasha was unable to play last night but with the agreement of all the players Tom stood in as a substitute for her two fixtures, against Andy and Anne, to allow us to complete all the matches. The first of those two fixtures, against Andy, got things under way. All eyes were on Tom after Andy's defeat by Anne in last week's knockout but despite keeping the scores close, the checkouts went Andy's way and he won 3-0, securing the top spot in the table.

James's laid-back style against Sam in the next belied the determination of both players in a match that saw some good scoring including a 113 from James and several 80+ totals from both. James had the upper hand in the scoring and with good accuracy on his doubles he took the match 3-0, hitting the night's best checkout of 74 along the way.

Anne played her first match of the night against Natasha's substitute, Tom, who led in the scoring, but Anne proved too hot on the doubles, gaining a well-deserved 3-0 victory.

A powerful performance from Ram saw him beat Darren 3-1 in the fastest-scoring match of the night which saw both players scoring ton-pluses including a 121 from Darren and a 135 from Ram.

It was the second match of the night for both players next as Sam faced Anne, and tiredness was evident as they both struggled to find the level of accuracy seen in their previous games. That didn't stop some good-natured banter between the two on the oche and there were flashes of brilliance including an excellent 140, the night's highest score, from Sam who won 3-1.

Bringing the night and the league to a close were Ben and Tom. Tom was well-practiced after two previous matches representing Natasha and started well, outscoring Ben who struggled at first to find any consistency. However, Tom had trouble on his doubles leaving the door open enough for Ben to catch up and take the match 3-1.

• All Results - 11th March 2013
• Final League Table - 11th March 2013

Darren focuses on his target

Next Week
There will be an open knockout competition next week, and if the number of players is appropriate it will feature pairs matches. Anyone who is interested is welcome to take part: just turn up on the night (Monday 18th) from 8pm. £2.50 per player to enter and the winning pair (or winner & runner-up if it is singles) will receive cash prizes.

Finals Night
The League Finals will be played the following Monday 25th March and will take the usual format of a knockout with the draw decided by league standings.

Match Report - 25th February 2013

It's a good thing we all get along well on our darts nights because we were crowded into the back corner of the pub last night because of a rescheduled pool match: the awkward proximity meant neither our regular darts players nor those taking part in the pool match alongside the oche were happy about continually getting in each other's way. We can only hope that this kind of scheduling cock-up doesn't happen again.

Match Report
Sam returned from last week's break to two matches. In the first she was up against the ever-improving Natasha who hit a succession of good scores (several in the 70's and 80's) to build a lead in the first two legs. Unfortunately Natasha struggled with her doubles and Sam was able to catch up and check out, winning 3-0.

Tom played James in the second match. Although he put in a decent performance, scoring 100 at one point, he couldn't match James's scoring - including a highest-of-the-night 140 - and accurate finishing which saw him check out an excellent 77. Result: 3-0 to James.

Doughnut-fueled Ben took on top-of-the-table Andy next and after winning the throw started strongly with 116 from his first 3 darts. The next few throws didn't match this but he kept in front and finished with a stunning 107 checkout (treble-19, then missed the bullseye landing in the 20, double-30 out) to take the first leg. I don't know if the doughnuts wore off but he couldn't manage to maintain this form through the next two legs and Andy took a 2-1 lead, narrowly missing a 145 checkout in one leg when his third dart landed just below the double-top. In the final leg Andy struggled with his double, leaving Ben with a chance to tie the match if he could only hit double-12, but it was not to be and Andy won 3-1.

Sam's second trip to the oche was against Darren. It was a well-fought match but Darren couldn't match Sam who outscored him, matching James's 140 high score from earlier as well as proving a dead-shot on her doubles to win 3-0.

Finally it was the turn of Ram and Anne. Ram powered into an early lead with a 17-dart leg and although the following legs didn't match the intensity of that first one, he was unlucky not to check out a 145 along the way to a 3-0 victory.

• Results & Fixtures - 25 February
• League Table - 25 February

Next Week
There will be a knockout next week before we return on 11th March for the final round of the league. The knockout will be the best of 3 legs of 401 with double-in. As usual it will be open to anybody who wants to play. £2.50 each to enter on the night (from 8pm), cash prizes for the winner and runner-up.

Match Report - 18th February 2013

Match Report
It was Round 5 last night which leaves most of us with just two matches remaining this season. Andy and James were first up. James started slow and despite some good scores including a 123 he didn't find his usual consistency and Andy won 3-0, hitting the night's highest checkout of 40 along the way.

Anne played Ben next and, after a slow first leg where both struggled to find the last double, the pace picked up as Ben started finding the trebles and put in some 80+ scores. Along with a sharper aim on the doubles this proved too much for Anne to match, although she hit some creditable scores along the way, and Ben won 3-0.

James was back on the oche in the third match of the night against Darren and at first it looked as if this match would go the way of his earlier one as Darren took a 2-0 lead. However, James found his form in the end and with both players scoring well (132 for Darren, 129 and 140 for James) he held on for a 2-2 draw and a point each.

Natasha and Ram met in the next match and it was a spirited performance by Natasha who had her best scoring legs of darts yet this season and was unlucky not to take one leg against Ram, one of our top players, when he failed to hit his double. The final leg was also close score-wise but Ram prevailed to win 3-0.

Rounding off the night's action were Tom and Andy. Tom threw some good arrows and won a leg but Andy started hitting ton-pluses including a 140 to reach his out shot first. Despite this Tom kept going strong and was unlucky to miss out on a 80+ checkout when his last dart landed just the wrong side of the wire. Final result: 3-1 to Andy.

• Results & Fixtures - 18 February 2013
• League Table - 18 February 2013

Next WeekRound 6 will be played next Monday. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Ben v Andy
Darren v Sam
Ram v Anne
Sam v Natasha
Tom v James

The following Monday 4th March will be a knockout.

Match Report - 11th February 2013

Match Report
Last night was Round 4 so we are now officially past the half-way point in this season.

Andy and Sam got the ball rolling in the first match and some good scoring from Sam including a 114 kept the pressure on Andy but doubles proved harder to find and Andy won 3-0.

Ben played Natasha next and after a slow start which saw both players return to the oche time and again for the last double the pace picked up. Natasha had her best scoring match so far and kept it close despite a 100 and 116 from Ben, but Ben's checkouts were steadier (after two failed attempts at 67 - twice hit the treble-17 but bust with a single 16 instead of the double-8) and he won 3-0.

Darren faced Tom in the third match. Steady darts from Darren gave him the edge and although there were no big scores he made his doubles count to take the match 3-0.

James and Anne were next up and James put in a workman-like performance. Despite a shaky spell on his scoring his checkouts were accurate, including a 40 and 52, to win 3-0.

Finally Sam returned to play her second match of the night, this time against Ram. With the added spice of a promise to swap shirts if Ram won this was a keenly contested match. Sam was scoring very well - the best scores of the night including the top score of 125 - but again her doubles were her undoing and although she had a lead in each leg it was Ram who checked out, hitting the night's highest checkout 69 to take one of the legs: 3-0 to Ram.

Suits you, sir!

• Results & Fixtures - 11 February 2013
• League Table - 11 February 2013

Next Week
No Sam for Round 5 next week so a couple of fixtures have been swapped.
Andy v James
Anne v Ben
James v Darren
Natasha v Ram
Tom v Andy

League Results - 28 January 2013

Match Report
We gained a brand new dart board this week: thanks to landlady Sam (not to be confused with our darts-playing Sam) for ordering this, and also for laying on sausages and chips.

There was one rearranged fixture this week because Sam was unable to play: Andy played Darren instead as I swapped his fixture with one from Round 4.

James and Natasha got Round 3 under way with the first match of the night. A plucky performance from Natasha who was unlucky not to win a leg after reaching her double, but James was steady with his scoring, including the night's highest of 140, to win 3-0.

Darren and Ben were second on the oche. A good start from Ben saw him scoring well to go 2-0 ahead before the wheels fell off after narrowly missing an 85 checkout in the third leg. It was all Darren after that and he cruised home with a draw 2-2.

Next to play were Tom and Anne. Steady scoring from both but Anne had the edge on the doubles to take an early lead 2-0 before Tom came back to level the match 2-2.

Ben's second match of the night was against Ram. Ben's poor form from the second half of his previous match appeared to have gone as he went well ahead in the scoring in the first leg, but his doubles let him down and Ram came back to steal the leg. Ram was scoring steadily and left Ben well behind to win the match 3-0.

In the last match of the night Andy took on Darren, and despite Darren throwing steadily after his earlier match he couldn't keep up with a return to form by Andy who also hit two successive highest checkouts, a 50 followed by a 58, to win the highest checkout of the night. The match finished 3-0 to Andy.

• Results & Fixtures - 28 January 2013
• League Table - 28 January 2013

Next Week
Next week will be an open knockout, played as pairs if we have an even number of entrants. Pairs will be drawn at random and the winning pair will share the prize money.