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FreeDarts guide
Running a darts tournament
Pool stage, knockout bracket, board-ready alerts — here's how a darts tournament is usually structured, and how to run one without a paper bracket.
The classic format
Most bar and club darts tournaments follow the same two-stage shape: a pool stage where small groups play round-robin, then a knockout bracket where the qualifiers face off in single elimination — lose once, you're out.
It's a good balance: nobody is eliminated after one bad match, but the final rounds still have real stakes.
What makes it a hassle to run
- The paper bracket redrawn by hand every round.
- Players who don't know when it's their turn.
- A pool draw thrown together at the last minute.
- Results that vanish between one edition and the next.
How FreeDarts handles it
Players sign up online with a link or QR code. Pool draws are automatic and balanced. Everyone gets a phone alert the moment their board is free. The season standings build themselves, edition after edition.
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