Jacques Nieuwlaat

Could you tell us who Jacques Nieuwlaat is and where we might know you from?

I am Jacques Nieuwlaat, 52 years old, living in Delft in The Netherlands. I have a long history in Dutch darts. I started playing in the late 80s as a youth and then as a senior. I was very close to joining the Dutch team at a time when Leo Laurens and Stefan Eeckelaert were the best in Europe.

I was, and still am, very good friends with Raymond van Barneveld. We played and traveled a lot together, but at a certain point, he continued with darts while I focused on my family, which led me to put darts on the back burner. I then began refereeing, becoming the first on the European mainland to take officiating seriously. I quickly started officiating at major tournaments like the Dutch Open and tournaments in England.

When Raymond van Barneveld became world champion in 1998, there was a need to provide more (calculating) knowledge in the TV commentary, and they asked me to do a screen test. Since then, I have been connected to darts commentary, now for 24 years.

How did you first get involved with writing and calculating? How did you learn it?

From an early age, really. A friend in high school took me to a large darts and snooker center in The Hague. The owner, Roland Scholten, was one of the best players in the Netherlands at the time. I traveled with him to various Dutch ranking tournaments at the beginning.

Roland always traveled with two other players. Bert Vlaardingerbroek was then the number one player in the Netherlands, and Raymond van Barneveld. I had no driver's license and could join them on the condition that I write their matches. And they always went far in such tournaments, so I had to write a lot each day.

Speaking of check-outs, are there also players who drive you crazy because they take very unfamiliar routes?

Yes, of course. You see it more and more nowadays, especially among younger players. Older players are a bit more traditional in their finishes. But in recent years, you often see them go for double-double finishes, for example. So they might be at 96, the first dart hits a single 20, but it blocks the way. Then they go for double 18 and tops. Nowadays, you even see double 19 + double 19.

But I always start with the basics: try to make ‘tens’. 8 and 2 is 10, 6 and 4 is 10, 7 and 3 is 10. So if someone throws a 17 and a 13, it's easier to add than a 17 and a 15. Try to make it easy for yourself by looking for those tens first.

Because being good at math also makes you a better player?

Yes, one of the key characteristics of a good darter is 'rhythm'. It doesn't always have to be a fast rhythm, but a certain rhythm of throwing. And you want to interrupt that rhythm as little as possible.

So if you can calculate well or have the combinations well in your head, then you don't need to interrupt your rhythm as much. You often see that players have to interrupt their rhythm and step back to calculate. Then they ask the referee and go back to stand. Often they miss then. It purely has to do with playing out of your rhythm.

So as a player, especially if you reach a higher level, it's good to at least have the system in your head. If you're on 99, where do I go for? And also always use the same system.

The choice between triple 20 and triple 19 doesn't matter much. That's a free choice. As long as you always do the same and also know in advance what you're going to do.

If I throw a single 19, then I go for triple 20, double 10, or for two tops. That's also a choice. There are many choices possible, but you should not make your choice when you're at the oche, but actually beforehand.

Do you sometimes experience funny things with that calling or scoring?

Players really enjoy it when a referee makes a mistake once in a while. You really do get teased for it, even behind the scenes. But I always tell the players: I think we make fewer mistakes than you guys do.

There's also a bit of back-and-forth teasing when you have to ask a player for a calculation. Often a player will shout it out to you. Then you quickly double-check it. But the next time he asks you again and then you can tease him back a bit.

But I've never really experienced any major incidents. So I've never mistakenly called a match gameshot when it wasn't, for example.

And how much do they weigh?

25 grams. I'm convinced that for less experienced players, heavier darts are better. Because you play more consistently with them and the darts go more directly to the board. A heavier dart is easier to throw than a very light one.

I work a lot with professionals. I work for Bull’s Nederland, and players under contract with them always come to me. Then we analyze their throw and their setup and try to align them.

For example, I worked intensively with Kim Huybrechts when he switched from Unicorn to Bull’s Nederland. But Andy Baetens and Mario Vandenbogaerde are also with us. Then we look together to find what's best for them, not just in terms of weight, but also barrel length and such.

One last question about scoring. What do you think of initiatives that try to solve the problem of scoring?

I quickly skimmed through your e-book, and most of the tips I could give are actually in there already. Subtracting 79 seems very complicated, but adding is easier than subtracting, so take off 100 and add 21. That often solves a big part of the problem.

It's often the fear of making a mistake that causes problems. There will always be people who really can't calculate, like those with dyscalculia for example. But that shouldn't hinder you in playing. José De Sousa is a good example. This Portuguese has won majors at the PDC, but the man absolutely cannot calculate. However, he knows the systems for checking out. He doesn't need to calculate when he's on 86; he just knows what to throw.

So it can be solved, even if you can't calculate. But being good at calculating can certainly help. I always say: you can't win matches by calculating well, but you can lose matches by calculating poorly.

That's a great final thought. Ok, Jacques, that's it then. Thank you for your time.

You're welcome and good luck with your writing.