Darts

1 Overview

Darts is a precision throwing sport played at a circular target board divided into numbered segments. Players stand behind a designated throwing line (the oche) and take turns throwing three darts per round at the board. The two most popular competitive formats are Cricket (a strategic closing game) and X01 (a subtraction game, most commonly 501). Both are played casually in pubs worldwide and competitively in professional tournaments.

2 Equipment & Setup

The Dartboard

A regulation bristle dartboard is 18 inches (45.7 cm) in diameter. The playing surface is divided into 20 numbered sections (1 through 20), arranged in non-sequential order around the board to maximize strategic penalty for near-misses. The outer ring of each segment is the double ring (worth 2x that segment's value). The inner ring is the triple ring (worth 3x). In the center are two concentric circles: the outer bullseye (25 points) and the inner bullseye (50 points, also called double bull).

Dartboard Mounting Height

The center of the bullseye must be exactly 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor. This is the universal standard for all competitive play.

Throwing Distance (The Oche)

Players throw from behind a line called the oche. The regulation throwing distance is 7 feet 9.25 inches (237 cm) from the face of the board for steel-tip darts. Soft-tip electronic boards typically use a distance of 8 feet (244 cm).

Darts

Steel-tip darts are used on bristle boards; soft-tip plastic darts are used on electronic boards. A standard dart has a metal point (or soft tip), a barrel (brass, nickel, or tungsten), a shaft, and a flight (the plastic fin that stabilizes the dart in air). Tungsten barrels are preferred by serious players because tungsten's density allows a slimmer barrel, enabling tighter groupings in the triple and double rings.

3 Throwing Rules

• Players must keep at least one foot behind the oche during the throw. Leaning forward over the line is permitted as long as no foot crosses.
• Each player throws 3 darts per turn (per "visit").
• A dart scores where its tip rests in the board at the end of the turn, not where it initially lands.
• Darts that bounce out or fall out of the board before the player retrieves them do not score.
• Darts may not be re-thrown.

4 Cricket

Cricket is the most popular darts game in American pubs. The target numbers are 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and the Bullseye. All other numbers on the board are irrelevant.

How to Play Cricket

1. To "open" a number, a player must hit it 3 times (a triple counts as 3, a double as 2, a single as 1).
2. Once you have opened a number (hit it 3 times), you score points each time you hit it again — until your opponent also opens that number ("closes" it from your perspective).
3. Once both players have opened a number, it is "closed" and neither player can score on it.
4. The game ends when one player has opened all 7 numbers AND has a higher or equal score. If you open all 7 but your opponent has more points, you must continue scoring on open numbers until you match or exceed their score.

Strategy in Cricket

The key tension in Cricket is whether to open new numbers or score on numbers you've already opened. Closing numbers your opponent is scoring on stops their bleeding. Opening numbers defensively (even ones you won't score on) denies them to your opponent.

5 X01 Games (301, 501, 701)

X01 games are subtraction games. Players start at a set number (301, 501, or 701) and take turns subtracting their dart scores until they reach exactly zero. The most common competitive format is 501.

Double-In / Double-Out

In standard competitive 501, players must start scoring with a double (double-in) and must finish with a double or the bullseye (double-out). Darts thrown before the opening double and scores that would take you below zero are "busted" — your score remains unchanged.

In casual play, double-in is usually waived (straight-in, scoring from the first dart). Double-out is kept even in casual formats.

Checkout Combinations

Finishing the game requires landing exactly on zero with a double. Common checkouts:

• 170 (maximum checkout): Triple 20 + Triple 20 + Bullseye
• 100: Triple 20 + Double 20 — or — Single 20 + Double Bull
• 40: Double 20 (single dart checkout)
• 32: Double 16 (most common finishing double)

6 Scoring the Board

The triple 20 (T20) is worth 60 points — the highest single-dart score on the board. In 501, professional players aim for T20 on nearly every throw. The triple 19 (T19, worth 57) is used when a dart is already lodged in T20 and blocks the next dart from landing cleanly.

The outer bullseye scores 25; the inner bullseye scores 50. The bullseye is a valid double (bull finish) in standard checkout rules.

7 Strategy & Tips

Develop a Consistent Stance and Grip

Consistency is everything in darts. Choose a stance (front-on or sideways) and grip (typically 3 fingers on the barrel) and practice it until it's automatic. The throw should originate from elbow rotation, not a full-arm swing. Keep your upper arm still and pivot at the elbow, releasing the dart at the top of the arc.

Follow Through

A proper dart throw includes a full follow-through: your throwing arm should extend fully toward the target after release, with your fingers pointing at the board. A truncated follow-through is the most common cause of darts dipping below the intended target.

Know Your Checkout Paths

In 501, memorize common checkout combinations for totals from 40 to 170. Knowing that 81 = T19 + D12, or that 68 = T20 + D4, means you don't lose time doing mental math during your turn. Pre-planned checkout routes are the difference between recreational and competitive play.

In Cricket: Go Triple 20 First

Triple 20 is the highest-value triple on the board and the most practiced target for most darts players. Opening 20s first in Cricket gives you the highest scoring potential. After 20s are opened and contested, move to 19s, then 18s — working downward.

8 Variants & Games

• Around the World: Players must hit each number from 1 to 20 in sequence, then finish on the bullseye. First to complete the sequence wins. Good for practicing accuracy on every segment.
• Shanghai: Each round targets one number (round 1 = 1, round 2 = 2, etc.). Players score singles, doubles, and triples of that round's number. A "Shanghai" (hitting single, double, AND triple of the round's number in one visit) wins immediately. Otherwise, highest score after 7 rounds wins.
• Killer: Each player is assigned a number. To become a "killer," you must hit your number's double. Once a killer, you try to eliminate others by hitting their doubles. Last player standing wins.

9 Common Mistakes

• Aiming for the wrong side of the board: In 501, always aim Triple 20. Beginners sometimes spread darts randomly instead of developing accuracy on the top segment. Deliberate T20 practice builds the foundation for all other games.
• Busting in X01 without a plan: Throwing your third dart without knowing if it can leave you on a double wastes turns. Before each visit, know your remaining score and plan which double you're aiming to finish on.
• In Cricket: scoring on an already-closed number: Once both players have opened a number, no one can score on it. Throwing at a closed number wastes darts. Always know the board state before throwing.
• Inconsistent stance: Shifting your foot position between throws or between turns creates unpredictable variance. Plant your feet the same way every visit.
• Leaning too far over the oche: While leaning forward is legal, extreme body lean creates an unstable throwing platform and puts strain on your shoulder. A slightly extended lead foot combined with upright torso produces better consistency.