Get the Point?

Jennifer Mahnken, now treasurer of the Rocky Mountain Dart Association, remembers taking third in an open tournament and walking away with a “decent amount of money” even though she’d only played darts for a year or so. “It really just depends on the draw and how good of a day you have,” Mahnken says, by way of explaining the unseeded, single-elimination nature of open tourneys. “There’s a lot of average players and a lot of very good, nationally ranked players. It’s an open opportunity for anyone to cash out.”

More About

• Jennifer Mahnken
• Rocky Mountain Dart Association

The 2009 Colorado Open Dart Tournament, which begins this evening and runs through Sunday afternoon, offers steel-tip dart players a chance to snag chunks of a cash purse totaling $15,000. Open enrollment for singles, doubles and triples events in 701, 501 and Cricket mean that competitors can register up to fifteen minutes before each event. And competitors have the added bonus of potential mentoring from some of the game’s “top dogs,” Mahnken notes. “These players will often take the time to help other dart players with their game and their focus. And they don’t have to, so it’s a really cool thing.”

This year’s Open takes place at the Denver DoubleTree Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street, where it coincides with the U.S. Team National Finals, an invitation-only event. Registration fees are $15 to $45, and spectators are welcome; get a full schedule and more information at www.rmda.org/colorado-open or by calling 303-703-8248.
Oct. 9-11, 2009