I. ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY
Only members holding a TRICODA membership card and who paid the current season fees may participate in the TRICODA league competition. Eligibility starts on the night of payment.
Each member is responsible to be in possession of his or her TRICODA membership card on a match night. This card must be produced if the member’s eligibility is challenged by the opposing team captain. Failure to do so may disqualify the player for the match. This rule may be waived in the case of new members who have not received cards pending confirmation.
II. FEES
Sponsor - $100.00 per season.
Members - $5.00 TRICODA lifetime membership - $35.00 per season for old members and $40.00 for new members.
III. DEFINITIONS
MATCH: The nights play comprised of the number of games according to the format approved by the Board of Directors
GAME: One element of a match for which a point is assigned.
LEG: A segment of each game played.
MARKER: Scorekeeper or Chalker.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The elected governing body of TRICODA, hereafter called the BOARD.
NEUTRAL: A member not participating in the division or participating establishment in or for which a protest or policy matter is being discussed prior to the decision of the
BOARD.
TECHNICAL PENALTY: A penalty assessed against a team for an infraction of the rules, which does not affect another team’s win/loss record.
PERSONAL PENALTY: A penalty assessed against a team, which affects the outcome of the competition (i.e., both team’s win/loss record).
I. PLAYS: Throwing of a dart in a TRICODA event.
DOUBLE: The outer band or ring of the dartboard, or the smaller inner circle of the bullseye or cork.
TRIPLE: The inner circle or ring of the board midway between the double band and the bullseye or cork.
IV. SCHEDULES
A. Schedules for each season will be prepared by the president and approved by the Board.
V. EQUIPMENT
An acceptable bristle board with wire sectioned divisions must be secured to the wall so the distance from the center of the board to the floor measures 5 feet 8 inches (plus or minus 1/4 inch).
The dartboard must be situated on the wall in a manner where the “20” is the top center wedge.
Lighting must be affixed in such a way as to illuminate the board brightly reducing to a minimum the shadows cast by the darts, and not to impede the flight of the darts.
The toe line shall be a stationary toe block or tape mark. It shall be in place and clearly
visible always. The distance of the toe line from the face of the dartboard will be 7 feet 9 1/4 inches. The distance will be measured to the back edge of a toe block or to the front edge of a tape mark. There will be an allowance of 1/4 inch. Players may shoot from any reasonable distance greater than the minimum. If a player shoots from a distance less than the minimum, the opposing team captain may warn the player and his or her team captain. Further violation to a warned player will result in the forfeit of the score of the dart thrown; the dart remains wherever it landed until completion of the turn.
Sufficient contract lighting of the throwing area shall be provided so that dart throwing is not hampered by a lack of visibility or by distracting lighting.
TRICODA suggests that each sponsoring establishment provide a designated area for the prominent display of results and other league information.
All comments and/or protests concerning equipment of any establishment shall be presented initially to and acknowledged by the home team captain prior to match play. If no action is taken, the comments shall be forwarded in writing within seven days to the President for his or her referral to the Equipment Committee. The match shall be shot under protest and the scoresheet shall be submitted with the word “PROTEST” written at the top of the sheet. The Equipment Committee shall forward its findings to the President and a determination shall be made by the Board. The Board may, with sufficient cause, require the match to be reshot and all home games to be shot away until the deficiencies are corrected.
For non-compliance with 4-a through 4-e, all home matches will be shot away until the deficiencies are corrected.
VI. THE TEAM
The minimum number of players constituting a full team is six (6).
Four (4) players shall be considered a legal but incomplete team at the starting deadline.
Any team presenting a legal team but less than six (6) shooters twice consecutively or three (3) times in a season shall be suspended.
Teams may legally start a match with a legal team and may play late arriving players providing rule 7 is not violated.
Lineups for the first set of play must be exchanged by the starting deadline, and the first game scheduled on the scoresheet must be played. Players for each subsequent game must be scheduled before the game is started.
Players not present may not be listed in anticipation of their arrival
Changes and substitutions may be made only with the consent of the opposing team captain, who upon consent, will initial such changes on the scoresheet.
When both teams present less than the minimum number of players needed for a full team, both teams forfeit the points of competition they are unable to play. Late arriving players may play when their team is throwing short but may only enter competition at the start of a leg.
Teams may use more than the legal minimum number of players during a match, if all other rules are observed.
A single shooter may shoot in a doubles match; however, the missing shooter’s turn shall be forfeited.
No member of a team will shoot more than four (4) games, one each set, in one match.
It is legal for a team to play with five (5) players, provided they have at least one player in each of the thirteen (13) games for the night, and no games are forfeited.
VII. SUBSTITUTION RULE
A) Substitute’s players will be allowed during regular league play. Each “sub” will pay a fee of $5.00 per night for a maximum of three nights of play; this money will go towards their lifetime membership fee if they decide to become a permanent member of the team plus any remaining money for total of $35.00 for old members and $ 40.00 for new members. “Subs” can play for ANY team if the fee has been paid. No more than (2) “sub” per team, per night. No substitution can be made during the last three nights of play and no “sub” is eligible for playoffs.
VIII. TIME FACTORS
Dartboards are to be made available to both teams for practice prior to the starting deadline.
Matches will begin at 7:30 PM.
No more than five (5) minutes shall elapse between games.
IX. BEGINNING A GAME
SCORESHEET: Each team captain will be provided with scoresheets for each match. The captain is responsible for the completion, accuracy, and neatness of scoresheets. The captain of both teams shall mail scoresheets to the Statistician, and they must be postmarked no later than one day following the match or e-mailed by the following Saturday at midnight. One point penalty if not complied with.
Lack of a scoresheet will not be considered a valid excuse for late scoresheets or non-reporting of results. However, a neat facsimile of a TRICODA scoresheet is acceptable.
Player’s full name, number of outs, total tonnage, and marks must be entered on the bottom of the scoresheet.
Both team captains are responsible for the accuracy of scoresheets and must sign them.
In the event of a forfeit, the attending team captain must send in a scoresheet for that week’s match.
STARTING PLAY
All games are begun by throwing a cork with the home team having the option to throw first or second each leg. Only players scheduled to play in the game may throw for the cork.
Darts hitting outside the cork will be evaluated by measuring the distance from the wire of the cork to the side of the dart.
Darts hitting inside the cork will be evaluated by: (1) Single cork thrown by the
second player ties single cork thrown by the first player. (2) The same is true of double cork. (3) Double cork beats single cork. (4) The second player may request the first player to remove his or her dart from the cork before the second player throws. (5) The first player must comply with his or her request.
When throwing for a cork, a dart must remain in the board to count. Additional
throws will be made until a player’s dart remains in the board scoring section. If the second player’s dart dislodges the first player’s dart, the dislodged dart is thrown again.
Darts that tie will be removed from the board by the score keeper or a player in the match. Then the players that threw the darts will reverse the order and re- throw.
Darts must not be touched by anyone prior to the decision. Should the marker or thrower be in doubt, both team captains shall add their opinions with the majority ruling. The team of anyone who violates this rule will forfeit the cork. If a spectator violates this rule, the cork will be re-thrown. If no majority exists, the cork will be re-thrown.
X. SCORING & MARKING
There should be a marker when and where possible.
The marker for each game will be a person acceptable to both team captains. Should the
choice of a marker cause dissension, it is the responsibility of the home team captain to provide a marker. In general, the home team shall keep score on one board with the visiting team keeping score on the other.
Bust Rule - (‘01 Games) - A player busts when scoring more points or one point less than remaining in the game, or when scoring the exact number of points remaining when the last dart is not a double. After a bust, the score remains as it was prior to the round. All darts thrown score as applicable. SEE ADO RULE 24.
Fast finishes do not count, i.e., “Shanghai”, etc.
For a dart to score, it must remain in the board until the decision of the scorekeeper is final. The tip of the dart must be touching the bristle surface of the board to count.
A dart’s score shall be determined from the side of the wire at which the point of the dart enters the board.
NO DART MAY BE TOUCHED BY ANYONE prior to the decision of its score. It is the responsibility of the player to verify the score before removing the darts from the board. Should a disagreement arise between the shooter and the marker, both team captains shall be called in to resolve the problem before the darts are touched. If the darts are touched prior to the final decision, the marker’s call shall be final.
The marker may inform the thrower only when the thrower so requests the amount scored or score remaining. For remaining score, the marker shall not give the score in terms of doubles or throwing combinations. The marker shall not call any dart’s score, including “CHECK,” unless requested. It is allowed for the team captain or partner to advise the thrower during a game.
(‘01) GAMES - The marker shall mark the scoreboard so that the score is listed in the outer columns and the total remaining is in the middle columns.
Error in arithmetic must stand as written unless corrected prior to the beginning of that team’s next throw, excluding Cricket, in which the score will remain the same. SEE
ADO AMERICAN CRICKET RULES #12.
A dart scores as thrown even if deflected, whether it strikes the board.
When a player throws out of turn, the score will not be counted, and the proper player will
throw. If the improper order is discovered after the opposing team has thrown a dart, then play will revert to the point of infraction. All intervening scores will be voided, and the proper player will throw; and play will proceed from that point.
XI. RESULTS
A) All results posted by the Statistician are final unless protested within ten (10) days after being posted.
XII. DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS
The division team with the best winning percentage at the end of the season is that division’s champion.
First place ties within a division will first be decided by the regular season play. If team “A” beat team “B” twice in the regular season, then team “A” will finish in first place. If both teams beat each other once, then it will go to total wins and losses. Team with the most wins will finish in first place. If there is still a tie, then there will be a one-night playoff with the first team winning 7 games wins and will finish in first place.
Players must be listed on team roster at least 50% of the season and actively participate in at least 1/3 of the scheduled matches to qualify for the playoffs.
The first and fourth place teams and the second and third place teams within each division shall play the best two out of three matches. The winner of that series plays each other the best two out of three matches to determine the division representative to the league playoffs. Each of these matches must be completed within one week.
The first match of the division playoffs shall be held with the team with the best win/loss record being the home team. The second match shall be held with the other team as the home team. If a third match is required, the home team shall be the same as the first match.
League playoffs will be presented by the playoff committee and voted on by the team captains prior to the start of the new season.
Playoffs for 2022-2023 season will be,
Top 6 play for Championship, best of three (3) nights to advance.
Remaining teams will play for the “Best of the Rest” Championship, one (1) night to advance.
1st and 2nd place teams will have a bye 1st round of playoffs.
Playoff schedule to be set each year by lower seeded team playing the higher seeded team.
XIII. AWARDS
Awards will be given to all team members eligible who played for a division champion during its championship season, the league champion, and the runner-up team in the league playoffs. Awards will be awarded to sponsors of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams of each division. All sponsors shall be awarded an appreciation award.
Awards will be given for High Outs, High Tons, and High Marks for each team, High Outs, High Tons, and High Marks for the league, and to any TRICODA member scoring three “Trips” in a Cricket game or a “Ton Eighty” in ‘01. (Only one award per person for “Trips” or “Ton Eighty” per season.) Award for 170 on or out in 301 or 170 in 501 and 401. Also, an award for 3 double bulls in the same shot in any game.
XIV. POSTPONEMENTS - IN GENERAL TRICODA DISCOURAGES POSTPONEMENTS
Teams may grant postponements but are not required to.
Teams granting postponements will set the makeup date and the team requesting the postponement shall notify the league Statistician. It must be within one (1) week of the postponement unless waived by the Board. If the team requesting the postponement fails to appear on the set date, it will forfeit the match.
XV. FORFEITS - IN GENERAL TRICODA DISCOURAGES FORFEITS
A team not presenting four (4) players at the starting deadline (7:30 PM) will forfeit in the following manner:
Games will be forfeited in the order listed on the scoresheet every fifteen minutes up to 8:30 PM.
The team forfeiting will enter FORFEIT instead of player’s names in that game. The other team will be allowed to place names later in the match.
In the case of a partial forfeit, a late arriving team will play whatever games remain that have not been forfeited.
A team forfeiting two consecutive matches or three matches within one season shall be immediately dropped from the league for the remainder of the season. All past winning points will be returned to the teams from which they were won.
In the event of a completely forfeited match in the last three (3) weeks of a season, the absent players of the offending team will be immediately suspended from all league play for the next season. The team will be dropped from the league and all past winning points will be returned to the team from which they were won.
Points returned due to a team being suspended during the second half of a season shall only be returned to the mid-season point.
XVI. PROTEST PROCEDURE
A. All protests must be submitted in writing to the president within one (1) week of the cause of the protest. The Board will make the final decision on all protests.
XVII. ADDITION OF NEW PLAYERS
All new members must be registered immediately by sending in the membership fee and season fee along with the score sheet. If the fee is not sent in with the score sheet, all points the new player has participated in will be forfeited. New players may not be added in the last three (3) weeks of the season.
If a team captain knowingly uses an illegal player and/or plays a person under an absent team member’s name and card number, all point in the match will be forfeited. Additionally, the responsible team member(s) and the offending player will be banned from TRICODA play for at least one (1) year.
If a team captain unknowingly uses an illegal player, all points won during games in
which the offending player was used in shall be forfeited. If the offending player is a TRICODA member, he or she will be subject to suspension from TRICODA play for up to one (1) year.
XVIII. PLAYER TEAM STATUS
Persons may play for any team they wish if they comply with the eligibility requirements.
Players may change teams only between seasons. EXCEPTION: A player may change teams during a season if his or her team withdraws from the league.
Application for each TRICODA season of competition must be received by the deadline announced by the Board and accompanied by the appropriate fee. If the sponsor’s fee is not credited to TRICODA by the first week of play, the team involved will be dropped from the league.
Team rosters must be submitted prior to the start of the first match with each team player’s signature attesting to his status.
XIX. GAMBLING - LIQUOR
Gambling is neither sanctioned nor condoned by TRICODA sponsored events.
The alcoholic beverage laws of the state, county, and municipality will be observed.
XX. SPORTSMANSHIP
Good sportsmanship shall be the prevailing rule at all TRICODA events.
Attempts to distract or taunt an opponent while he or she is throwing will not be tolerated. The offended player may require the opposing team captain to remove the source of distraction.
Physical confrontation between any TRICODA Dart Member or TRICODA officer and another individual at any TRICODA event will result in an immediate suspension of the individuals involved if notification is made to the TRICODA President or the Acting Officer in absence of. Suspension will be for the remainder of the season for all TRICODA events and removal from their elected office, if applicable. It will require a written request to the President or Board of Directors to become an eligible player again. Further investigation by the President or Acting Officer/Board of Directors/Captains Meeting may dismiss charges to either side. Written appeals may be sent to the Board of
Directors. Match points may be forfeited upon the President/Acting Officer’s decision.
In the case of violation of this or any rule, when the team captains cannot resolve the problem, the offending team should quit playing, leave the premises, and file a protest. Teams following this procedure will help their own cause. Teams that protest and continue the match will damage their cause.
The Board of Directors and Captains or their representatives have the right to vote to permanently bar individual players from all TRICODA events, including but not limited to league play, tournaments, and banquets, due to infractions of the rules of good sportsmanship and conduct. The vote to permanently bar a player will take a two-thirds majority of the attending team captains or their representatives to pass.
No TRICODA member will be involved in any verbal confrontation or verbal taunting while at a TRICODA event. Verbal threats, arguments, and taunting will not be tolerated at any TRICODA event. If players engage in this behavior, it is the responsibility of the captain and co-captain to step in and stop this situation. If someone wants to protest this behavior, they will need to put it into writing to the board of directors within 7 days of the incident. It will then be determined by the board of directors of the disciplinary action that needs taken.
Rules of Play
