Another Night of Darts at Sponge Reef

There is nothing as humbling as playing darts against an opponent and getting your butt spanked and I mean spanked badly. It was almost as if there was nothing that I could do, albeit bang my head against the wall, to hit something meaningful on the board. This fellow John and his wife Shana were tough, damm tough. And to make matters worse, they were the nicest darters around. As skillful as they were, I wanted nothing more than to dislike them but I couldn't. Gosh darn it, these folks were nice. Clearly, I was out of my league. After seven or eight matches, I finally had my chance at game shot and blew it. I didn't get a second chance.

I had met John once before at my cozy little home bar and asked him to play a match or two. He told me he couldn't as he didn't have his darts with him. Huh? "How can you, as a darter, go into your own home dart bar WITHOUT your darts???" I really wanted to play so I goaded him on a bit and told him if he were a real darter then he would play with house darts. So he did. Even playing with house darts this guy John couldn't miss. So we played, and he beat me unmercifully but I figured maybe he got lucky or maybe I was just too tired after already playing darts for several hours.

Well, now I know John wasn't just lucky that first night that we played. And I don't know where this guy came from but John is CONSISTENTLY AWESOME! Whether using house darts or his own darts, he has definitely mastered the game. John isn't a one-trick pony but a bona-fide skillful and consistently good darter. Even though he kicked my butt that first time we played, that didn't stop me from challenging him again because all I wanted to do was play darts, play more darts, and play some more darts. So he accepted my challenge and the match began - we played partners, me and my husband Andy and John and his wife Shana. I nailed it all, big fat single numbers, that is - and the wrong big fat numbers, to boot. I was out of my league and apparently too heavy for my partner to hold me up. When I ventured out for the evening, I wasn't counting on losing my shirt. Okay, I didn't lose my shirt cause that would have left me there in the bar playing in only my bra, sexy and bright red as it was, I needed to keep my shirt on. But then again, maybe playing in my sexy, push-up, lacy bra might have just distracted John enough to let me win. Hmmmmm. I'll have to consider that for the future...Though it is doubtful that his wife Shana would have appreciated that one.

Laughingly, and trying to make the best out of the situation, I told John that I would NOT be playing for money. Ha. He just grinned in that quiet unassuming way of his. I couldn't help but wonder, what is it like to be of such good caliber that it's tough to find decent competition? Does one get easily bored without any challenging competition? Clearly this guy is a Master's player, though he is too humble to admit this, and he should probably be ranked as such - what the heck was I thinking, little old mediocre me challenging him to a match, again and again and again. True to form, the more I lost, the more determined I was to continue playing and win. Or so I thought. The winning part never happened, and the dart lessons continued.

I struggled to figure out what I was doing wrong. My head was definitely in the game so that wasn't the problem. So I stood at the line, focused on my breathing and did my best to stand still and move only my arm. That didn't work. Either you are hitting your targets or you're not and I was not. Wire, wire, wire, bounce out and more wires. I couldn't even hit a specific fat number when I needed one to save my sorry soul. It was one of those endless matches and I wanted the whole shebang to be over, so I would be put out of my misery. I didn't bother with excuses - it just wasn't my night and my partner couldn't save me - again, I must have been too heavy for the both of us.

So I watched John's technique - not the best but he hit his numbers time and time again, almost effortlessly. Whether John knows it or not he has a little jump to his release, and tends to throw fast and hard, but somehow this works for him. The double-bulls, doubles and triples seemed effortless to him. It was amazing to watch! I wondered if he worked on his technique a bit more if he would be even better. I asked if he played in the city, specifically the blind draws at Di's Den, where all the great players play and he replied "No, I don't drive to the city...why should I? It's too far to drive and I can walk to the Sponge Reef, so this is where I play! That and I play on a little league called the West Suburban Dart League..." (This brought some warm memories back as this was the first steel-tip league that I shot on!)

It's no fun being beat time and time again so in trying to make the best of the situation I did the next best thing and tried to talk strategy with him. After hitting the triple-17, I asked if he considered moving directly to the bulls because 50 points is more than a triple-16 (48 points) or a triple-15 (45 points), but his take is that he likes to target the numbers in order and leave the bulls for last. I guess you can do that when you're a skillful player and have the ability to hit your numbers at will, especially those double-bulls. Then I asked John what his favorite out was...this was a test because real darters will tell me their favorite out is whatever they are shooting at. But as a true champion, John replied, with a twinkle in his eye and that warm unassuming smile, that he has "21 favorite outs." Well said, and something that I had never heard before. Yes indeed, one's favorite out isn't only what you are aiming for but knowing the board, knowing what you can hit, playing the entire board and having "21" favorite outs. That was the first time I heard that one and how true, how true! I made a mental note to approach John in the future for a dart-related interview for this website as I liked his take on darts. Yes indeed, one's favorite out is all 21 one of them! Gosh darn it, I learn something new every day from other darters...Now I have "21 favorite outs!"

Finally, John and his wife finished their cocktails and got ready to hit the road. After shaking hands, thanking them for the games, and wishing them well - they were off. Now was my time to play against my husband Andy - he is definitely beatable at times and I needed that mental boost that only comes from throwing some awesome, precise darts that brilliantly winning a match would give me. But it still wasn't my time! It just seemed to be one of those nights that I would sooner forget rather than remember. I still couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, even if it was 10 stories tall and standing right in front of me, and painted neon pink. I considered taking up horse-shoes or hand grenades but darts is my passion so darts it was, and darts it is. I still lost, though not as badly. The night was over and I hadn't won even a single game. Ouch. That's a tough one to swallow...I wanted to win so badly that my heart hurt and I was oh-so-frustrated. I think all darters have moments of greatness but I guess tonight I just couldn't find my own moments of greatness. I would have had a better chance of winning the lottery so after we left the bar I stopped at the gas station and bought my lottery ticket. I figure I have a better chance of winning the lotto if I actually have a ticket! My dart lessons for the night were over - I am comforted by the fact that tomorrow is another day, another round of darts and more competition.

Playing darts for the evening gave me quite an appetite and I was HUNGRY! We stopped for Chinese and would you believe my fortune cookie warned me against playing games for the evening?! If only I had read that before the night began. Still, the Chinese food was good and once fed, and refreshed I was ready to play. However, the hour was late, I was in for the night and looking forward to the next night of darts. I have since given up on fortune cookies and astrology that tells me I have what it takes and it's going to be a great day...LOL. I have resigned myself to doing what I love to do, and that is playing darts, writing about darts or even talking about darts with other passionate darters. And I am not reading any more fortune cookies on a dart night!

Winning, of course, isn't going to just come to me - unless I find a magic Jeannie in a bottle with three wishes or unless I find the beginner who doesn't even own a set of darts. Then I might actually have a chance! My brainstorm for the evening was this: Don't challenge John or even play with him unless he is going to be my partner, or teammate. That, and I need to practice more. A lot more!

Thanks for the dart lessons John and Shana, I guess I needed a dose of humility! I am sure we will meet again and I'll will definitely bring my game. Count on it. Really.

As always, shoot well and I'll see you at the line.