How to play Darts: rules and scoring

Get from 501, 301 or 701 down to exactly zero, or close 15–20 and the bull in Cricket: pick the variant in the rules. Usually the last dart must be a double (you can turn this off) and a turn that goes too far doesn’t count; matches can be played in legs.

501 / 301 / 701

• 501 down to 0
• 3 darts a turn

Goal: Bring your score down to exactly zero before anyone else.

Setup

• A standard board hangs with the bull’s eye 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) high.
• The throw line is 237 cm (7 ft 9¼ in) away.
• Everyone starts on 501; 301 is a shorter game and 701 a longer one.
• Whoever throws closest to the bull goes first.

How to play

1. On your turn you throw three darts.
2. The board has segments 1 to 20; the thin outer ring doubles the number, the thin inner ring triples it.
3. The outer bull is 25, the bull’s eye 50 and counts as a double.
4. What the three darts score comes off your total.
5. The most in one turn is 180 (three triple 20s).

Scoring

• A turn that would take you below 0 is a bust.
• When playing double-out, a turn that leaves you on 1 or reaches 0 without a double is a bust too.
• A bust doesn’t count at all: your score stays where it was.
• Reaching 0 with a double finishes the leg (a checkout).
• The highest finish in one turn is 170 (T20, T20, bull).

Winning

• First to exactly 0 wins the leg.
• Matches are played in legs: when setting up, you pick how many legs win the match (for example 3).
• Every leg starts again from 501 (or 301 or 701, as set), and the next player along throws first in each leg.
• Big tournaments group legs into sets as well.

Note

• With double-in, your score doesn’t come down until you hit a double, and darts thrown before it don’t count; this is common in 301.
• With double-out off, any dart that reaches 0 finishes, which is easier for beginners.
• Cricket (closing 15–20 and the bull) is popular too.
• So is Around the Clock (hitting 1 to 20 in order).
• In partner play teammates throw in turn and share a score.

Cricket

• 15–20 and the bull
• 3 darts a turn

Goal: Close 15 to 20 and the bull before anyone else, without being behind on points.

Setup

• Same board and distance as 501.
• The only targets are 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull; other numbers count for nothing.
• Write the seven targets on the scoreboard for every player.

How to play

1. On your turn you throw three darts.
2. A single on a target is one mark, a double two, a triple three.
3. The outer bull is one mark and the bull’s eye two.
4. Three marks close that target for you (/, ✕, ⊗).
5. Close the targets in any order you like.

Scoring

• If you keep hitting a target you’ve closed while at least one opponent still has it open, every extra mark scores.
• Each extra mark scores the number’s value (the bull 25).
• A target everyone has closed is dead and scores nothing more.

Winning

• The first player to close every target and have at least as many points as everyone else wins.
• If you’ve closed everything but are behind, you keep scoring until you’re ahead or your opponents close too.

Note

• In cut-throat cricket extra marks score for your opponents and the lowest score wins.
• The app uses the standard rules for now.
• Some tables add 14, 13, or the triple and double rings as targets.
• In partner play teammates share their marks.

House rules

These are the rules tables argue about most. Agree on them before you start; you can turn them on or off when you set up the game.

Double in

A player’s score only starts coming down once they hit a double. Often played in 301.