Merit Industries, Inc.

John C Nydick

John W Houriet, Jr

Robert H Wiles

Peter Feuer

Dean L Hedin

Daniel L Aymar

Thomas R Horne

A system is provided for handicapping unranked players in a dart game match, wherein the match includes a plurality of successively played games. Upon initiation of a match, a default average is assigned to an unranked player. An initial handicap is calculated for the unranked player based on the difference between the default average and an actual average of a ranked opponent of the unranked player. The initial handicap is then used for the first game in the match. At the end of the first game, a first new handicap is calculated for the unranked player based at least upon the unranked player's actual average in the first game. The first new handicap is used for the second game in the match. The unranked player's handicap is repeatedly recalculated after completion of each game in the match based at least upon the unranked player's actual average in previous games of the match. The recalculated handicaps are used for the next game in the match. After completion of all games in the match, a fixed handicap is established for the unranked player based at least upon the unranked player's actual average in all of the games of the completed match. The fixed handicap is used for subsequent matches. The player average may be points scored per dart or round, marks per dart or round, or any other suitable measure of performance. The handicap may be used to assign a spot dart, spot mark, or spot point handicap.

System for handicapping substitute or unranked players in a dart game

A dart game machine that electronically scores dart throws includes a reset mode which allows the game score to be backed up to a previous score state. The dart game machine includes a score data memory which tracks current and previous score data for each player so that the previous scores may be automatically restored upon backing up of the game.

Back up turn function for dart machine

A dart game controller and method of controlling a dart game is provided wherein a dart board has a plurality of target areas, each target area corresponding to a target value. A preset number of target values are stored in a memory. A mark detector identifies at a predetermined stage of game play which of the target values stored in the memory have been marked at least once by a player, but have not been marked more than a preset number of times by any of the plurality of players. Next, a number generator selects a replacement target value for each identified target value. The replacement target value is stored in the memory in place of the respective previous target value. The target value in the memory for each target value not identified by the mark detector remains unchanged. The method and apparatus is suitable for use in playing a variation of Random Cricket.

Growing community of inventors

Havertown, PA, United States of America

John C Nydick