In this game, up to 20 players throw darts at a target with 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-point zones. The objective is to get 200 points.
You have a choice of three methods of throwing:
| Throw | Description | Probable Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast overarm | Bullseye or complete miss |
| 2 | Controlled overarm | 10, 20, or 30 points |
| 3 | Underarm | Anything |
You will find after playing a while that different players will swear by different strategies. However, considering the expected score per throw by always using throw 3:
| Score (S) | Probability (P) | S x P |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1.00-.95 = .05 | 2 |
| 30 | .95-.75 = .20 | 6 |
| 30 | .75-.45 = .30 | 6 |
| 10 | .45-.05 = .40 | 4 |
| 0 | .05-.00 = .05 | 0 |
Expected score per throw = 18
Calculate the expected score for the other throws and you may be surprised!
The program was written by David Ahl of Creative Computing.
As published in Basic Computer Games (1978):
Downloaded from Vintage Basic at http://www.vintage-basic.net/games.html
(please note any difficulties or challenges in porting here)