Burton Board Game

The Burton Board Game is played on the rare Burton (Staffordshire) dartboard — a Yorkshire-style board distinguished by two unique 1-inch-square scoring zones worth 25 points each. The objective is to reduce a starting score to exactly zero, with the final dart landing in a double segment or the inner bullseye.

The game requires a Burton (Staffordshire) dartboard, a regional variant of the Yorkshire board. The board features the standard 1–20 number layout with a double ring and a single centre bullseye, but no treble ring and no outer bull. Its distinguishing feature is two small squares, each approximately one inch across, positioned between segments 14/9 and 4/13. These squares are slightly angled and each scores 25 points. Note that the Burton board is no longer manufactured; only one surviving example is known to exist.

Each player begins with an agreed starting score — typically 301 or 501, consistent with Yorkshire-style play. Determine throwing order by each player throwing a single dart at the bullseye; the dart closest to the centre throws first. Record each player's starting total on the scoreboard.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. The total of all three darts is subtracted from the player's remaining score after each turn. Play follows Yorkshire-style conventions adapted for the Burton board's unique layout:

• Single segments score face value (1–20).
• The double ring (outer narrow band) scores 2× the segment's face value.
• There is no treble ring on the Burton board.
• The centre bullseye scores 50 and counts as a double for finishing purposes.
• There is no outer bull.
• Each of the two special squares — located between segments 14 and 9, and between segments 4 and 13 — scores 25 points.

Bust rule: If a player's remaining score goes below zero, reaches exactly 1 (since no double can reduce 1 to zero), or reaches zero without the final dart being a double, the entire turn is void and the score reverts to what it was at the start of that visit. For example, if a player has 36 remaining and throws a single 20 (leaving 16), then a double 8 — that is a valid checkout. However, if that same player with 36 remaining throws a 25-square (leaving 11), the player cannot finish on a double from 11, and if a subsequent dart causes the score to drop below zero or hit zero without a double, the turn is bust and the score resets to 36.

Because there is no treble ring, the maximum single-dart score from a numbered segment is 40 (double 20). The 25-point squares therefore represent the highest-value single-dart target on the board after the bullseye (50), making them a significant strategic feature not found on standard Yorkshire boards.

The Burton board uses a simplified scoring structure compared to a standard London (clock) dartboard:

• Single: 1–20 points (face value of the segment)
• Double: 2–40 points (2× the segment number)
• Centre bullseye: 50 points (counts as a double)
• 25-point squares: 25 points each (located between segments 14/9 and 4/13)

There are no treble segments and no outer bull. The maximum score per visit (three darts) is 150 — achieved by hitting the centre bullseye three times. A more realistic high-scoring visit might include a bullseye (50) and two 25-squares, totalling 100, or three double 20s for 120.

For example, if a player hits single 18, a 25-square, and double 10, the turn total is 18 + 25 + 20 = 63 points, which is deducted from the remaining score.

The first player to reduce their score to exactly zero wins the leg. The final dart must land in a double segment or the centre bullseye (50). The 25-point squares, while valuable for scoring, do not count as doubles and therefore cannot be used as a finishing dart.

In match play, players may compete over multiple legs (e.g., best of 3 or best of 5), as agreed before the match begins.

The Burton Board Game is itself a regional variant within the Yorkshire dartboard family. The standard Yorkshire board shares the same layout — doubles ring, single bull, no trebles, no outer bull — but lacks the two 25-point squares that define the Burton board. Games played on the standard Yorkshire board follow the same fundamental rules but without the additional 25-point targets.

The board is also known as the Stafford board or Staffordshire board, reflecting its origins in the Burton-upon-Trent and wider Staffordshire region. Whether referred to as the Burton Board or the Stafford Board, the equipment and rules are identical.

No other named sub-variants of the Burton Board Game are documented.

Use the 25-squares to bridge scoring gaps: Without a treble ring, the highest single-dart score from a numbered segment is only 20 (single) or 40 (double 20). The 25-point squares fill a crucial gap between these values and the bullseye (50). Target them when you need a medium-high score to set up a double finish — for example, hitting a 25-square from 57 leaves 32 (double 16).

Know the board geography around the squares: The 25-squares sit between segments 14/9 and 4/13. If you are aiming for one of these segments and narrowly miss, you may land the 25 — or vice versa. Familiarise yourself with the adjacent segments so near-misses still contribute productively to your score.

Plan finishes without trebles: On a standard London board, treble segments provide flexible checkout routes. On the Burton board you have no trebles, so your checkout options are more limited. Memorise key finishes using doubles, the bullseye (50), and the 25-squares. For instance, from 75, you might aim: 25-square (leaving 50) then bullseye for the checkout.

Favour the bullseye for fast scoring: At 50 points, the centre bull is by far the highest-value target on the board. In the absence of trebles, consistent bullseye hitting is the fastest way to reduce a large starting score. Practise your bull accuracy disproportionately compared to standard dartboard play.