The Principle by A. Bertram Chandler

Author:A. Bertram Chandler [Chandler, A. Bertram]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-02-25T15:15:30+00:00

WE LOOKED to the corner where a game of darts was in progress. Both players were trying for the double one. Judging by their expressions they had been in the madhouse—that is, I believe, the expression used by darts players on such occasions—for some time.

"Look at them," said Hibbert. "Until they started to double out, they were putting the darts more or less—more rather than less—where they wanted them. Once they started to double out they just had to get down to the double one. And can they get it? Of course not; they're throwing double twenties that they would have been glad of when the game started..."

"Psychology," Gordon stated flatly. "Just psychology. They aren't really good players—in the early stages of the game they weren't quite able to put the darts where they wanted them. Quite often, when they were trying for the twenty, they must have got number one . . .

"But that bears out Hibbert's Law," I said.

He ignored me. "It is only at this stage of the game that real urgency exists. Each knows that the other can end the game with one dart. Each knows, too, that it's almost closing time; and that unless the game is finished soon, the loser won't be able to buy the winner his drink—and one for himself, of course. It's a double urgency. And mixed up with it all is the Death Wish of the psychologists—after all, defeat is a little death, and so is failure to get a last drink before throwing out time..."

Just in time I paid for the last round.

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