At Top of Darts, Bert has stepped behind the scenes three times as a score operator: he types in the thrown scores live, after which the digits immediately appear on the large screens next to the players. No glamorous spotlight, just pure focus. And of course: being very good at mental math and counting.
Here are 7 tips from Bert to mark the score faster and better at a local tournament:
1) Warm up your math, not just your arm
Before the start of the tournament, most players warm up their arms, but you should also warm up your calculation skills. Play a few legs in pairs and immediately write down your opponent's score. This helps you get into a calculation flow.
2) Think in patterns, not individual sums
Darts calculation is rarely pure mathematics; it is mainly about pattern recognition.
Examples:
-
T20 + 20 + 5 = 85: you shouldn't have to calculate that anymore.
-
Eventually, something like T19 + 19 + 19 becomes automatic; you immediately know 5 times 19 = 95.
-
If you see a player look down toward the 19 for their third dart, you can anticipate one of these: 19, T19, 7, T7, 3, or T3.
3) Use "100" as an anchor
When counting down, I frequently use 100 as an anchor. I immediately think "-100 + remainder".
Examples:
-
93 = -100 + 7
-
77 = -100 + 23
The better you know the "remainder" to reach 100, the easier it becomes. Practice that a bit.
4) Error → fix → continue
Everyone occasionally enters 92 when it should have been 82. You make the difference with your reaction, not your flawlessness. If you make a mistake, breathe, cross it out, put the correct number, tell yourself "OK," and move on. Don't get stuck on it.
5) Prevent column errors
A common mistake is writing the score in the wrong column. Two tricks:
-
I always look at which player has which darts; I know "this one has Dimi's, and that one has Mike's". This way, I associate the right player with the right darts.
-
I am right-handed, but I also use my left hand: during a visit, I clench my fist if the player in the left column is throwing, and I point my finger subtly to the right when it is the turn of the player in the right column.
6) Practice counting down by adding up
It sounds strange, but counting in reverse helps. Start at 0 and add up what was thrown:
20 + 19 + 19 = 58, next throw + 26 = 84. This way, you automatically learn that 84 - 26 = 58. When you get close to 501, try to finish on a double to practice your checkouts at the same time.
7) Give the marker time
It bothers me when players shout the score out loud themselves. I'll calculate it myself, and shouting it confuses me. It also robs writers of the chance to calculate for themselves; if they need just one extra second, it makes it look like they can't do it. If the writer asks for the score, definitely provide it; otherwise, let them do their job.
Bonus
Want to see how Bert worked behind the scenes as a score operator at Top of Darts (and what happens when the caller and operator disagree)? Read his interview here.
Discover these and many other tips at: https://www.dartschool.be/en/tips-en/
