How to Play Darts

First, examine the darts; All foils are not of a length.
Furthermore, though a heavier dart is always better for a master, a
lighter one better suits a weaker arm such as my own. Decide which game
you're playing and gain a firm grasp of the rules, even the little
ones. Rules are like street signs; they almost always matter. Map out
your strategy in the rough before you toss a single dart; you'll have
to change it to match opponent and circumstance but at least you'll
have laid your foundation. Always plan your targets, and contingent
targets, before you step up to throw. In this way, darts is like
painting; conception must come before execution.
Now, as for form, the natural masculine stance will not serve you
well. Rather, you should stand horizontally toward the target wall,
forward leaning like an attentive student. When you actually toss, your
back leg will leave the ground entirely in a moment of sublime
enterprise. Generally, there is one proper way to grasp the dart. This
is somewhat loosely with your fingers touching the sides of the dart;
your pinky only should not touch the dart. Some accomplished players
adopt different grasps. The Austrian pro who I learned from advised
against such deviations because of the sound physics of the traditional
grasp. However, it is not for me to advise players more accomplished
than myself.
Strategy and form are important aspects of the game. But darting calls
calls for something else, something harder to describe. Even if you've
done everything as I described, you will find yourself struggling.
You'll hit a target solidly on the first two shots and then something
will arrest your flow. What this something is will depend on your
mental nature. Some people will become over-confident, not taking
precise aim required. More become self-conscious, thus giving over to
the conscious mind that role which nature has ascribed to what we call
"the subconscious mind."
But these separations and words should not be taken literally, or
perhaps not even seriously. For I have no doubt that a cougar is very
"conscious" as it springs upon a deer. Seeing as the slightest mistake
could result in a hungry belly, he must be. And he has no verbal or
abstract thoughts to flee into, thus becoming "unconscious" of the
world as it is.
No, when you dart, it is important to simply dart. Do not think,
except in terms of darts. Do not fear, except being hit by a dart. And
do not fight; the age of war is passing. In some primitive way, it
takes wisdom to play excellent darts. You must have gone through
traumas, lulls and exultations... and learned to simply dart.
But then there's the question of why you should play darts in the
first place. It is a physical competition and both the physical and
"competition" are in the first days of their Fall. The ideal dart
player would have the instincts of a cougar and none of the virtues of
a good human. And an orangutang could with a year of practice far
outstrip the famed Phil Taylor, for that creature has extremely long
arms and is far stronger and more coordinated than a human.
But if like me, you are not the captain of your soul or the master of
your destiny, and you find yourself playing darts, you'll have more fun
if you do it properly. I hope that in my poor way I've given a few tips
that might help out my fellow amateurs.