Robin Hood in Darts: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re getting into playing darts or like watching it on TV, then you might have heard the term a “robin hood shot” and wondered what it really means. In this article, I’ll explain what a robin hood shot is, why it’s a problem for darts players and how to prevent them from occurring.

What is a Robin Hood?

A robin hood in darts is when a dart lands into the back of another dart that is already in the board. The tip of the dart usually becomes lodged in the shaft or flight of the first dart so they are stuck together. This prevents the second dart thrown from scoring any points.

Double or triple robin hood shots can occur when the second dart thrown lands in the first dart, and the third dart thrown lands in the second dart so all three darts are stuck together and only the first dart scores any points. There is some debate as to whether this is called a double or triple robin hood, but most players use the terms interchangeably.

Check out this video on YouTube showing robin hood shots happening.

Why are Robin Hoods a Problem?

You may have spotted this already if you’ve watched the video above, but robin hoods are almost always met with a look of annoyance and disappointment by the players and the commentators frequently comment that it’s very unlucky.

Robin hood shots are a problem in darts because they do not score anything. For example, if you threw three darts and two hit the board in the treble twenty and one was a robin hoot shot, then the score for that throw would only be 120. The player was unlucky here as if the robin hood hadn’t have occurred, the throw would usually have occurred in a 180 score. However, only darts that are touching the surface of the board at the end of the throw will score points.

How Rare is a Robin Hood?

Robin hoods in darts are very rare and casual players are likely to never experience them. For professional players, robin hoods occur more frequently but are still quite rare. It is uncommon to see a robin hood in a professional match which involves hundreds of throws but it does still happen.

How to Prevent Robin Hoods

As I mentioned earlier, robin hoods aren’t a good thing (unless you’re going for a trick shot to impress your friends) and some players find them incredibly frustrating and look to change their system to prevent them.

The best ways to prevent robin hood shots in darts are to use flight protectors or moulded flights as these both reduce the potential of a dart landing in the back of another dart. Moulded flight systems such as Condor, L-Style and Cosmo are popular options for players looking to prevent robin hoods.

Use Flight Protectors

Flight protectors prevent incoming darts from colliding with the flight. This helps the flights to last longer because they are not damaged as frequently, however it also helps to reduce robin hoods. When the flight has a protector on it, the incoming dart will not be able to penetrate the end of the flight and stick to it. However, it doesn’t eliminate the risk of robin hoods because the dart can still become lodged in the stem.

Flight protectors are usually made from metal or plastic and are pretty cheap so many players find that they’re a worthwhile investment as they mean the flights don’t need replacing as frequently.

Check out these flight protectors on Amazon for the current price.

Image links to Amazon

Use Moulded Dart Flights and Stems

Moulded dart flights have become more popular over recent years because they help to prevent robin hoods and are more durable than folded flights. Moulded flights are thicker than folded flights and take less damage from incoming darts so need replacing less frequently. The thicker design also prevents incoming darts penetrating the flights, reducing the risk of robin hoods.

Moulded flight systems also use different stems (although some can still use regular stems) which are also better than aluminium and nylon shafts for preventing robin hoods. Moulded flight systems also come with a built-in cap where the stem and flight join which prevents robin hoods as the second dart will slide along the cap rather instead of landing in the stem.

Some of the most popular moulded flight systems are by Condor, L-Style and Cosmo. Here are some images and links to Amazon so you can check the current prices.

Check out my article comparing moulded and folded dart flights to learn more.

Cosmo Flights

Check out Cosmo Flights on Amazon. Image also links to Amazon.

L-Style Flights

Check out L-Style Flights on Amazon. Image also links to Amazon.

Condor Flight and Stem System

Check out the Condor System on Amazon. Image also links to Amazon.

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Game and Entertain

Hey, I'm Heather, the owner and creator of gameandentertain.com. I made this website to help you learn more about setting up a home entertainment and games room. My favourite games are ping pong, darts and pool, but I also have experience in other games which I aim to share using this website.

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