Kelly’s Hot Game Room Thought: Toe the Oche

Darts can be very confusing for the beginner or novice player. So I thought I would clear up some of the most common questions customers ask most often!

The first question I usually get when a customer goes back to try out a set of darts is “Where do I stand?” or “Why are there so many lines on the dart mat?”. Here in Ontario, the most popular type of darts is steel tip. Most of the rest of Canada also favours steel tip darts but in the US, soft tip darts rule. The throw line (or the Oche) for steel tip is 7 ft, 9 1/4 inches (this seems to be a magical length of which nobody can agree the origins of!). In any event, the soft tip dart players throw from 8 ft (they also throw lighter darts, as a general rule). On the dart mat in my showroom, there is also a 7 ft 6 inch throw line, which Scott is fond of saying is for girls. I happen to be 5 ft 9 inches tall and feel that if you want to give me the advantage of shooting closer, all the power to me! One of our knowledgeable customers Denis has it on good authority that the line was created in pubs that had an area that was too small for the longer 7 ft 9 1/4 inches. So the real line for steel tip throwers, either men or women, is definitely 7 ft 9 1/4 inches!

The next question I usually get from anyone who has never thrown a dart “What do all the rings mean?” Most people think that going for the bullseye is the best shot you can make. It all depends on the game you are playing. The most popular game is 501 and is scored based on the number you land on. The first person to get to zero without going over and with throwing a double as the last shot wins. The outer ring is called the double (meaning that if your dart lands in the outer ring, you will double the amount of points you get, based on what number you land on). The inner ring is called the triple (meaning that you triple the amount of points you get, based on what number you land on). For example, if you land on the outer ring of the 5, you will score 10 points. If you land on the inner ring of the 5 you will score 15 points. If you just land on the regular part of the 5 segment, you score 5 points. So it stands to reason that you will want to go for the 20 most of the time, since it is worth the most points (double 20 is 40 points, triple 20 is 60 points). The bullseye is worth 25 points for the outer ring, 50 points for the inner ring.

Some words of advice on taking care of your dartboard. The absolute worst thing you could ever do to your dartboard is spray water on it. Don’t do it. Even if your buddy from the bar says it’s what he’s been doing since the beginning of time, don’t do it. Dartboards are made of a natural fibre called Sisal which when wet will expand or bubble. There is no cure for a dartboard that has been held under running water, as one of my customers told me he did, because you know “Everyone knows that’s how you bring the colour back!”. Or a dartboard that has been left outside to the elements, as many customers have told me they did. Winter climates in Canada dictate that you will need to bring your dartboard in off the tree come autumn (I would like to know if your dartboard is hung on the tree, how many darts do you loose in the woods when you miss the board?!). Summer weather – either hot sunny days or rain also means that you should bring the board inside. My advice – hang the board inside!

The next worst thing you could do to your dartboard is shine a hot light on it. This will dry out the board quicker than would happen naturally. It will also compound the issue if you have been spraying it with water. If the board is too dry, your darts will start to fall out (and therefore not count!). Any light that is shinning on the board should be from the ceiling (such as track lighting directed at the general direction of the board), not from the wall above the board and directed over and onto the board.

The only thing you need to do to your dartboard is rotate it. This can only be done with a board that has a removable number ring. When the 20 is becoming worn (it won’t be as black as the other black numbers and perhaps the sisal is starting to show through as little bits of fibres), it is time to turn the board. First thing is to take the number ring off. It is usually held on with small clasps. Turn the ring so that the 20 is situated over the next black section (it will seem weird to through at a triple 20 that isn’t black, although I don’t believe there is a rule for that). Re-attach the number ring and unhook the dartboard from the bracket. Turn the board so that the 20 is at the 12 o’clock position again and re-hang the board. Voila! You have extended the life of your dartboard!

The average home consumer dartboard will last about 2 to 3 years for recreational play. Most bars replace their boards once a year, usually at the beginning of the dart season in August or September. Any longer than about 3 years and it will begin to dry out. I recently had a customer in my showroom who told me he was planing to hang and use the dartboard that his grandfather had left him, which had already been hanging in the grandfathers garage for about 15 years. He was back within the week buying a new board because his darts kept falling out and he decided he wanted to keep the board in memory of his grandfather!

How often do you rotate your dartboard?

The Game Room Expert Kelly: Shedding Some Light

A pool table light finishes off your game room. It makes your game room area look like a billiard area. The light also removes shadows from the playing surface. And yet the pool table light is the most overlooked accessory. Most people figure that the pot lights they installed when they finished the room are enough. As a pool player, I can tell you that pot lights don’t offer enough light, nor do they offer the proper type of light. They are too far away and throw odd shadows from the balls at the ends of the table. There will be a certain amount of shadows cast by the balls at the ends of the table, but you want the shadows to be consistent all the way across the table. Amazingly enough, shadows do effect your aim, so when a ball casts too much shadow (or not enough) you may miss your shot. So let’s look at the different types of lighting available.

For pool tables sized either 7 ft, 8 ft or 9 ft, any 3 shade pool table light will do. You don’t need any more than three shades, but it shouldn’t be any less either. For the canopy style light, I would recommend about 48 inches in length (a little more or a little less is ok too). For snooker tables sized either 10 ft or 12 ft, I would recommend either a 4 shade or 5 shade light.

The recommended height to hang the light is anywhere from 28 inches to 32 inches from the playing surface. Even by raising the light by an inch or two will eliminate the shadows at the ends of the table. Most lights will come with ceiling chain as well as a ceiling canopy to hide the wiring. All lights should be hard wired into the ceiling (using a professional electrician of course) and centered on the pool table. As far as I know, you can use any light bulb in the light. We use CFL’s (Compact fluorescent light bulbs) in our showroom, in part because they are on all the time, in part because we do our best to be good to the environment! The recommended wattage is usually between 100 to 150 watts (or the equivalent).

When looking at the three shade lights, there are a few basic styles that are generally available. The first and usually the least expensive is a basic metal shade. They will come in a variety of finishes and are usually painted white on the inside in order to better reflect the light down on to the table. They offer the least amount of light into the room, but depending on what other types of light are already there, it shouldn’t be too dark.

The next type is a metal shade, but offers some glass, usually on the top of the shade. Good examples of this type of light are the Liberty and the Metal & Halophane lights. This type of light will allow for some light to shine into the room. The metal rim will be painted white so that what light isn’t shining into the room will be reflected down on the table.

As we go up in price, all glass shades are available. They will usually have a shade all one colour which is usually a lighter finish so as to shine light into the room as well as down on the table. Also available are Tiffany style shades. A good example of this type as well as one of our most popular lights is the Taliesin. This will allow your creativity to come though and will offer more decorating options. There are more colour options within a Tiffany style shade, so it is easier to match up to your decor. There are many other designs available as well, to compliment any game room decor!

The other type of pool table light is the canopy style. This style of light was more popular 20 years ago, and will only suit certain types of game rooms. Usually they are only available in the Tiffany style, usually with some sort of design on them. There aren’t many available any more for the larger 10 ft and 12 ft snooker tables, and we don’t happen to carry any. But you may recall them – they often had a ‘fringe’ that would hang down from the light!

So there you have it! Hopefully this has shed some light on the subject of lighting up your game room!

The Game Room Expert Kelly: A Question of Grip

In light of the fact that we now have a new World Dart Champion – Adrian Lewis who is sponsored by Unicorn, I thought I would share a bit about dart barrels and different grip designs. For a number of years, our most popular darts have been either Phil Taylor or Raymond van Barneveld darts, in part because they were well known World Champions. In our showroom we sell a fair amount of John Part dart sets by Unicorn as he is also a 3 time World Champion as well as a native of Oshawa, Ontario. Recently we have been selling Simon Whitlock dart sets by Winmau as well –  he went from barely being in the top 100 to runner up in the World Championships, losing only to Phil Taylor in the finals. All of these darters use different barrel designs, all for different reasons.

When choosing a dart barrel, everyone is different. What works for your friend won’t necessarily work for you. Some people prefer a smooth barrel, some like a bit of grip (called a knurl), some prefer a heavy knurl and some like a bit of everything. Most barrels are uniform in diameter – meaning that they are the same diameter all the way across. Some barrels are torpedo shaped or front loaded and some offer finger grooves. What works for you will depend on your grip as well as your release, plus a variety of other factors such as how hard or soft you throw your dart. The best bet is to visit your local dart shop (like Hot Shots for example!) and try out all the different styles. Weight will also play a part in the decision, but that is usually easier to narrow down.

It has been my experience that most people prefer a barrel that offers a uniform diameter with some knurl. The average weight is between 22 and 26 grams. Most people prefer a dart that offers a taper at the front end of the dart, but if your darts don’t have that feature, you can always use the Trident 180 to help create that effect. So let’s look at the World Champions and the barrels they prefer!

Phil Taylor is sponsored by Unicorn and he holds the most World Champion titles in the World. His darts feature deep machined grooves down the length of the barrel. He has gone through a variety of different darts over the years such as the Purist and the Purist Curve, Sigma and most recently the Phase 5. All of these darts are slightly different in shape, but still offer the same grip pattern. Most of the dart sets that feature the Phil Taylor grip are available in even weights only.

Raymond van Barneveld is also sponsored by Unicorn. His darts feature what’s called an LP finish. When I inquired as to what the “LP” stood for, I was told that it was exactly what it sounded like – what an LP record looks like when viewed at eye level (for those of you who don’t know what an LP record is, I suggest you Google it and not mention how using the phase shows my age :). In any event, there are small, evenly cut grooves all along the barrel, which also offers an aerodynamic tapered front end plus a section in the middle of the barrel with only the LP finish. His darts tend to be available in odd weights only. Raymond van Barneveld also has a new dart set (Phase II) that was just released for 2011 which offers more of a shark grip (a more aggressive LP finish, if you will). It will be available in stock by the end of January 2011.

John Part is sponsored by Unicorn and is a 3 time World Champion. He hails from Oshawa, Ontario and his dart offers more of smooth barrel with rings cut in, but spaced farther apart than either of the barrels mentioned previously. John Part’s darts are very aerodynamic, with the rings going right to the very front end of the barrel, almost to where they meet the point. With 4 different finishes available – either natural Tungsten, Machina, Golden or Black, each finish will effect the feel of the dart (the Machina finish offers the most grip). John Part’s darts are usually only available in odd weights.

Simon Whitlock who is now sponsored by Winmau appeared out of nowhere! Barely in the top 100 dart players in the world, he went on to make it to the finals against Phil Taylor. Simon Whitlock’s darts are front loaded, which means they offer a torpedo shape. His darts are a smoother barrel, similar to John Part and are only available in even weights. Due to his popularity, his darts are sold out in the 24 grams world wide – the other 2 weights of 22 and 26 grams are very hard to come by! We are hoping to have more coming in February 2011 – we’ll keep you posted!

Adrian Lewis is sponsored by Unicorn and up until now was part of the Maestro Premier Range. His darts offer a bit of everything – deep cut grooves for the majority of the barrel plus closer cut grooves at the back end for better grip. The darts are aerodynamic and are currently available in either natural Tungsten, Golden or Black finishes. His darts tend to be available in odd weights.

There are many different barrel designs available. It’s all based on personal preference, so you should go with what works for you. Many people will try out other people’s darts until they come across a set that they like. Some people have more than one set, for days when it’s just not working for them. Tell me what you prefer – knurled, smooth or somewhere in between and what weight you play with!

Kelly’s Hot Game Room Thought: All Balls Are Not Created Equal

A question that I am often asked is why is one set of pool balls more expensive than the other? And is it worth spending the extra? I suppose that there are a few factors that will determine if you think the upgrade is worth it, but generally speaking, I would say spend the extra now to save in the long run.

There are two main types of ball sets out there – snooker and boston. Snooker is the one with all the red balls (15 of them) plus the colours brown, yellow, green, blue, pink and black plus the cue ball. It is a more popular game on the larger 10 ft and 12 ft tables, but we do offer snooker balls in the 2 1/4 inch size to accommodate the more popular 8 ft and 9 ft tables. Most people will take out the back row of reds when playing on a smaller table, so it doesn’t seem as though there are as many balls on the table!

Boston balls, or stripes and solids as most people would recognize them are also known as 8 ball or pool balls. There are 15 balls in total plus the cue ball. The first 8 are numbered and are solid in colour, numbers 9 through 15 feature a coloured stripe. This type of ball set is the most popular, partly because there are so many different games that can be played with them – 8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, straight pool, poker pool and many others!

The number one selling ball manufacturer in the world is Aramith which manufactures their balls in Belgium. They offer a variety of different ranges, from introductory to professional. The most well known boston ball set would be the Super Pro, which is exactly what you see them playing with on TV. As a side note there is also a “Made for TV” version of the Super Pro ball set, which offers the 4 ball in pink (normally it is a deep purple) and the 7 ball in brown (normally it is burgundy). The reason for the two versions is because TV viewers complained that when watching a televised match, they couldn’t tell the difference between the 4 ball and the 7 ball. So when they used the Super Pro TV version, viewers could then determine which ball was which. The order of the balls and knowing which ball is which is especially important when playing 9 ball!

Both sets of Super Pro come standard with the Pro Cup Cue Ball, also known as the “measles ball” because of the six red dots scattered on the ball. This ball also had it’s start on TV. Viewers wanted to see the spin or english that the players were putting on the ball and with the dots, they could follow the spin. It also lets the practising player know how much spin they put on a shot.

The biggest difference between Aramith ball sets and economy ball sets is what they’re made of. Aramith uses a phenolic resin which is chip and scratch resistant. As well, the colour goes all the way through the ball. Even in the introductory ball set, each ball is matched relatively with the others for diameter, density, colour and balance. As you go up in the range, the balls are more exactly matched and by the time you get to the Super Pro or Tournament Set, the balls are perfectly matched to each other.

Economy balls are made of polyester with a polyester core.

The numbers are silk screened on the ball or perhaps a plug set into the polyester. They tend to not be as shiny and will chip, crack or even break with the normal wear and tear of playing. Customer often ask me how long they will last. This will depend on the usage, but I would say if you got 5 years out of the set, you should count yourself lucky. They tend not to clean up very well, and cleaners don’t tend to work very well because they are a polyester and the cleaners are formulated for a phenolic resin. I usually tell people to put them in the sink with a mild dishwashing soap and wipe them with a non-abrasive cloth. The cue ball will often turn yellow over time and as far as I know, there isn’t anything you can do about that.

Aramith ball sets will last at least 5 times longer than economy ball sets. When you translate that into price, it works out like this:

You will pay on average twice the price for Aramith balls than Economy. We charge $60 for economy and $140 for the introductory Aramith set. The economy set will last at most 5 years before you will need to replace at the very least the cue ball ($10) or the entire set ($60). The Aramith set on the other hand should last you anywhere from 25 years to 50 years. They may not be quite as glossy as the day you bought them, but with proper care cleaning them with Aramith cleaners, you can keep them in top condition. Most pool halls if not all invest in top quality ball sets and will have them for years. Usually they replace a ball that was stolen and not one that is damaged. So when you average out the lifespan of the ball set, it makes sense to make the investment!

As a side note, customers will sometimes ask me how to tell if the ball set that they have is Aramith. I recommend that you come and see me in the showroom because we can sometimes tell by looking which type it is. If you have Aramith balls, how long have you had them and what condition are they in?