3 ms·
> When Smith aims for the triple 20 — the highest-value subsection of the board, but smaller than half a square inch — he hits it less than half the time. Note
by tromp 3y ago
> When Smith aims for the triple 20 — the highest-value subsection of the board, but smaller than half a square inch — he hits it less than half the time.
Note that perfection does not necessitate hitting a high percentage of triple 20s, since one is also constrained by having to throw a total of 501 points.
One way to achieve true perfection is to hit triple 20 + triple 19 + double 50 with every 3 darts, giving all 9 darters.
- monooso 3y agoI'm confused by your comment; there's no such thing as a double 50.
- tromp 3y agoOops; I meant double 25, a.k.a. bull's eye.
- ghusbands 3y agoNone of the other options are significantly easier to hit. Also, the hit rate of any other suitable combo won't differ much from that of triple 20, and triple 20 has the advantage of getting you to the high numbers sooner. You could avoid triple 20 entirely, you can go for 8 triple 19s and a triple 15, for example.
- tromp 3y agoNo; that won't work, since the final dart is required to be a double...
- Someone 3y ago> None of the other options are significantly easier to hit. Can you point to data supporting that claim? I would think a simple model for throwing is: - get the left-right direction right - get the throwing angle/speed combo right and do not rule out that some players are better at one of those than at the other, showing smaller variation. If so, those players would be better at hitting the (almost) vertical triples than the (almost) horizontal ones or vice versa. I guess I would want to know the point-spread function (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_spread_function https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_spread_function) per player. If you know that, you could devise an optimal strategy, weighing the number of points each target is worth (even if you can hit triple-10 with 100% precision, it most of the time isn’t a good idea to aim for it) and situation of the game (you’re maximizing the probability of winning, not the winning margin, so if you’re far, far ahead, that triple-10 may become enticing)
- chipsrafferty 3y agoThe 20 is symmetrical, so if you aim for the center, and are slightly off to the left or to the right, you are equally likely to still hit, compared to the 19 which is at an angle and thus biased to one side. Therefore, when shooting for the 19 you'd have to rotate your point of symmetry which means adjusting the angle, speed, AND left/right. I personally don't have any data to support this, but it seems extremely intuitive and so I think the burden should be on you to show 19 is equally easy to hit if for some reason you think it is. 20 also has the advantage of getting you closer to 0 if you don't shoot a perfect game, which is pretty much always, so 20 is BETTER unless 19 is significantly easier to hit.
- jameshart 3y agoBut hitting it when you're aiming for it is important.
- chipsrafferty 3y ago8 60s and a 21 seems more elegant, though your approach is more difficult because you have to aim for more different places.
- tromp 3y agoYou cannot end with 21; it has to be a double...