The American Darts Organization Book of Darts
Equipment - Techniques - Games

Rating    out of  

When I first saw this book, the one thing that jumped out at me was the ADO logo and name on the cover. I thought it was an ADO handbook until I read the cover more thoroughly. That, to me at least, gave the book an implied sense of legitimacy. The book is broken down into the following sections:

• A Forward by then ADO Executive Director, Tom Fleetwood
• A Brief History of Darts
• The Equipment
• Techniques for Successful Play
• Game Rules
• Glossary of Dart Terms

Pros:

1. It has one of the best 'historical' accounts of the game and how it got to the point it is today. Also learn how & when the American Darts Organization came to be (put it this way, you could by beer for $.10).
2. Very well written. All the information a beginner would need without burying them with a lot of unnecessary 'details'.
3. Explains the rules to the most common games and shows examples of 'games in process' to illustrate how they're played.

Cons:

At the time this book was written, soft-tip darts were still in their infancy and are only briefly mentioned (of course this is no big deal if you're a steel-tipper).

Recommendation:

This is a great book for the person just starting to throw steel-tip darts. It will explain everything they need to know without overwhelming them with lots of details (the names/shapes of all the different styles of flights/shafts, details on how each type of dart is manufactured, too many strategies they need to remember when throwing, etc.) This book will help them get the basics down and get them to a point where they are ready to learn all the 'strategies' involved. This has to be easier than trying to learn both at the same time, especially with the two most common games (cricket and '01). As a new player with the 'bug' to throw, you want to spend as little time as possible with your nose in a book and as much time as possible in front of a board.

If you're an experienced thrower and already understand cricket & '01, you won't learn anything new. It's still nice to have around for those times a friend brings over a 'newbie' to the game. If you're hunting for a more 'strategy' oriented book, especially when it comes to '01, check out Fun-dart-men-tals. Or, if you're hunting for more of a 'reference' book, check out A Comprehensive Study of the Game of Darts.

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