Look, I've been covering sports for fifteen years, and I thought I'd seen everything.
Then Dimitri Van den Bergh casually drops the most bizarre tactical advice in darts history during a talkSPORT interview last week. We're talking about dealing with opponents who... well, let's just say they clear the air in ways that aren't exactly regulation.
When James Wade Turned Fartgate Into a Winning Strategy
This whole thing started when James Wade absolutely destroyed Peter Wright 6-5 at the Players Championship 19. Not with his throwing arm, mind you. Wade literally gassed out his opponent mid-match, and poor Peter "Snakebite" Wright had to pause before his throw because the smell hit him like a freight train.
I'm not making this up. The match actually got delayed.
Wright's reaction was priceless - he genuinely had to "take a second" before throwing his darts. Meanwhile, Wade just kept playing like nothing happened. The man's got nerves of steel... or maybe he's just immune to his own brand at this point.
Van den Bergh's Anti-Fart Battle Plan
So here's where it gets interesting. Van den Bergh, who's 30 and has dealt with this nonsense for years, has developed what might be the most practical advice in professional sports.
His strategy? "Breathe quicker and it's gone."
That's it. No fancy equipment, no complaints to officials, no dramatic reactions. Just rapid breathing until the air clears. The Belgian ace told talkSPORT: "I hate that. I make sure whatever I could do, it happened already at the toilet. Sometimes you've just got to accept it, at the end of the day, it's only a smell."
Honestly, there's something beautifully pragmatic about this approach. While other players are losing their minds (and matches), Van den Bergh treats it like a minor weather inconvenience.
Luke Humphries Joins the Comedy
Even world number one Luke Humphries couldn't resist jumping into this mess. His congratulatory message to Wade after the victory was pure gold: "Great farts mate!! I mean 'Darts'."
The 2024 world champion basically turned the whole incident into a running joke. Which, let's be honest, is probably the healthiest way to handle professional flatulence in sports.
Why Van den Bergh Actually Knows What He's Talking About
Here's the thing - Van den Bergh isn't just some random player offering advice. This guy stepped away from the entire PDC Pro Tour in April because he was mentally exhausted. Ten years of non-stop tournaments, family pressures (he's expecting his second daughter in July), and the constant grind finally caught up with him.
His break didn't go perfectly. He came back for the World Cup of Darts representing Belgium, and it was honestly a disaster. They finished behind the Philippines in the group stage in Frankfurt, which had to sting.
But here's what I respect about the guy - he's completely honest about needing that reset. "I was feeling really bad with myself, with my body, my mental health," he admitted. "I just kept pushing. I kept going forward."
The Real Strategy Behind the Joke
Van den Bergh's fart-defense technique actually reveals something deeper about his approach to pressure situations. While other players get distracted by external factors (whether it's crowd noise, opponent behavior, or yes, unexpected odors), he's trained himself to adapt quickly and refocus.
"Breathe quicker and it's gone" isn't just about dealing with smells - it's about not letting anything break your concentration for more than a few seconds.
The man's got his priorities straight too. "My dreams have always been to do what I love most, which is play darts and be successful at it. But I also wanted to have my own family and build a future, build a legacy."
That perspective probably makes it easier to laugh off the ridiculous moments. When you're focused on building something bigger than individual matches, you don't let the weird stuff derail you.
What This Says About Professional Darts
Look, this whole situation is hilarious, but it also highlights something unique about darts. These players are standing inches apart, in relatively small spaces, under intense pressure. Unlike tennis or golf where athletes are spread across huge areas, dart players are basically in each other's personal space for hours.
That creates all sorts of psychological warfare opportunities - some intentional, some... less so.
Van den Bergh's approach of just dealing with it and moving on might actually be the smartest long-term strategy. Getting worked up about things you can't control is a fast track to losing matches.
Plus, the guy's clearly got bigger things on his mind. Between preparing for his second kid and planning his return to full competition, he's probably not going to let a little gas throw off his game plan.
Sometimes the best advice is the simplest: breathe through it and keep throwing.
Frequently Asked Questions
My darts keep bouncing out of the board. What am I doing wrong?
Bounce-outs are incredibly frustrating, but they're usually caused by one of a few common issues. First, check your dartboard—if it's old and dried out, even the best throws will struggle to stick. Quality sisal boards should last years, but cheaper paper-wound boards harden quickly. If you can press your thumbnail into the board and it doesn't leave a small indent, it's too hard.
What's the difference between steel tip and soft tip darts?
Steel tip and soft tip darts represent two distinct branches of the sport, each with their own equipment, venues, and sometimes even scoring systems. The most obvious difference is in the point: steel tips have metal points for traditional bristle boards, while soft tips use flexible plastic points for electronic boards.
Is it worth spending more money on expensive darts?
The question of dart investment really depends on your commitment level and budget. You don't need to spend a fortune, but there's definitely a quality threshold worth crossing.
What weight darts should beginners use?
For beginners, I generally recommend starting with medium-weight darts between 21-24 grams. This range offers enough heft to fly straight without requiring too much force, but isn't so heavy that it becomes tiring during longer practice sessions.
Wait, so how exactly do you score in darts? I always get confused.
Dart scoring is straightforward once you get the hang of it! The standard game (501 or 301) starts with that number, and you subtract whatever you hit with each throw. The goal is to reach exactly zero, with your final dart landing in a double.
How often should I replace my dartboard?
A quality sisal dartboard should last anywhere from 1-3 years with regular play, though this varies dramatically based on usage and care. Professional-grade boards like Winmau Blade 5 or Target Unicorn typically outlast budget options by a significant margin.
Statistics
- In 2016, Michael van Gerwen set a world record for the highest three-dart average in a major tournament at 123.40.
- A standard dartboard is divided into 20 numbered sections, with the bullseye at the center worth 50 points.
- A professional dart weighs between 18-50 grams, with most players preferring 21-24 gram darts.
- The World Darts Championship prize fund exceeded £2.5 million in 2023, with the champion receiving £500,000.
- The first televised nine-dart finish was thrown by John Lowe in 1984, earning him £102,000.
- The Women's World Darts Championship was established in 2001, with Trina Gulliver winning 10 titles.
- Research shows that top professional dart players achieve accuracy rates of over 80% when aiming at treble 20.
- A perfect leg of 501 can be completed in nine darts, known in the sport as a "nine-darter."
External Links
How To
Setting Up Your Practice Space
The official height for a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor to the bullseye. The throwing line (oche) should be 7 feet 9¼ inches from the face of the board. I used to have mine hung too low and wondered why my game never improved at the pub! Measuring tape is your friend here.
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