World’s fastest darts player Rapid Ricky Evans is on a quest in his life to improve his darting game and ability as we head into 2025. He has recently revealed that he is on a fitness regime to help him lose weight and improve his health and will be working with a top sports psychologist to improve the mental side of his darts game – his attitude and his self believe
Darts success is all about fine margins and practice is a vital part of success in the sport, which means players have to continue to practice, practice and practice to ensure they are at the top of their game and that their muscle memory and instinct take over when the pressure of the big stage is on. As with all sportspeople these practice games and training are designed to help recognise any weaknesses within their game and eliminate them.
With Ricky Evans currently sharing his journey with the public and showing us a behind the scenes look at his trials and tribulations with his ongoing improvement journey @rapidfitnessjourney he has shared his favourite darts practice games that he plays on the PDC tours, that he uses to keep his skills at their peak
Game One: 121
121 is a game that focuses on the players finishing skills. The players decide on how may darts each player has (usually 6 or 9) and they start with having to score ‘121’ within those darts. If you score 121 with your 6 (or 9) darts then you move up to having to score 122 with your darts and it goes onwards until both players stop. Some players will play the rule – if you miss the score you have to go back to playing for 121. It is won with either one player reaching a determined score or a time limit.
121 is one of the most popular games on the PDC tour – Check out Ricky Evans talking about 121 here
Game Two: Tonnes
Tonnes is a game that improves accuracy and hitting trebles. It is a great way to help improve scoring and consistency with play. The rules are simple. Two players play a set number of rounds and outscore each other.
Traditionally treble 20 is the only scoring treble used – but you can use T19 and T18 if you choose. A player has to score 100+ with each throw (which has to include the trebles named) – if that player scores over 100 with their 3 darts that gives them 1 point. The winner is either the player with the most points after a set number of legs or the first to 21
There are various scoring options with tonnes – where you achieve higher points based on which treble you hit and how difficult you want the game to be
Game Three: Cricket
Definatley the most complicated of Ricky Evan’s preferred practice games and it is a great ‘all-rounder’ game.
Cricket’s rules are that a player has to score a treble to open up scoring on that section of the board – IE if you hit T20 then you (and only you can score on that section – but you don’t get THAT treble – you can score T20 if you hit it again), your opponent cannot score on the 20s unless they close that section by hitting the T20 on their go (which costs them a scoring dart
The opponent will be looking to open their own section on the board (usually the T19 next) and follow the same method but ‘opening’ the section by hitting a treble and then using their darts to score.
This game is, again, incredibly popular on the PDC tours and it gives players the chance to improve their accuracy, scoring and the pressure of an opponent
These are the preferred games of Rapid Ricky Evans, and whilst he plays them with other PDC players – each darts star will have their own preferred games that they use to sharpen and improve their skills. Ricky Evans is on a journey to improve his darts game and is looking to progress further in his career than he has to date, eventually winning a major trophy.
With Ricky’s decision to share this journey with his fans we are lucky enough to se his methods behind the scenes and watch the talented man grow from popular character to darts champion