While there is definitely some strange terminology in darts, once you move past the level of beginner and get more serious about the game then you will undoubtedly look into some of the more serious terms and definitions for darts.
One of the most important (or most common) things to follow in darts is your darts average.
Finishing will always be the benchmark for what makes a good player but that doesn’t mean you can’t track your average to compare it against other players.
One term, in particular, you might have come across is MPR.
What does MPR in darts mean?
MPR is Marks Per Round in darts and can also be classified as Points Per Dart (PPD).
MPR is less commonly used in Europe for 501 or professional darts with a 3 dart average being the standard, but it is used in the US to give players an official skill rating for tournaments and leagues when playing cricket.
If you are looking to calculate your skill rating or darts average, MPR is a widely used method.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how you can calculate your MPR in darts and also give you some standards to work towards when looking to improve your skill rating.
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What Does MPR in Darts Mean
MPR stands for Marks Per Round. This is how you classify and rank players in a tournament or league game.
*** Important ***
MPR is used to calculate dart averages in the game of cricket only. If you play 501 darts then a different calculation is used to find your darts average.
If you play any version of ’01’ darts then the calculation is different for a darts average. for this check out our guides on dart averages here:
– How to calculate dart averages
– What is a good darts average
– How to improve your darts average
Every spot on the dartboard counts for a certain amount of points. With each dart thrown and landed, the player is ultimately trying to get more points so they can win the round.
In order to determine a player’s MPR, you must tally up the points that they scored and divide that number by the number of darts they threw. Take that number and multiply it by 3 to determine a player’s MPR.
This will give you the total amount to determine their ranking.
Here is an example that may help you understand how MPR is calculated.
At the end of round one, player 1 has thrown 40 darts and scored 56 points. To find out their MPR we would have to divide his 56 points by the 40 darts he threw and multiply that by 3 (56/40*3 = 4.2). This gives her an MPR of 4.2.
There are a few rules when it comes to determining a player’s MPR.
First, handicapped rounds don’t count when the player doesn’t have any darts. The other rule to know about MPR is that when two players are partners for a round their results must be recorded individually.
How Are Points Counted For MPR
When you look at a dartboard, you’ll notice numbers going around the rim similar to a wall clock.
Each number has 3 sections, and each section is worth a certain amount of points. The inner strips are worth the most for 3 points, while the outer strips count for 2 points. Everywhere else is only worth one point.
There’s also the bullseye, which just has two sections: a red section in the very center and a green outer rim. The red section is worth 2 points where the green is only worth 1.
Official Skill Rating For Darts
MPR is necessary for determining a dart player’s official ranking.
Their ranking is determined by their MPR and their PPD. PPD stands for Points Per Dart. This is determined by dividing the total amount of points by the number of darts that the player threw.
Once a player’s MPR and PPD rankings are determined, they will be classified as either Master, A, or B ranking.
These rankings are different between male and female players.
Male players require an MPR of 3.2 or higher to be classified as Master, and females need an MPR higher than 2.0.
For an A ranking, male players need an MPR of 2.4 to 3.1, where females need 1.6 to 1.9. Beginners are more likely to see a B ranking.
Male players with an MPR lower than 2.3 and females with an MPR lower than 1.5 will be considered level B.
In the official game rules, a player’s ranking can be re-evaluated each season.
All new players must complete at least 24 games with the league in order to establish a ranking.
What Is a Good MPR in Darts
Every dart player will be aiming for a different score. Where new players might be thrilled just to make the scoreboard, more experienced players may be up to the challenge of hitting a different number.
The lowest MPR a player can have is 0, where the highest level is 9.
For most beginners, a good MPR to aim for is 3.
This is challenging enough to make sure players are brushing up on their skills, but also an attainable score.
As the play becomes more experienced with the game, they can aim to reach a higher MPR score. Until then, 3 is the perfect goal for new players to strive for.
More experienced players should be challenging themselves a bit more. An MPR of 3 is considered low for a player who has many years of experience behind them.
When these players are up for a challenge they should be aiming for a 6 or 7 MPR. The best players however, can achieve MPRs higher than 8.5.
MPR In Cricket
Cricket is a popular type of dart game, and recording a player’s MPR is important because it counts for the average amount of valid points a player scored each round.
If a player were to hit 3 singles in a round, then they would have a 3.0 for that round. However, if they were to score two triples then their MPR would be bumped up to 6.0.
The rules state if a player were to hit a triple that’s close to their opponent’s number but they only needed to score a single to do so, then the point will only count as a single towards their MPR.
How Does Handicap Work
Some leagues will use a handicap feature to track the stats of their league and calculate the players’ average scoring and MPRs.
This will give an estimated average of how well the league is doing so they will know what they need to work on to be ready for the next competition.
It’s important to realize that the handicap feature doesn’t represent a player’s peak performance or highest MPR.
Handicaps are simply used to get an overall average of the league. While the system is far from perfect, it does do a good job at helping to balance out the playing field.
The handicap will be calculated before the match begins, and uses the same values throughout the match. However, it will never adjust up or down while a match is in progress.
Most players will not rely on handicap to determine their overall MPR. This is mainly because it doesn’t give any indication of their best performance overall.
As players improve their dart skills, they like to challenge themselves. One of the ways they do this is by trying to increase their MPR ranking.
Every great dart player strives to one day reach that 9 MPR.
Rounding Up
Players don’t really need to (and shouldn’t) worry about their MPR too much in darts.
When you focus on trying to improve and average and hit a certain playing standard, you detract from the areas that will actually make you a good darts player.
While MPR can be used to determine a player’s and team’s skill rating for league play, the focus during practice should really be on improving your consistency and accuracy of throw.
By improving your fundamentals, you’ll improve as a player and naturally see your MPR increase as a result.
If you want to improve the fundamentals, check out our dedicated guide on how to get better at darts.
