Blind Killer

Blind Killer is a social-deduction elimination game in which each player is secretly assigned a number on the dartboard. The goal is to eliminate every other player by hitting their secret double segments — removing their lives one by one — while concealing your own number so that opponents cannot target you. The last player with at least one life remaining wins.

Blind Killer requires a minimum of 3 players and plays best with 5–10. You will need a standard bristle dartboard, a set of three darts for each player (or a shared set), slips of paper numbered 1–20, and a container from which to draw them.

Fold the numbered slips and place them into a hat, cup, or bag. Each player draws one slip at random and looks at it privately — no player may reveal or hint at the number they have drawn. Unused slips are set aside, face-down, without being inspected. This secrecy is the defining feature of Blind Killer and distinguishes it from standard Killer, where numbers are assigned by throwing with the non-dominant hand.

Record every player's name on the scoreboard and mark 3 lives next to each. Do not write anyone's secret number on the board. Determine throwing order by any agreed method — for example, each player throws one dart at the bullseye, with the closest dart throwing first and play proceeding clockwise.

Play proceeds in rounds. On each turn a player throws up to three darts. Before a player may attack other players' lives, that player must first become a Killer by hitting any bullseye — either the outer bull (the 25 ring) or the inner bull (the 50 ring). A player who has not yet achieved Killer status may use all three darts in a single turn attempting to hit the bull; any darts that land elsewhere during this activation phase have no effect.

Once a player has been activated as a Killer (mark a K next to their name on the scoreboard), their subsequent darts are live. From that point onward, every dart that lands in a double segment (the outer narrow ring) removes one life from whichever player secretly holds that number. For example, if a Killer throws a dart into double 14, the player who drew the number 14 loses one life — regardless of whether the thrower knew that player's identity.

Because numbers are secret, the targeted player must honestly announce that they have been hit and reduce their life count on the board. This is an honour-based rule and is essential to the integrity of the game. The hit player does not reveal which dart struck their number — they simply confirm a life has been lost. If multiple doubles are hit in a single turn, each is resolved individually, and affected players must each announce accordingly.

Self-hit penalty: If a Killer hits their own double, they lose one of their own lives. This creates a powerful incentive to avoid your own number — and gives observant opponents a potential clue about which number you hold.

• Only darts landing in the double ring (outer narrow ring) affect lives. Singles, triples, and the bullseye (after initial activation) have no effect on lives.
• A player who is not yet a Killer cannot remove lives — their doubles do not count until they have hit a bull.
• A player reduced to 0 lives is eliminated and takes no further turns.

Example turn: Suppose Player A is an active Killer and throws three darts — single 7, double 18, and double 3. The single 7 has no effect. The player who secretly holds number 18 must announce the hit and lose one life. The player who holds number 3 must likewise announce and lose one life. If Player A's own secret number happens to be 18, then Player A — not someone else — loses that life and must say so honestly.

Blind Killer does not use a point-based scoring system. The only tracked value is each player's remaining lives, beginning at 3. One dart landing in a double segment removes exactly one life from the owner of that number.

• Double hit on an opponent's number: That opponent loses 1 life.
• Double hit on your own number: You lose 1 life.
• Double hit on an unassigned number (a number that no player drew): No effect — no lives are lost.
• Single, triple, or bullseye hit (after Killer activation): No effect on lives.

For example, if a player has 2 lives remaining and an opponent's dart lands in that player's double, the player drops to 1 life. One more hit and that player is eliminated.

The game continues until only one player has at least one life remaining. That player is declared the winner. There is no tiebreak mechanism — because lives are lost one at a time and turns are sequential, it is not possible for the final two players to be eliminated simultaneously.

In a social or pub setting, players often play multiple rounds, drawing new secret numbers each time. A match can be structured as a best-of series (e.g., first to win 3 rounds) to extend the evening's play.

Five-Life Blind Killer: Each player begins with 5 lives instead of 3. This extends the game considerably, giving eliminated players less downtime and allowing more opportunities for deduction. Recommended for larger groups (7+ players) or when a longer session is desired.

No Killer Activation (Straight Killer): Some groups skip the bullseye activation step entirely — all players are Killers from their first throw. This speeds up the early game but removes the strategic tension of the activation phase.

Ghost Blind Killer: Eliminated players continue to throw darts on their turns even though they have no lives. Their doubles still remove lives from surviving players. This variant keeps everyone engaged and adds chaos, as eliminated "ghosts" have nothing to lose and may target players freely.

Team Blind Killer: Players form pairs, each pair sharing a common objective. Teammates may quietly strategise but still may not reveal their secret numbers to anyone — including their partner. The last team with at least one surviving member wins.

Blind Killer is itself a variant of the parent game Killer (sometimes called Open Killer), in which each player's assigned number is public knowledge and numbers are typically determined by throwing at the board with the non-dominant hand rather than drawn from a hat.

Never aim at your own number: The most fundamental strategic rule in Blind Killer is to avoid your own double at all costs. Hitting it costs you a life and may reveal your identity to observant opponents. If your number is adjacent to a popular target on the board, exercise particular caution with your aim.

Watch reactions, not just announcements: When a double is hit, pay close attention to every player — not just the one who announces the hit. Body language, hesitation, relief, and even the speed of an announcement can betray a player's secret number. Skilled Blind Killer players gather as much intelligence from observation as from the dartboard.

Use misdirection deliberately: Occasionally throw at doubles you have no reason to target, or spread your darts across multiple numbers rather than focusing on one. If opponents see you hammering double 9 three turns in a row, they will assume 9 is not your number — which may be useful, or may narrow your identity by elimination.

Prioritise becoming a Killer quickly: Until you hit a bull, you cannot remove anyone's lives. Spend your early turns entirely on the bullseye — the outer bull (25 ring) is a generous target and qualifies. Every round you spend inactive is a round where Killers are chipping away at the field while you remain defenseless.

Track the information landscape: Keep a mental (or discreet written) note of which doubles have been hit and who announced. Over several rounds, you can narrow down opponents' numbers by process of elimination — for instance, if double 12 has been hit twice and Player C announced both times, there is a strong chance Player C holds number 12. Concentrate your attack accordingly.