The Smooth Running Of Knockouts.

Whenever Knock Outs are held there are always some players who criticise the lack of their smooth running and post unsavoury comments on things like Guest book, or Facebook pages. Players should realise that competitions will always run better if organisers are offered a little help on the night instead of competitors just getting their drinks and moaning. Half of the problem in running Knockouts is getting people to mark the boards even though it is normal practice for the loser to mark the board after most league competition games and also most teams adopt this practice when playing games amongst themselves. During competitions though, players will often disappear in shame, or annoyance after losing instead of taking their turn on the scoreboard. This is not only bad sportsmanship, but also slows up the proceedings until another marker can be found to replace them. Fortunately, at most league competitions there will be one or two obliging players who will volunteer to mark and keep the proceedings going and without whose help competition nights would be drawn out even longer. Some players do take their turn to mark, but have to be badgered into doing their duty, unhappily, it is usually only a rare few who are eager and quick, to get up and keep score.

Another criticism that can be made of some players is that they go to the bar for a drink, go to the toilets, or go outside for a smoke before they are called to play and then, when they should be on the board, they are nowhere in sight. Others step up quickly to the board when it is their turn and then take ages warming up before they are ready to play. It should be realised that if players got to the venue early instead of arriving at the last minute they could have a proper warm up while the draw is being made and before everything starts. Some players might respond that it is often such a long time between games that they need extra warm up and this is probably true, but there is no reason why they can’t have an extra warm up out of the way on a board that is not in use, or even on one in another bar if available. One way to overcome this excess practice, time wasting, is to have a rule that says players can only have 9 darts practice, immediately before starting their games, which I understand is what the pro’s get on the stage in many of the big competitions.

The main thing to remember though, is that competitions will always finish more quickly if players don’t mess about and will go even quicker if a few offer to help with the proceedings instead of just complaining!