All you need is a steady hand and aim. Playing darts is a great way to spend time with your friends and family. It's also a sport that can be played by anyone, of any age or skill level. If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your kids, a game of darts might just be the perfect choice for you! In this guide, I will cover some basics about darts and how to start playing darts so that you can get started today!   So what is a game of darts? Just like its name suggests, darts is a game that involves throwing darts at the dartboard. This means that all you need to get started is yourself, a dartboard, some darts, and a steady hand to hit your mark.   Ok, so I've got all the essentials. Where do I go from there? If you've never played darts in your life, it's a good idea to get familiar with the different sections of the dartboard and playing area. [caption id="attachment_10579" align="aligncenter" width="364"] This picture highlights the points that each player gets depending on where their dart lands on the board. As always, the bullseye gets you the most points![/caption]   Closely referenced as being similar to a pie, a dartboard is divided into 20 'slices' (segments). These segments are numbered from 1 to 20 and are further divided by rings that make the inner and outer sections of the dartboard as illustrated in the picture. [caption id="attachment_10580" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This image by DARTSLIVE is a good general guide for setting up your dartboard and throw line for the proper playing experience.[/caption]   Another crucial point to playing darts is that you should always try to stand as close to the dartboard as possible. This ensures that you are in the ideal position to control the darts and throw them parallel to your arm and dominant eye for more control. For this, you'll need to stand an optimum distance from the dartboard. This is marked by the oche line (more commonly known as the throw line) with the arc beginning at about 180 degrees. The distance between your feet and the dartboard should be about 244cm. Any closer and it will make it too difficult for you to aim properly.   Rules of 501 & 301 Darts Just like any other game, dart players aim to achieve the highest score possible in the shortest amount of throws regardless of the ruleset. Before you start the game, the darts are divided into sets of two darts, and each set is played in turn with the darts alternating from one player to the other. Each game has a total of either 501 or 301 points, which is where the game gets its name from. Pretty straightforward, right? Now time to get to the details. Here is a basic breakdown of the rules: The player with the fewest points starts first in reaching their highest score for 501 darts (1 point per dart). Players must get exactly the number of points required (501 or 301). If your final shot puts you above the maximum number of points, it is considered a 'bust' and immediately ends your turn. You must wait for your opponent to be done with their shots before you can continue. While not common for all establishments, there are some that believe the first shot must land in the double section in the outer ring of the dartboard (called a doubling-in). Any shots before you make this particular shot will not be considered for points. Think of it as a minimum requirement! The last dart throw by the first person to reach the final score must land in either a double or a bullseye to not be a bust.  It is also important to remember that for both variations, each player is usually given a total of 3 darts per turn to collect points. Misses are also counted in these three throws, garnering you zero points. You will also not get points if your dart ends up 'sticking' to another dart nor get another try at the throw itself. The darts used should be heavy-duty darts and the board itself must not have any bounce or rubber on it. When throwing, you should use your dominant hand. Make sure to get a decent amount of practice in first as everyone starts somewhere before getting good!   Hopefully at the end of this article, you have learned a little and are feeling less intimidated to give darts a try! While it might seem like a lot to remember, just remember that playing darts is the same as playing any other sport: there is muscle memory involved. As long as you practice enough and just have fun, you'll eventually learn and be on the path to becoming a dart pro in no time!   At The Men’s Cave, we review, curate, and strive to provide quality content and inspiration on the coolest games from all around the world. If you enjoyed this article, why not show your support by signing up for our newsletters (at the bottom of the article) and we will keep you updated on the latest insider articles from all around the world!  

Looking to get your first pool table or just interested in learning more? A pool table is easily one of our most popular products, with everyone essentially spending some time growing up in a pool parlour. Now that you're considering having a pool table in your life, this guide is designed to address the many questions that you may have in mind, and simplify the process of buying a pool table. We'll start with the most basic questions.   What size should I be looking at? The answer to this question probably depends on the amount of space you have for your table, which you can look at our detailed guide on the space requirements to find out. However, this also depends on the type of pool you're looking to play. There are broadly two types of pool: English and American. These two styles of play differ mainly in the size of the tables, balls and of course, geographical aspects. English pool is played with a 7ft table accompanied with 2" balls in league play, while American pool is played on a 9ft table with 2.25" balls. Our recommendation? We would recommend that you narrow down on the size of table first, and then pick the corresponding type of table (English or American styled) dependant on the size that you are going for. Do bear in mind that it's always possible to size up the table in a tight space by using shorter troubleshooter cues, which is often a common practise for many of our apartment based customers.   Playing field: Slate bed or Wood bed? You might see pool tables that are priced below $1000, to tables that are priced in the range of $3000. You might wonder, what's the difference? Well, it lies in the type of playing field it has and this is easily the biggest decision to make when choosing a pool table. There are essentially two choices—wood vs slate.   Wood (MDF) bed tables Wood bed tables utilise MDF—a form of compressed wood—for the playing field. This results in a lightweight table that is cheap, although it suffers in areas like gameplay and durability. As MDF is susceptible to water-logging and humidity, it is never ever perfectly flat and hence, does not provide a true roll. When used in a large area, MDF is prone to warping as well, which causes the balls to roll lopsided to one side of the table. • Low end priced from $400 - $1500 • Light, moveable and cheap • Far from flat and ball do not roll true • Susceptible to warping and lopsided ball roll. Wood bed tables are mostly used as toys for children and are never ever used in a setting where a proper pool table is required.   Slate (Stone) bed tables Slate bed tables are the industry standard for pool tables and are used in pool parlours, pubs, and any professional setting. Slate or natural stone, being perfectly flat provides a true ball roll and slate is also immune to humidity and shifting weather conditions. Slates are usually 3/4" - 1 1/4" thick and are incredibly heavy, which is why all slate bed tables are considered non-moveable. • Industry standard for pool tables • Perfectly flat & smooth, while immune to humidity • Provides a true ball roll • Heavy and non-moveable Our recommendations? Unless you're looking for a toy, go for a slate bed table and own a proper pool table that will last you at least a few years. Gameplay is everything with pool and if the ball doesn't roll right or play well, it's only a matter of time that the pool table becomes unplayable and an utter waste of money. As this is easily the most important decision in picking a pool table, we've prepared a more comprehensive guide on how Slate and Wood compares, be sure to check it out if you're serious about purchasing a quality pool table.   Dining Pool or Regular Pool? Dining pool tables have been increasing in popularity over the last few years. They are basically fully functional pool tables that double up as a dining table when the tabletop is in place. Dining pool tables are great to play on, practical, and affordable. Supplied by European manufacturers, dining pool tables are excellently finished and make genuinely sleek furniture for any living room. On the other hand, regular tables are singular in their usage and are only for playing. Regular tables also tend to be offered in bigger sizes, as dining pool tables often max out at 7ft. Our recommendations? In today's context where homes are getting increasingly smaller, go for a dining pool table which is highly practical for their dual-use. If you're worried about the gameplay, make sure to go for a slate bed and try out the table in person. Brands and Features Just like buying any other products in the market, brands of the products matters and not just in a superficial way. Instead, often, brands represents a stamp of reliability that good makers have amassed over the years. As the professionals in our field, we have seen dozens of makers around the world but really only just a handful that truly build quality pool tables. The likes of Brunswick, Diamond, Olhausen, Montfort and Bilhares Carrinho comes to mind. Each with their own specialisation and hallmarks that matters depending on the client's needs. Our recommendations? Speak to a professional, or our team to discuss your requirements and to learn more about the different brands in the market. At The Men's Cave, our line up is made up of a diverse range of high quality leading brands with very different styles and feature offerings.   A Final Word While there are many different types of pool tables in the market, all of them are practically covered in this short guide. To sum it up our guide, start by determining if you prefer a dining pool table or a dedicated one, then focus on finding the right size for your space. Once you have identified the right size, opt for the corresponding style that suits the size of your table. Lastly, compare the features among the tables that you have narrowed down. Features like Slate, Ball Return System and Brand really do vary here, so do not hesitate to reach out to one of our experts to get professional advise on this matter! Inspired to get started? Explore our range of pool tables here.

Here's a useful video that we have found to guide you on how to play 8-ball pool. To those who are unfamiliar, 8-ball pool is the most popular way of playing pool in the world, and is played recreationally and professionally. Unlike 9-ball pool which is racked with a diamond, the 8-ball game is racked with a triangle, with the object 8-ball placed in the middle. Inspired to own a Pool Table? Check out our range of exciting range of pool table options here.

Congratulations! You’re the owner of a new Teqball table! Or perhaps you’re here because you’re interested in knowing more about the game and want to play? Regardless of the reason, this rule guide is here to help answer any questions you might have about what Teqball is, how to play it, and some of the many ways you can use a Teqball table to play Teqball and other sports for new styles of gameplay.   What Is Teqball? To give a more general explanation, Teqball is based on conventional football but played on a specially-built curved table called the Teq table with any sort of football. It’s a game that can be played with both men, women, and children, split between two teams of one (singles) or two (doubles). The sport uses a points-based scoring system (best-out-of-three, with each team needing to reach 12 points first per set) and can be played both indoors and outdoors on all types of surfaces. There are no differences in gameplay between the two settings. Players are only allowed to touch the ball a maximum of three times before needing to pass it to their opponent and no physical contact is allowed between the players or with the table itself, reducing the risk of physical injuries.   How Do You Play Teqball? [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG25k7kJxUI&feature=emb_logo[/embed] Teqball is a surprisingly simple game to pick up but requires tons of skill to master.  To start, the game is played with a conventional size 5 football (has a circumference of 68-70cm and weighs 410-450g) on any Teqball table. Court lines should be drawn beforehand in this layout: The service line must be drawn 3.5m away from the middle of the table, which is where players must serve the ball at the start of each match.  Much like badminton, it has been mentioned earlier that conventional Teqball can be played as either singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side). This is then further divided based on gender restrictions, where teams can either be mixed or just one gender only based on tournament or house rules. You must also choose a team captain during doubles play as they are required to do a coin toss to determine which team starts first and which side of the table they will be playing from.  These are what the official FITEQ coins look like! They're different colours on each side so that they're distinguishable from each other.   Players each choose one colour of the coin (or heads or tails if you’re using a normal coin). The receiving team selects who their receiver will be before the serving team declares their server.  Playing Teqball itself feels like a mix between football and table tennis. You must make sure to bounce the ball onto your opponent’s side of the table but you cannot touch the ball with your hands and arms. You also cannot touch the ball with the same body part twice in a row while playing. You gain a point when you manage to successfully land the ball on your opponent’s side of the table without them being able to return the ball to your side.  However, if an ‘edgeball’ occurs—the ball bounces off the side of the table—the point does not count and must be replayed. This is also the same case if the ball hits the net and bounces on the table at least three times before being returned back by either side.  Teams switch serving after every four points, in best of three sets. The winning team is determined based on the first team to reach 20 points overall.  For more in-depth rules, you can look at the official TIFEQ rulebook for playing Teqball here.     However, the adaptability of Teqball’s innovation doesn’t just stop there!  With a Teqball table, you can change a variety of classic games into new ones, such as beach Teqball, Teqpong (ping pong), Teqtennis, and more. This list hardly scratches the surface of sports that are being introduced for the Teqtable’s use. The table’s curved surface creates a new and fun challenge for these tried and tested sports, breathing new life into them while showcasing the Teqtable’s versatility. It’s also a great option if you’re tight on space but want a physical play space that gives you plenty of play options in both indoor and outdoor settings.     If you’re interested but have initial doubts or any other questions, why not book a free appointment with our showroom today to try Teqball out for yourself!