There is of course lingo in every sport. Some of it is confusing and to some, it’s unnecessary. Rather than simplify things in the name of inclusivity however, it’s good for those on the outside to get to know what that lingo means.
Sports are like communities. Understanding the jargon, lingo, patois and acronyms associated with said sport is great for helping to understand and enjoy it better. With that, we’re explaining more about MPR, PPD and PPR in darts.
MPR
Put simply, MPR means ‘Marks Per Round’. MPR is a metric darts players can use to measure how well they are performing. Seedings and rankings for tournaments and darts leagues are often based on MPR. The higher the MPR, the greater accuracy a player is deemed to have during a given round.
For tournaments, leagues and events, MPR as a ranking system is useful as it helps determine the skill level and possible handicaps for those involved. MPR remains important in darts as it helps to display how well a player can hit the target consistently. Naturally, it is also a metric used to compare performance from player to player and to track progress.
Calculating MPR
Calculating MPR is simple enough. Players simply need to divide the number of marks scored in a round by the number of darts thrown. After that, multiply the number you got by three to get the ultimate MPR.
You may be wondering what a ‘mark’ even is at this point. A mark is a point scored on the dartboard. Each segment has marks with a different value, depending on the difficulty level. This is how marks are decided on a dartboard:
- Treble: 3 marks
- Double: 2 marks
- Bullseye (inner ring): 2 marks
- Bullseye (outer ring): 1 mark
- Single: 1 mark
PPD & PPR
MPR is interesting, but it isn’t the only tool used to measure a darts player’s performance or progress. PPD and PPR are also very useful for this purpose.
PPD means ‘Points Per Dart’, while PPR stands for ‘Points Per Round’. Each can be used for different game types and different purposes. PPD measures how many points you can score per dart thrown, as an average. That’s simple enough. You calculate this by dividing the total number of points scored by the number of darts thrown making this a very easy metric for players to use.
The reason this is important is because, in a typical 501 game, the task is to reduce your score from that to zero as quickly as you can. The higher the PPD you can score, the more efficient you are at gaining points and getting to zero.
If you managed to win a typical 501 darts gaming throwing 16 darts, your PPD is 31.3. All you do is divide 501 by 16 to get that number. A magic 9-darter would mean a PPD of 55.66.
PPR is a little different. Points per round measures how many total points you score per round of three darts. To calculate that, simply divide the number of points scored by the total number of rounds played.
As an amateur, you can use PPR is games such as Shanghai or Around the Clock. In these games, the task is to hit specific segments or individual numbers on the board. The higher the PPR you can manager, the more points you will score per round.
Playing a game of Around the Clock for example and scoring 120 points would lead to a PPR of 12. That number comes from dividing the 120 points scored by 10 rounds, giving you a PPR of 12.
MPR, PPD & PPR: Final Take
While many people run scared of numbers, the fact is we need these metrics in every sport to measure performance and progress. Having a better understanding, especially of MPR, is useful for a darts player. MPR measures your consistency and accuracy. When you see those numbers getting better, you are a better player. Simple. It takes opinion right out of it. Just winning more games than you did last week won’t do, as your opposition may have been weaker.
Improving your MPR is crucial. Practice regularly and focus on hitting those trebles and doubles as much as you can. Combining this with measurement of your PPD and PPR helps you to get a better handle on your current performance, and any improvement. Don’t leave your darts ability to chance. Mark your progress and check to see that all metrics are going up at once, not just one of the three explained here.