The soft tip game

[neil]

Double16 in now a global forum and we have members from all over the world. The soft tip game is huge in the states, europe, japan etc and there are a lot of great players out there that us Brits simply dont know about. Hopefully, this will change...
Members on double16 include truly great soft tip players - Scotty Burnett and now 40 times (!!!) world champion Scott Kirchner. I look forward to learning more about the soft tip game

[Wazza]

Hi Neil

Great to see... Also did you know World Champions of certain Soft Tip Champioships are called Grand Master? Also the Grand Masters have levels too!

There is also a soft tip war waging (like BDO/PDC), but strangely enough it is between 2 companies that are trying to get in on each others Operators (Operators take X amount of standalones for either usuage in a pub and or leagues, all standalones are indexed around the World so you can have a card for say Medallist which Paul Lim is sponsored by ( he also gets the machines into Countries and starts programmes for leagues) a Card lets you play on any Medallist machine around the world.
EG: If I was to play in Taipai in November this year my medalist card (if I had one) would be used in a machine I play on and the standalone takes my averages and puts them into a main computer which in turn keeps an index of what I am doing at any medalist tournament/event throughout the world!

[neil]

So you play a game on a machine that is connected to a central database which in turn can tell you where you rank in the world?

[Wazza]

Yes mate, electronic version of the paperwork at tournaments taken back to the Associations

[crash336]

Wish it was so organized here in the US, It's a three way turf war between the vendors, unfortunately its not all about the darts. The Electronic boards are usually supplied to the bars (pubs) by vending companies, they also provide the Pool tables, Juke Boxes and other (high revenue) games to the bars. The vending companies control the brand, Vending companies make the best deals on bulk purchase so they often only offer one of the three brands (Spectrum, Arachnid, Valley). It's also about parts/repair since these board are a big investmet they must hold up for years (and they do) but must be maintained.

It's been my experience that Arachnid (Bullshooters) and Spectrum (Medalist) have done more to promote big events. I think that will change since Valley has a CEO, I have seen them sponsoring leagues on a local level as well.

Oh alway remember this about us Americans, when somebody tells us we have to do it a certain way we always find a way to push back. ie It's not uncommon to find a bar/bars that just buy their machines
outright and make up their own rules.

[Wazza]

Hey Crash.. good to see you in here, dont be a stranger ok.

I know Paul (Lim) is having some turf trouble in Taipaie at the moment as he is setting up a Lague but the other venodr thats in there has old software.. apparently from what Paul said to me during the week, this lot is setting back is plans for a league but only in a small way..

Paul calls it "mentally challanging"due to the fact it makes him think more and its a good healthy thing (well for him it is as he makes setup of a league look so easy)
So at the moment I have put a maybe on an RSVP for Taipai! Would be good to play in 1st Championship there if possible. Look forward to more of you in here.. hey they still giving out all the badges over there for hatrick, and all the marks? Ive got stacks of them here!

[neil]

Hold on.....

You get a badge every time you get all three darts inside the bull outer ring???

You must have hundreds!!!!

[Wazza]

Hold on.....

You get a badge every time you get all three darts inside the bull outer ring???

You must have hundreds!!!!

THAT I cannot answer Neil.. thats why I asked crash.. I had a pile sent to me a few years ago from a guy in the states.. they can be viewed on my site in the badges section under memroabilia

[crash336]

Never got a badge.. I'm guessing it was a league thing, a lot of leagues track them. I did get a free drink token for a hat trick, I was shocked. It was a small bar with a lot of new players, I was there for a weekly LOD. I don't know how many free drinks I had - but buy the end of the night I remember (make that don't remember) much. I know I didn't win and recall having to pick may car up the next day. Not sure how/who I got home. You have to understand soft tip a lot of times is played very informal, lot of new and casual players ( ie Girls and heavy drinkers) just out for a good time. Thats not to say there are not serious (and good) players, its amazing how popular it can get. People just love to play, however - even at the big matches - very few people watch, I have been to local (pubs) were 50-60 people play in a LOD, but the end of the night there are less that a dozen people.

[Wazza]

Never got a badge.. I'm guessing it was a league thing, a lot of leagues track them. I did get a free drink token for a hat trick, I was shocked. It was a small bar with a lot of new players, I was there for a weekly LOD. I don't know how many free drinks I had - but buy the end of the night I remember (make that don't remember) much. I know I didn't win and recall having to pick may car up the next day. Not sure how/who I got home. You have to understand soft tip a lot of times is played very informal, lot of new and casual players ( ie Girls and heavy drinkers) just out for a good time. Thats not to say there are not serious (and good) players, its amazing how popular it can get. People just love to play, however - even at the big matches - very few people watch, I have been to local (pubs) were 50-60 people play in a LOD, but the end of the night there are less that a dozen people.

Interesting, well I got the badges and 9 mark etc certificats from a guy called Steve Shope (agent2345 in SEWA) who used to be Secretary of the ADO.. also got 2 sets of Widdies & a set of darts that belonged to Paul Lim (story behind that, go check my website under memorabilia)
Maybe its the thing like we have hear now Crash? We dont hand out 180 badges anymore... only to players who get thier first ever + unicorn 180 club cert.. you hit heaps of maximums, just another score but for those who hit thier first its a great acheviment>

So got any more interesting anadotes for us?

[Walshy]

Members on double16 include truly great soft tip players - Scotty Burnett and now 40 times (!!!) world champion Scott Kirchner.

40 times World Champion? when did he start playing? aged 9 months????

[Wazza]

Members on double16 include truly great soft tip players - Scotty Burnett and now 40 times (!!!) world champion Scott Kirchner.

40 times World Champion? when did he start playing? aged 9 months????

Nope! Can win a few World Title at a Grand Masters event Like Bullshooter etc.. the Grand Master events have quite a few events as well as many catagories (grades).

Should read Scottys page and check it out! http://www.sleepykramer.com/the_scott_kirchner_page

[star trooper]

Sorry to be a numpty on the soft tip darts game BUT can you just use the board for a normal 501 game and it scores electronically?

Is there a limit to the weight of dart you can use and are there any bounce outs?

[steveocy]

Sorry to be a numpty on the soft tip darts game BUT can you just use the board for a normal 501 game and it scores electronically?

Is there a limit to the weight of dart you can use and are there any bounce outs?

Most of the boards are limited to 18 gram darts. I believe Medalist might be 20 grams. Someone correct me if I am wrong on that.

New boards and properly maintained boards have few bounce outs.

Yes, you can set the board up to score how you would prefer. The few times I actually do practice on the electronic board I usually set it up to DI/DO with a split bull. We are lucky here. One bar has two league boards, but also went out and bought three more boards that they own themselves. During happy hour everyday and all day Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays those boards are all free to play on. The league boards still charge.

--steveo

[neil]

and from what I have been led to understand..... bounce outs normally count!